Recessed lighting, is it really a good look?

[KristyDarling]

Hi LTP!

We checked out those cabinet-covered fridges and dishwashers -- they are cool but since our kitchen is tiny, the room would just look too "cabinetty," KWIM? We wanted our appliances to serve as visual breaks among the cabinetry. I think those cabinet-faced appliances look best in large kitchens. As for pics, you're sweet to request them, but as usual, I am too shy to post anything personal that could identify me to people I know IRL (except for pics of my rings, which are generic enough!). I'd say this photo (NOT MY KITCHEN) is a close approximation.

Sorry about the threadjack, TG!

 

[qtiekiki]

I like recessed lighting. It''s a cleaner look and offers more lights. We just put recessed lighting in the two other upstair bedroom when we were doing M''s room. With that said, I did want to put a small chandelier in her room, but the ceiling was just not high enough. We do have a lamp in her room for when we go in to check on her at night, so it''s not super bright. We also have dimmer switch for all the recessed lights, so we can adjust the amount of light we get. But since we switched to energy saving bulbs, the light doesn''t get as dim as the regular lightbulb (hence the reason for the lamp in M''s room). We wouldn''t have needed the lamp if we sticked with regular bulbs, but the energy saving bulbs are better for our bill and more green. We do have a chandelier at our entranceway and one small one at the dinner room. We have a panel that uses tubes in the kitchen.

I think it''s considered as an upgrade also b/c it''s slightly more work to put in than a regular light.

 

[rainwood]

Lighting can be such a tricky thing. You know when it doesn''t work, but it isn''t easy to get it right. Recessed lighting is a really good way to have unobtrusive down light and can look really good in almost any kind of house, even historical ones. But there are some things it''s not good for. Down light can be pretty bad for bathroom vanity lighting because it can cast shadows and make you look like the zombie version of yourself. And it probably shouldn''t be the main lighting in a non-modern house, but even there can be used for art lighting, supplemental kitchen lighting and other places where a light fixture wouldn''t work well.

The best lighting plans combine down lights, ambient lights and task lighting. And I wish I''d understood that better when our house was designed. Good lighting makes such a big difference.

 

[April20]

Date: 5/21/2009 4:48:11 PM
Author: Steel

Date: 5/21/2009 4:24:16 PM
Author: April20
Here''s a pic of what was installed in my living room. The only lnatural ight is from the bay window. The only way to light the room was with floor or ceiling lights, which really didn''t work for me. If we''re just lounging, the lamps are fine, but for any activity that needs to occur, lamps alone are not enough light, hence the recessed lighting.

I think they look more obvious in the photo than they do in reality. They are 4'' open cans with trim. I like the open cans because then you just see the top of the bulb rather then the guts of the light.

April - do your light fixtures have a colour/stainless steel trim? It is hard to see in the photo with the lights on!

The trim is white, ceiling is white as well.

 

[April20]

Date: 5/21/2009 5:01:58 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 5/21/2009 4:24:16 PM
Author: April20
Here''s a pic of what was installed in my living room. The only lnatural ight is from the bay window. The only way to light the room was with floor or ceiling lights, which really didn''t work for me. If we''re just lounging, the lamps are fine, but for any activity that needs to occur, lamps alone are not enough light, hence the recessed lighting.

I think they look more obvious in the photo than they do in reality. They are 4'' open cans with trim. I like the open cans because then you just see the top of the bulb rather then the guts of the light.

April that looks great, I love your house!!

Thank you! We bought a foreclosure and did A LOT of remodeling. It was completely worth it!

 

[asscherisme]

Date: 5/21/2009 4:24:16 PM
Author: April20
Here''s a pic of what was installed in my living room. The only lnatural ight is from the bay window. The only way to light the room was with floor or ceiling lights, which really didn''t work for me. If we''re just lounging, the lamps are fine, but for any activity that needs to occur, lamps alone are not enough light, hence the recessed lighting.

I think they look more obvious in the photo than they do in reality. They are 4'' open cans with trim. I like the open cans because then you just see the top of the bulb rather then the guts of the light.

