Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

Talusen t1_itutt37 wrote

This topic is more complicated than you think, but this should help:

Short form: it's possible (but difficult) to have a workspace that's too bright. Many designers/builders are stingy with fixtures, and we don't realize how dim a room is until it's properly lit.

For a 100 sq ft kitchen, 10K lumens may be a touch high but it's not exceptionally bright.

About 100 lumens per square foot (10k lux/M^2) is what I think of as "drugstore bright" - it's good enough for workbenches etc. It's equivalent to a shady spot on a bright sunny day. (50-100 lm/ft is a good go to for a well lit area)

Remember to get as high as CRI as you can; it makes a difference!

Here's a guide that's focused on workshops, start at

"How much light do I need?"

https://www.woodcraft.com/blog_entries/workshop-lighting-1

Edit: this is a few years old, but addresses kitchens specifically.

https://www.proremodeler.com/sites/proremodeler/files/Kitchen%20Lighting%20Done%20Right_PR0216.pdf

7

im-here-to-argue t1_itvetkk wrote

What’s a good CRI level for home use? The top google searches are all from light manufacturers so of course they recommend insanely high CRIs.

3

Talusen t1_itvfvh4 wrote

80 is a bare minimum.

90 is great. (replace all your CRI 80 bulbs with these)

More than 90 is better still.

--

Kind of like your mattress affects how you sleep, the lights you use affect how you see the world around you. They're invisible in that way, and the extra $5-10 is less than pennies a day over the lifespan of the bulb.

Good lighting will show you what's there.

Bad lighting will make what's around you look dingy, dim, and terrible.

3

im-here-to-argue t1_itvhxei wrote

Thanks! I just looked at my past orders and all my bulbs are 80. I can’t wait until they burn out in 15-20 years so I can get 90!

3

Talusen t1_itwsilj wrote

Wow, with that kind of lead time you should seriously go for the 95+ CRI bulbs!

2