CC45 Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Just fighting with this now - I've followed the principles as below Task lighting (above kitchen floor units - we don't have any wall hung cupboards) = height of room - worktop height / 2. For us that means ~ 800mm between recessed LED fittings (Enlite E5 - 60deg spread). For general lighting its = height of room /2 so ~ 1.2 or 1.3m apart. In our kitchen (~ 5m x 4m) we have ended up with 8 LED's for general lights (these surround an island), 3 pendant lights above the island & 11 task LED's over the worktops - all on 3 separate circuits. its unlikely they will all on at the same time. Just concerned that we may be a little OTT on lighting. Are there any guidelines out there that any of you have used? Cheers 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreadnaught Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Very interesting topic. Will be following. I wonder, do you plan for the lights be dimmable or controllable with automation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 8 3.5w LED over an island, 10 across the rest of the room in a 6.5x3.5m space. All on and it’s bright ....! Not dimmable either. Just done another with 8 5w LED panel lights, a 4 LED bar over the hob and a recessed (and dimmable) LED strip in the shelf over a counter. Works very well and gives different options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 7 minutes ago, PeterW said: 8 3.5w LED over an island, 10 across the rest of the room in a 6.5x3.5m space. All on and it’s bright ....! Not dimmable either. Just done another with 8 5w LED panel lights, a 4 LED bar over the hob and a recessed (and dimmable) LED strip in the shelf over a counter. Works very well and gives different options. We have four 6 W LED panels over the island, 14 W/metre LED strips under the wall units (to light the work surfaces) and eight 3 W panel LEDs in the rest of the ceiling. It works well, but I did end up dividing it into two sections, so we can dim the lighting down without the faff of dimmers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterW Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 I inadvertently found a dimmer touch controller for an LED strip when I was looking for a touch switch on eBay..! I paid less than £3 from China, it came in a week and it’s basically a 4 wire controller with a touch ring to make it on/off/dim. I’ve wired that to a copper stud in the front of the shelf - looks like it is just decorative but allows the light to be controlled easily ..!! Its only 12w which is fine for this as it’s a 1.2m LED strip but I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizzie Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 A drawing could be helpful. I think your lighting should tic what is in the room (as you mention) not just sqm. I have a bigger space than you but I think less lights but differently placed and different types too. Layered lighting is a good idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC45 Posted June 9, 2019 Author Share Posted June 9, 2019 will draft up a sketch and get it uploaded. Its one of the decisions I'm not enjoying making.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weebles Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 FWIW this is our electrician's initial plan for our kitchen / family area. We actually have gone for 3 lights above the dining table and it is rotated 90 degrees. And we have ended up with 12 ceiling spots - 3 rows of 4 - above the island. No pendants over the island (my choice). We also will have some under wall cabinet lighting. And just wall lights in the family area. The LED spots are dimmable. Seems OK so far but the room is still unfinished so don't know for sure yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJNewton Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 We are in a very similar situation - designing an open-plan kitchen/diner/lounge with no wall cupboards and trying to work out what lighting to have and where! It is the task worktop task lighting that is concerning us most as we really don't know how well ceiling spots will turn out. @CC45 What made you go for the integrated fittings (Enlite E5) rather than separate downlighter fitting and bulbs? I am assuming they must have some key advantages as a drawback I am conscious of is not being able to just swap in a new bulb if/when it fails (cheap and will always be available)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 My personal preference. Lights above the kitchen worktop should be 600mm out from the wall,. Having them as far out as your plan shows, risks you working in your own shadow. We have 5W LED's spaced every metre along the worktop and above the island and that is plenty. Only 7 5W LED's in our kitchen in total and it never seems wanting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJNewton Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 I was wondering if it might even be necessary/beneficial to have the ceiling lights half a worktop width from the wall (~300mm) to eliminate shadows, but you've obviously found it okay at roughly worktop edge? I suppose some light reflects off the wall too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 54 minutes ago, MJNewton said: I was wondering if it might even be necessary/beneficial to have the ceiling lights half a worktop width from the wall (~300mm) to eliminate shadows, but you've obviously found it okay at roughly worktop edge? I suppose some light reflects off the wall too? 300mm will cast a shadow from wall cupboards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJNewton Posted June 9, 2019 Share Posted June 9, 2019 Ah, I thought you were talking about no wall cupboards as per the OP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temp Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 (edited) CC45.. I think you are spot on with your spacing. I would suggest you go for lights that produce at least 400 lumens each. I would also put them over the work tops to avoid working in your own shadow as @ProDavementions. Regarding the beam angle... You can get LEDs with beam angles from <30 to >130 degrees. The narrow angle types have less glare but produce more shadows. The wide angle types produce more glare but fewer shadows as each one fills in the shadow from another. Personally I prefer wider beam angles and avoid thd 30 degree bulbs. Not sure where the happy balance is but its probably 60-90 degrees. Edited June 10, 2019 by Temp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC45 Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 I've positioned ours ~ 500mm from walls (no wall cupboards) - that puts the lights 'in front' of any user. The enlite E5 are fire rated so no messing about with any fire hoods plus they have a 60deg beam so it spreads light. I seem to remember that they are ~ 400 lumens. @Weebles - is the area between the table & family area a bit dark? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weebles Posted June 10, 2019 Share Posted June 10, 2019 5 hours ago, CC45 said: is the area between the table & family area a bit dark? I don't know yet as we aren't living in it but the electrician has actually extended the run of 4 spotlights into the zone between the island and the table so there should be a bit of residual light from those. And the pendants over the table run left to right now. I imagine we will be OK with just the wall lights in the family area, for chatting, reading and watching TV. Quite a bit of natural light flooding through in the day. Anyway, we will see, and a standing lamp of some sort might be needed which would be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CC45 Posted June 16, 2019 Author Share Posted June 16, 2019 right, finally got the kitchen down on a piece of graph paper. Apologise to all the IT pro's for the old fashioned paper but it works for me. Its been a compromise - there always seemed to be joists in the way. So to remind anyone who reads this - no wall units so no under unit lights - so the task lights are not just for looks. I worry about too much light but with 3 separate circuits we can always mix and match + put some dimmers on one of the switches. Kitchen layout 1.pdf Placement of task lights = height of room (2.5m) - height of floor units (0.9m) / 2 General lights = height of room (2.5m) / 2 I've tried to stick to these along with compromise. Hope this helps others! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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