Phase 3 · Advanced

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1:1152

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Parameters

Ambient lighting for relaxation

Daylight offsets artificial lighting needs by up to 20%.

Professional Overrides

IES targets — living ≈100–150, bedroom ≈150, kitchen/bath ≈300–500, office ≈500. Overrides the room preset when set.

Enter the exact lumen rating of your fixtures if known.

Results

Floor area168.0 ft²
Perimeter52.0 ft
Total lumens2,772
Fixtures placed6 (target 5)
Avg. spacing5.5 ft
Ceiling adjustment+10%

6× 4 inch recessed fixtures at ~600 lumens each, across your floor plan.

Same lumen, zone, cost and product analysis as the Complete Calculator — from your drawn plan.

Lighting Requirements

Floor Area

168.0 ft²

Total Lumens

2,772

Number of Fixtures:5
Fixture Size:4 inch recessed
Lumens per Fixture:600
Lumens per Sq Ft:15
Ceiling Adjustment (9.0 ft):+10%

Recommendations

  • •For a living room, the recommended lighting is 15 lumens per square foot.
  • •Install 5 recessed lights with approximately 600 lumens each.
  • •Total light output: 2,772 lumens for 168 sq ft.
  • •When purchasing fixtures, look for lights rated between 540-660 lumens each.
  • •Spacing between lights should be twice the distance from the wall to the first light.
  • •Your 9.0 ft ceiling raises the required output by 10% versus a standard 8 ft ceiling — already factored into the totals above.

Delivered Light Check

IESNA lumen-method estimate of the maintained light reaching the work plane.

Delivered

88 lux

8.1 fc

Target (IES)

100 lux

9.3 fc

Coeff. of utilisation

0.57

RCR 5

Light-loss factor

0.80

maintained

Below target — 88% of target. This ambient layout delivers below the IES maintained target. For task areas, add the task layer from the layered plan, or increase to about 6 fixtures of this size to meet it with general lighting alone.

* Estimate via the lumen method: E = (N × lumens × CU × LLF) ÷ area. CU is approximated from the room cavity ratio; confirm with the fixture's photometric file (IES file) for a final design.

Layered Lighting Plan

Great rooms layer light. Here's how to split the 2,772 lumens across zones.

Ambient (general)

1,663 lm · 60%

Recessed downlights on a dimmer

Control: Primary dimmer zone — set the base brightness for the room.

Task

416 lm · 15%

Reading floor/table lamps

Control: Separate switch/dimmer so it can run bright independently of mood lighting.

Accent

693 lm · 25%

Wall washers, cove lighting, picture lights

Control: Low-level scene zone, often on a smart scene or timer.

Circuit & Switching Plan

Suggested dimmer zones, connected load and a rough cable estimate for this room.

Switched zoneFixturesLoadControl
Ambient (general)~318 WPrimary dimmer zone — set the base brightness for the room.
Task~15 WSeparate switch/dimmer so it can run bright independently of mood lighting.
Accent~18 WLow-level scene zone, often on a smart scene or timer.

Connected load

31 W

Current @ 230 V

0.1 A

Current @ 120 V

0.3 A

Est. cable

≈ 52 ft

Put each zone on its own LED-compatible dimmer rated above its load above. At 31 W this room sits comfortably on a single dedicated lighting circuit (a typical 15 A/120 V circuit carries ~1,440 W usable; a 10 A/230 V circuit ~1,840 W). Always confirm against local code and have a licensed electrician verify circuits and breaker sizing.

Cost & Energy Estimator

Estimate up-front cost, annual running cost, and the long-term savings of LED over legacy bulbs.

Material cost

$255

Installation

DIY · $0

Total up-front

$255

Annual running cost

LED (30.8 W total)

$7.64/yr

44.97 kWh per year

Incandescent (198 W total)

$49.14/yr

289.08 kWh per year

LED saves you

$41.5/yr

$415 over 10 years

Payback of LED premium

1.48 yrs

CO₂ avoided

97.64 kg

vs. incandescent, per year

* Estimates only. Energy figures derive from required lumens at typical efficacy (LED ≈ 90 lm/W, incandescent ≈ 14 lm/W). Actual prices, tariffs and grid emissions vary by region.

Product Recommendations

Spec guidance and curated Penlabs fixtures matched to this room.

Colour temperature

2700K – 3000K (warm white)

Warm tones create a relaxing, residential atmosphere for living and resting spaces.

Colour rendering

CRI 80+

CRI 80+ is comfortable and accurate for general living spaces.

Beam angle

Medium 38° – 50° flood

Standard-to-tall ceilings balance coverage and intensity with a medium beam.

Colour temperature preview

2700K
3000K
2700K · warmcool · 6500K

Specify TRIAC/ELV or 0–10V dimmable drivers and a matched LED dimmer. For smart control, choose fixtures compatible with Matter, so they work across Apple Home, Google Home and Alexa.

Curated Penlabs fixtures

P

Penlabs Aperture 4″

Trimless recessed downlight

Output
650 lm · 8 W
Colour
2700K · CRI 95
Smart
Matter over Thread
Finish
Bronze / Matte Black
P

Penlabs Lumen Slim

Ultra-thin canless wafer

Output
900 lm · 11 W
Colour
2700K–5000K tunable · CRI 90
Smart
Matter + app scenes
Finish
Warm Bone bezel
P

Penlabs Halo Wide

Wide-flood ambient downlight

Output
800 lm · 10 W
Colour
2700K–5000K tunable · CRI 92
Smart
Matter + motion sensor
Finish
Brushed Brass

Penlabs hardware is engineered to the Pen Homes standard — intentional, invisible technology.

Shopping List

Project Details

Room: Living Room

Area: 168.0 ft²

Primary Fixtures

5× 4 inch recessed LED recessed lights

  • Minimum 600 lumens per fixture
  • Total lumens needed: 2,772
  • Recommended: 3000K color temperature (warm white)
  • Dimmable preferred
  • IC-rated if near insulation

Installation Hardware

5× Junction boxes (if not included with fixtures)

10× Wire connectors

Electrical wire (14/2 or 12/2 gauge, estimate based on layout)

Controls (Optional)

1× Dimmer switch (LED compatible)

1× Switch plate/cover

Tools Needed

Hole saw (4 inch recessed cut-out)

Stud finder

Fish tape (for running wire)

Voltage tester

Wire strippers and cutters

Drill and driver bits

Estimated Cost

Fixtures (5× at $20–$50 each):$100 – $250
Hardware & Supplies:$40 – $100
Total Estimated Cost:$140 – $350

* Costs are estimates only. Actual prices vary by brand, quality, and location. Professional installation costs not included.

Installation Notes

  • Space fixtures 66 inches apart (center to center)
  • Keep first fixtures 18 inches from walls
  • Arrange in 2 rows × 3 columns
  • Always turn off power at breaker before working
  • Check local electrical codes and permits
  • Consider hiring a licensed electrician for safety

Generated by Pen Lighting Calculator

by Pen Homes • Professional Lighting Design

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