Pretty room. Love the entire look, furniture, wall color, windows, lights etc. It really works.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

I love recessed lighting in kitchens. It''s the best way to get lots of light in a room, I believe, and it doesn''t look bad at all. I think what''s tacky is when you have recessed lighting and then put just regular bulbs in them. But if you do it right, it''s smooth and pretty and creates a TON of light, that works just perfectly for trying to cut, chop, and cook.

I''m not sure that it''s trendy, I suppose it could be, if done to an extreme. I really love the lights in our kitchen. I''ve never seen so well while cooking!

 

[April20]

Date: 5/21/2009 11:22:28 PM
Author: asscherisme

Date: 5/21/2009 4:24:16 PM
Author: April20
Here''s a pic of what was installed in my living room. The only lnatural ight is from the bay window. The only way to light the room was with floor or ceiling lights, which really didn''t work for me. If we''re just lounging, the lamps are fine, but for any activity that needs to occur, lamps alone are not enough light, hence the recessed lighting.

I think they look more obvious in the photo than they do in reality. They are 4'' open cans with trim. I like the open cans because then you just see the top of the bulb rather then the guts of the light.

Pretty room. Love the entire look, furniture, wall color, windows, lights etc. It really works.

Thank you! I''m super picky about how my house looks. What you can''t see in that picture is my turquoise fireplace mantle on the opposite wall. The dining room is the same color and I decided to tie it in after seeing something similar on a design blog. DH thought I was a little nutso, but it really does work.

 

[April20]

Date: 5/22/2009 7:17:48 AM
Author: fisherofmengirly
I love recessed lighting in kitchens. It''s the best way to get lots of light in a room, I believe, and it doesn''t look bad at all. I think what''s tacky is when you have recessed lighting and then put just regular bulbs in them. But if you do it right, it''s smooth and pretty and creates a TON of light, that works just perfectly for trying to cut, chop, and cook.

I''m not sure that it''s trendy, I suppose it could be, if done to an extreme. I really love the lights in our kitchen. I''ve never seen so well while cooking!

I have it in my kitchen as well- the ceiling is vaulted and it''s in the angled parts. It really does provide a nice, even light to the kitchen. I think it works better than a single fixture does when it is done correctly. I didn''t have it in my last kitchen, just had a single semi-flush mounted fixture and the lighting was really awful in there. Hated it every day.

 

[D&T]

I like the look and have them, but I also love the track liights with a little modern flare. you''ve seen them that''s curved and squiggly looking metal looking ones.

 

[Bia]

Date: 5/21/2009 4:23:14 PM
Author: purrfectpear
''Builders'' granite is out (aka Home Depot Uba Tuba, etc.) along with Stainless Steel appliances.

Quality granite, carrera marble, honed soapstone, etc. won''t ever be ''out'' because they were always classic.

The latest in trendy is recycled glass resin (very attractive IMO), cement (prone to cracking - now that they''re been around for awhile), and other recycled product counters.

I think people are just sick of seeing ''flipper'' remodels with beige/brown granite, cherry cabinets, and SS appliances from Sears.

I will be doing Euro cabinetry in Wenge with marble countertops.

Yup!

 

[sbde]

personally i also like the look of recessed lights in a kitchen. we have them in ours but also have pendants hanging above our island and sink. it looks fab when all the lights are on, although i must admit i only turn the recessed ones on when we have company over...

 

[Mara]

i love recessed lighting but it has to be placed correctly (to showcase OR give light or both) and it helps if you have a dimmer installed in the wall (not just on the switch because it will buzz) because then you can really adjust it to your mood.

i like the crushed granite stuff that looks like granite but is way more durable...our kitchen has this and we can leave whatever on it for hours and it won''t stain, love it.

 

[1895femme]

I haven''t posted much, but I wanted to share. My husband and I just bought a house with recessed lighting throughout. We didn''t think that this upgrade was anything special, but now that we have it we really like it. We do have a lot of windows for natural light which we love. Most of the time we just use our lamps for lighting at night. We find that the recessed lighting showcases and illuminates our rooms nicely which is great for parties!

 

[chrono]

Zhuzhu,
I''m using fluorescent bulbs for my kitchen recessed lighting. It''s screwed in just like the halogens and even has the same cover so no one can tell it isn''t the energy saver fluorescent.