Choosing lighting comes down to five decisions. Work through them in order and you will not have to redo anything after the renovation.

1. Start from the room and its layers

  • Ambient light — an even base for the whole room (ceiling and recessed fittings).
  • Task light — aimed at a desk, worktop or mirror.
  • Accent light — detail and mood.

How to position them: lighting layout.

2. Amount of light — lumens, not watts

Watts show consumption; brightness is measured in lumens. Calculate by floor area: lumens and watts.

3. Colour temperature

2700–3000 K for living spaces, 3500–4000 K for kitchens and desks. More: how to choose colour temperature.

4. Colour rendering (CRI)

CRI shows how natural colours look under the light. Choose 90 or above for kitchens, bathrooms and wardrobes; 80+ is fine elsewhere.

5. Base, efficiency and dimming

When replacing a fitting, check the base type (Ceiling light GU10, E27, E14 and others) and whether you need dimming. On running cost: LED energy saving.

Browse fittings under indoor lighting, ceiling lights and LED strips.

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Where should I start when choosing lighting?

With the purpose of the room and the three layers: ambient, task and accent light.

What are the three main lighting parameters?

The amount of light in lumens, colour temperature and colour rendering index.

Do watts indicate brightness?

No, watts show energy use; brightness is measured in lumens.

Which colour temperature goes where?

2700–3000 K in living spaces, 3500–4000 K in kitchens and home offices.

What CRI is good enough?

90+ for kitchens and bathrooms, 80+ elsewhere.

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