Need Ideas re Kitchen Lighting Pls

[bushies.girl]

It's time for the outdated kitchen fluo to come down but I have no idea what type of lighting works best in a kitchen .... Any suggestions pls?

[cherry*135]

I have had recessed lights in houses I have lived in without any problem. 22 of them in one house, a lot of light globes to replace. Although you don't need to spend extra on light fittings/shades for them.

I particularly like them over the sink area.

[bushies.girl]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions, def dont want recessed lights, tI dont like the look of them and thet are too much hassle to install. I am thinking a 3 or 4 light one on one of the beams but dont like the idea of them all having to be on at once.

Sorry Deb, the beams are staying, we love them and they suit the kitchen/sunroom area ....  

[bushies.girl]

Kitchen hutch, achitraves, door and skirting boards are going to painted some kinda cream colour when I can find one I like

[sineaterdoodah]

you can get rail lights that turrn on individually via a wall switch. it works kind of like a 3 way bulb,if that makes any sense.

i suggest having the on switch run from south to north,if you can. or west to east,if that's your design directions.

basically,follow the natural light.

[cherry*135]

It would be a shame to paint timber beams white imo.

Good point about recessed lights being hard to put it in an existing ceiling.. We got some put in when building the house. The electrician recommended them, that was about 20 or so years ago, so they probably a fairly new thing then and everyone was getting them sort of thing.

In other houses we have lived in, the recessed lights were already installed when we moved in.

At the last house we had high beam(exposed) ceilings and those lights on bars... it did seem a waste to have 3 or so light globes going from one light switch. We had one over the dining table, one in the lounge, one in the living area and one in the kitchen (plus downlights over the sink in there).  They had 3 globes in each bar, in an open plan area.

[i-need-a-martini]

Bushie - if you go with any other type of light other than a linear fluoro then you will get shadows. Your single fluoro does the job because it lights down, sideways and up so light reflects and bounces around the room.

These days most people put down lights in which means I design them over specific work areas plus a couple of general lighting.

In your kitchen I would be getting a largish decorative light in the centre of the room. Whatever you like. But I would also add either a 2 row spotlight or 2 recessed above the bench where you are working. I know you don't like recessed but they are the most practical, effective and inexpensive of all lighting.

Whatever light you choose needs to be in FRONT of you instead of behind you as you stand at the kitchen bench. Kinda in line with the fridge.

If you like the spotlight type as in polks photo, then these won't be too bright. Most are quite low wattage. And you could always put it on a dimmer. These lights would be a good light solution for you because you can light the cabinet on your walls and also provide general light. BUt they will cause shadows so you will need to address the shadows in your coooking are and where your pantry is - there is nothing worse than bright lights in a kitchen but not being able to find something in the pantry because you block the light as you stand there.

And whatever you choose, your new lights should be warm white LEDs.

[i-need-a-martini]

Recessed lights not hard to put into an old ceiling at all. The electrician just needs to cut an 80mm hole where you want the lights!

They are the easiest to install of any light as there is no weight and each light has it's own adapter so you only need one power source.

Also LED lights do not get hot so there shouldn't be any issues with pink batts catching fire. But either way, it is always wise to cut a round hole in the batts as well just so you know where the lights are when you are up there.

[cherry*135]

OK,I  never had to put them in an existing ceiling. I do like them over the sink/bench top area.

Light globes are warm white or cool daylight. When would you use cool daylight ones?. I just grab any and don't notice till I get home what I have chosen.

[azureline**]

I replaced my old fleuro with a new design, stainless outer with cover, one that has an LED tube in it. It lights up my kitchen like daylight! I gave a lot of thought to all the track lighting but decided it was just more to have to dust. and anyone who looks at it says, do you have a skylight in here? 

[imastawka]

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@azureline** wrote:

I replaced my old fleuro with a new design, stainless outer with cover, one that has an LED tube in it. It lights up my kitchen like daylight! I gave a lot of thought to all the track lighting but decided it was just more to have to dust. and anyone who looks at it says, do you have a skylight in here? 

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  Az,  I need one of those.   What's it called and where do I get it, please?