Lighting a 14 × 20 ft bathroom
Total light needed
9,800lumens
280 ft² × 35 foot-candles
| Room area | 280ft² |
|---|---|
| Target light levelIES guidance for a bathroom | 35foot-candles |
| Total lumens | 9,800lm |
| Colour temperatureadd vanity lights at face height | 3000–4000K |
| Bulbs (800 lm each) | 13bulbs |
| Recessed cans (4 ft spacing)545 lm each | 18fixtures |
- Room
- bathroom
- Width
- 14 ft
- Length
- 20 ft
Where 9,800 lumens comes from
Lighting is specified in foot-candles — lumens landing on each square foot of the surface you care about. A bathroom is worked to 35 foot-candles. Across 280 ft² that is 9,800 lumens in total.
Split it up
One fixture putting out 9,800 lumens and 18 fixtures adding up to the same number light a room very differently. A single source throws hard shadows and glare; several spread the light and make the room feel larger. Aim for layers — ambient, task, and something low for the evening.
Colour temperature
3000–4000K suits this room. Warmer light reads as relaxed and is what you want where people wind down; cooler light keeps edges and colours crisp, which matters where there is work to do.
Notes
- Foot-candles are lumens per square foot at the work surface. Ceilings above 9 ft, dark walls or dark flooring all eat light — add roughly 10% per extra foot of ceiling height.
- Spread the total across several fixtures rather than one bright source. One 9,800 lm fixture and 18 smaller ones add up the same but look completely different.
Nearby sizes
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- Lighting a 14 × 20 ft dining room
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- Lighting a 10 × 20 ft bathroom
- Lighting a 18 × 20 ft bathroom
- Lighting a 14 × 18 ft bathroom
- Lighting a 14 × 22 ft bathroom
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- Lighting a 14 × 24 ft bathroom