How many lumens for a 12 × 12 ft kitchen?
Total light needed
5,040lumens
144 ft² × 35 foot-candles
| Room area | 144ft² |
|---|---|
| Target light levelIES guidance for a kitchen | 35foot-candles |
| Total lumens | 5,040lm |
| Colour temperaturetask-heavy; add 50 fc over counters | 3000–4000K |
| Bulbs (800 lm each) | 7bulbs |
| Recessed cans (4 ft spacing)560 lm each | 9fixtures |
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 5,040 lm fixture and 9 smaller ones add up the same but look completely different.
Where 5,040 lumens comes from
Lighting is specified in foot-candles — lumens landing on each square foot of the surface you care about. A kitchen is worked to 35 foot-candles. Across 144 ft² that is 5,040 lumens in total.
Split it up
One fixture putting out 5,040 lumens and 9 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.
Color 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 colors crisp, which matters where there is work to do.
Nearby sizes
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