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where to put lights?

979 views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Vegas Sparky 
#1 ·
Need some help on a planning out some lighting. I have a very small 16 long by 16 wide livingroom/kitchen area that I don't know where to put recessed lighting and the size. I was going to put a ceiling fan and light in the middle. But i don't know how much light is to much and the best way to layout a pattern. Thanks for your help!
Chip


this is just a small shore house, behind the wall is a 10x10 foot bedroom, and bathroom.
 

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#2 ·
Getting lighting correct is surprisingly tricky. Usually people start by identifying how many lumens per square foot (or per square meter if you are in metric world) they want over a given area, then they decide if there are areas they want to highlight (more light). The light can be derived from recessed lighting, wall sconces, drop lights, or various combinations. The light can be all the same temperature (color), or can vary across the room.

This is all pretty complicated, so I suggest you go to a lighting store (not a big box store) where they can help you lay out the lighting, select the light types, and run a computerized analysis of the overall effect of the lighting on your room. This may be a "no charge" analysis, of course the lighting store makes up the expenditure in the cost of the lights, but you will get far better results than if you go to a big box store, where the lights are less expensive, but they will have no idea what the lights will look like in your space.

If you want to run the lighting analysis yourself, there is software available that will essentially replicate the light effect, so you can play with layout, light types, colors etc., but decent software is not free, plus you have to learn how to use it. My suggestion is to go to a lighting store, let them help you out.
 
#4 ·
I also suggest visiting a lighting showroom and have a proper layout done.

Every region has a different "normal" when it come to recessed lighting, and straying away from that can be costly. It is best to set those boundaries before you get your heart set on anything in particular.

Your other option, and one that is quite popular where I am, is to put in more cans with 120w equivalent LED trims than you think you will need and dim them. It is a brute force way of doing it, but it works.


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#5 · (Edited)
This is a small room, with task lighting requirements for the kitchen area, and entry. I'd address/lay that out first. After that, the lighting from the ceiling fan may provide adequate general lighting for the rest of the room. If accents are required, the elements to be illuminated need to be included in the drawing. Also, if any wall cabinets will be installed in the kitchen, you need to specify where.
 
#6 ·
You also have to decide the basic look of what you want, especially in the kitchen area. You can wash the entire area, or keep things more focused. The former may be more utilitarian, and may require less fixtures. The latter typically takes many more fixtures, but appears more dramatic. Light is mostly limited to the horizontal surfaces, which may make the space appear to be darker.

Top pic is an example of (4) 6" LED cans with flush mount lamps/lens'. This washes out almost every surface in the space. The center is (11) 6" cans with baffled trims, and recessed lamps. Usable light is focused on the work surfaces. Both have under cabinet lighting, and are very close in size. I like a bright, general wash in the kitchen, with accents for lower lighting needs, as in lower picture. Imagine what you need, and what you want it to look like when it's done. :thumbsup:
 

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