Recessed Lighting Calculator
Calculate the optimal layout and spacing for your ceiling lights.
Standard Tip: Space lights apart at half the ceiling height (e.g., 8ft ceiling = 4ft apart).
Lighting Layout Plan
The Secret to a Well-Lit Room
Properly spaced recessed lighting (often called "pot lights" or "can lights") can transform a room from a shadowy cave into a professional, high-end space. The most common mistake is placing lights too far apart, creating "hot spots" of light and dark shadows between them.
The Rule of Two
For balanced illumination, the distance between your lights should be twice the distance from the lights to the wall. This ensures that the light "wash" on the walls matches the brightness in the center of the room.
How Many Lights Do You Need?
While layout is about geometry, quantity is about ceiling height. A common industry standard is the Ceiling Height Rule:
- 8-foot Ceiling: Space lights approximately 4 feet apart.
- 10-foot Ceiling: Space lights approximately 5 feet apart.
If you are lighting a task area (like a kitchen island), you may want to decrease the spacing to 3 feet for extra brightness.
Common Layout Patterns
- Grid Pattern: Most common for living rooms and basements.
- Perimeter Lighting: Used to highlight artwork or textures on walls.
- Task Clusters: Concentrating lights over specific areas like workspaces or dining tables.