LED lighting: how many lumens and which colour temperature per room
People search this as “how many lumens LED bulb for bedroom warm white or cool white” · updated 2026-08
Short answer
Plan roughly 150-200 lumens per square metre for living areas and 300-400 for kitchens and study desks. A 9 W LED gives about 800-900 lumens. Use warm white (2,700-3,000 K) in bedrooms and living rooms, neutral (4,000 K) in kitchens and bathrooms, and cool white (5,000-6,500 K) only for work areas.
- Buy by lumens, not watts — LED efficiency varies from 80 to 130 lumens per watt.
- CRI above 80 makes food and skin tones look natural; above 90 is excellent.
- Cool white at night in bedrooms hurts sleep quality.
Lumens by room
| Room | Total lumens | Colour temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom (10×10 ft) | 1,500-2,000 | 2,700-3,000 K |
| Living room (12×15 ft) | 3,000-4,000 | 3,000-4,000 K |
| Kitchen | 4,000-5,000 | 4,000 K |
| Study desk | 500-800 focused | 4,000-5,000 K |
| Bathroom | 1,500-2,000 | 4,000 K |
Other specs to check
- Surge protection rating — important where voltage fluctuates.
- Beam angle: 120° for general lighting, narrower for spotlights.
- Driver quality decides whether the bulb flickers and how long it lasts.
Common follow-up questions
Do LED bulbs really last 25,000 hours?
The LED chip might, but the driver electronics usually fail first in Indian voltage conditions. A 2-year replacement warranty is the practical thing to look for.