Kitchen Light -- Ideas please

Our small and narrow kitchen is lit by a 58watt tube and I would like to replace it but I am wary of going for downlighters as:

  1. It tends to be a bit harsh and leaves shadows
  2. I have chipboard floor above so access isn't easy.

I keep thinking of something akin to a 6 foot strip of something on the ceiling with individual lights on but I then run out of ideas.

Reply to
John
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Dispense with the ceiling light altogether

Fit lights to the underside of the wall units so the working areas are lit

Replace with a longer tube

Replace with a shorter tube

Fit a ceiling rose and pendant fitting

Leave as is

Turn your dining room into a kitchen it will be much larger and wider

Seriously though, if you want constructive suggestions it would be useful to know what the problem is with the existing arrangement and what you would like to achieve

Tony

Reply to
TMC

Depends a bit on what you want to achieve. I quite like the effect you get from using slim fluorescent link lights both above and below the cupboards. So not central light at all, the room is lit by reflected light off the ceiling from lights concealed by a cornice on the cupboards, and the worktops lit from under the cupboards by lights concealed by the pelmet. It gives bright even illumination with no glare and shadows, so you can always see what you are working on.

Reply to
John Rumm

under cabinet lights can controbute afair bit of general light. Uplighting, shelf or trough lights cna provide the rest. Its also simple enough to hide the existing light.

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Reply to
meow2222

You can get tracklights, both mains and 12V (and mains with individual

12V transformers on each light) which although mostly spotlamps would allow you to adjust them for some amount of not-vertical light. Some also come with pendant adapters so you can take a flex to a pendant over the dining table etc.

Some under-cupboard illumination for the worktops in a narrow kitchen is essential.

Owain

Reply to
Owain

You can use more than one light to eliminate shadows, and the new flouresesnt (no spell check) bulbs are decent, have a good selection of light output (from 25 to 200 watt) at a fraction of the wattage. Special "all spectrum bulbs" are available for craft and hobby users, and by placing two different types of bulbes and light fixtures you can eliminate shadows and the "gloom" associated with artificial lighting.

I imagine this works by the different types of bulbs tricking the eye into thinking it is in the shadows. And if want to be really cost consious, install a cheap security flood light fixture with a motion detector, as soon as you enter the room, the lights come on, and you can set them for 5 or ten minutes. Just because security flood lights are designed for outdoor use, does not make them unusable indoors if installed correctly.

Have a great day

Reply to
butterfly77049

Reply to
John

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> Nice colour temperature, instant start with no flicker etc.

I've long been persuaded that I should go the under/over cupboard route when (if?) I ever redo the kitchen so may I ask if, when fitted above cupboards, you use troughs? I can see the merits in most situations but I am less persuaded that they are better than, say, foil or thin sheet on the top of the cupboard. Are they needed for safety please? (I know I shall have to decide whether or not also to incur the compliance cost of a Part P inspection.)

Reply to
Robin

Fluorescent lights above cupboards are effectively a shelf fitting. You can use shelf or trough, shelf is fine unless ceilings are low enough that you can see the light fittings or tubes.

NT

Reply to
meow2222

On Sat, 11 Aug 2007 02:47:57 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@care2.com mused:

You've lost me again.

Eh?

Doesn't mater how low the ceiling is, it's the height of the cupbaords, the depth of the fluorescent fittings and whether or not there is a cornice around the cupboards that affect whether or not you can see the fittings.

Reply to
Lurch

I didn't - they just sat on top of the beech colour units on the last one I did. They have little mounting clips that let to fix the light in a couple of orientations. With a white ceiling there is little need for extra reflectors.

Reply to
John Rumm

Thanks (all). That's what I thought from the Wiki but I wanted to check in case I decide to comply. (FWIW my main worry is that well concealed lights on top of cupboards will lead me to continue in the sluttish habit of tossing things on top of the cupboards to get them out of the way temporarily.)

Reply to
Robin

In which case fit the optional diffusers to the lights for extra protection.

Reply to
John Rumm

What are you trying to protect against?

NT

Reply to
meow2222

The tubes being broken by "the sluttish habit of tossing things on top of the cupboards"...

(I routinely fit diffusers to the under cupboard lights since there is more chance of knocking these by accident)

Reply to
John Rumm

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