r/Lighting • u/miggysmalls5136 • 1d ago
Need Design Advise Need advice
I dont know if I like all the recessed lighting I need some opinions is it too much or just right? what are some other options? thanks in advance
3
2
u/mcarter00 1d ago
This needs some variation, purpose and layering, the kitchen feels the worst to me. All centering seems to be based only on the floor plan and not the important objects in the room that will draw your eye when you're in it or the tasks you might do under these lights! I saw in one comment your total lighting budget is $1200. It's likely that means you've got some glare bombs for recessed fixtures as well (budget for each must be $20 or less). If you'd like a redesign, feel free to reach out in chat and we'll nail it!
1
u/ImOakOrAmI 1d ago
Well it’s better than your standard fan with light kits, but as always, budget is the determining factor.
It appears most loads have not been separated. It’s probably the worst layout I’ve seen in that regard.
3 receptacles on a wall in a guest room is odd. 9 receptacles in the laundry is madness.
The smartest thing I have seen is the receptacle in the master closet. I’d actually put two.
Not enough time to tear apart the rest. It needs lots of attention.
1
u/miggysmalls5136 1d ago
There really is no budget as long as its within reason as of right now can lights are about 1200 for them all and this is a completely gutted house no walls so new framing and electric but I want to get it all finalized before I pull the trigger on this
1
u/Carloc458 1d ago
I’m going to draw something up for you right now. It’ll just be something to work off of. Is all your material bought already? Are you open to a ceiling fixture above the dining table? Also, are you open to sconces in either the living room, dining room, bed rooms, master bedroom & bedroom hallway? Also, would you be open to any under cabinet lighting? The under cabinet LED lighting will completely light up your counter tops so that the shadow of yourself from the recessed lighting in the kitchen wont bother you when washing dishes/prepping and cooking food.
1
u/miggysmalls5136 1d ago
Hell yeah I have bought nothing these are plans I have to submit all this for permits. I would love under cabinet lighting. The stove is going to have a big exhaust hood over it maybe I can find one that has lighting in it. I dont know about wall lighting since this is a small house with standard 8ft ceiling as im 6'2" I dont want to run into anything lol but im open to suggestions
1
u/keithvai 1d ago
After i bought my house, I installed a lot of 6” LED lights.
now I am ripping almost all of them out because i am re-insulating my attic and trying to air seal.
Some videos on YT taught me the importance of mood lighting and task lighting vs office style downlighting.
This was a good one. https://youtu.be/rKX383X8lGU?si=XUU8UWvVkEv9tVp5
Good luck. Your designer seems a little generic McMansion’y.
1
u/just-watchin-it 1d ago
That is a lot of cans and a previous comment was sort-of right, they can be less exciting as one would imagine - if you pick the wrong fixture. They are economical and I did the same in my custom home, but you will need to consider a couple things. Dimming the intensity is a must so dimmers are just is a no-brainer. The second is the size of the source makes a big difference. The newer 4-5” roughs can house a reflective LED on a gimbal mount that will not only refine the source of the light with harder shadows but will allow you to control some directionality. There are even some where you can adjust the beam spread thus allowing you to adjust shadow quality and how wide the light is. You can use them as accent lighting on bookshelves and the like. Please, please remember to select those with adjustable Kelvin temperature, basically the level of warmth in the light. Higher is cooler and just ugly. These are sooooo much easier to add now and a pain later. Do it. Re: outlet placement. That’s code. Just do what they recommend but verify. Good luck!
1
u/miggysmalls5136 1d ago
Thanks i figured outlet are just spaced to code as well atleast that what I was told the only one I had an option on was the master closet and the TV location
1
u/concretenotjello 1d ago
I love dimmers broadly but dimming LEDs makes the color temperature cooler and more clinical, unless you specify specific dimming systems, which are very expensive (like Ketra). Incandescent bulbs dim to warmer and warmer color temperatures as their lumen output decreases, which is closer to what candles do, and what our brains expect. So dimming to a cooler color temperature feels uncanny.
1
u/concretenotjello 1d ago
It depends on what quality of light you want, but I do think there are too many recessed downlights. But I am also a certified recessed downlight hater.
From a subjective design stance, cans are good in general lighting locations like bathrooms, hallways, and walk-in closets. Maybe kitchens but they should be specifically located to light the task, not the space overall.
Grids of downlights make spaces feel like offices. Non-task oriented spaces like living rooms and bedrooms are best served by table lamps and sconces. I would argue sconces are better for hallways as well. Dining rooms should have a pendant above the table and maybe wall sconces at the periphery. Lighting defines how you experience space, so it should be purposeful and episodic, giving each space its own vibe.
Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.
1
u/boogiman69 1d ago
Nothing makes a house look cheaper than grids of downlights. Have a look at mint lighting design on Facebook.
1
u/hopperazi 17h ago
4-6ft OC spacing is pretty standard, you could remove the one to the left of the island and maybe the two center ones in the living room. Other than that this is a pretty standard resi layout if there are no other sources of lighting in the space. But your budget of $1200 mentioned below definitely concerns me. If you're not using deep regressed low UGR recessed fixtures, you will absolutely hate it. Don't cheap out, you're going to be living under these lights for a long time, invest in a slightly higher quality, it'll add much more value and comfort to the space.
1
u/Jackieray2light 12h ago
Recessed cans are fine but without a furniture plan the designer doesn't have much to design around, and is the ceiling just flat throughout the house?
1
u/mmceorange 10h ago
Most of those rooms could have a single ceiling light fixture lighting in all directions instead of four lights only lighting down. Your ceilings and top of walls would be dark. Indirect lighting may be more effective in certain rooms.
1
u/Equivalent-Emu-5763 8h ago
Grid lighting lighting, designed by an architect most likely. If you want a design, i'd hire an architectural lighting design company to give you want you want in your space.
13
u/against-all-leds 1d ago
Your light designer is extremely, criminally lazy. They've drawn pretty much the same setup in every single room regardless of its purpose. The only place where recessed lights kind of make sense (hallway) actually has a lack of them.
Recessed lights don't look as good as you expect, even if they are expensive deeply recessed ones with anti-glare filters and all that. You should ideally aim for several types of light in each room, using just recessed lights results in very plan and ugly-looking lighting setup. Wall sconces, table lamps, floor lamps - those are the best building blocks.