Lighting a 8 × 10 ft bathroom
Total light needed
2,800lumens
80 ft² × 35 foot-candles
| Room area | 80ft² |
|---|---|
| Target light levelIES guidance for a bathroom | 35foot-candles |
| Total lumens | 2,800lm |
| Colour temperatureadd vanity lights at face height | 3000–4000K |
| Bulbs (800 lm each) | 4bulbs |
| Recessed cans (4 ft spacing)560 lm each | 5fixtures |
- Room
- bathroom
- Width
- 8 ft
- Length
- 10 ft
Where 2,800 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 80 ft² that is 2,800 lumens in total.
Split it up
One fixture putting out 2,800 lumens and 5 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 2,800 lm fixture and 5 smaller ones add up the same but look completely different.