Sourcing high-CRI led fittings

[hazymat]

Hi there

 

I'm looking for ceiling and wall lights (recessed spots, surface mount spots that can be angled etc.,) which are dimmable and with a published CRI (colour rendering index).

 

I met a lighting designer who was showing me recessed ceiling mount fittings for around £120 each. They were absolutely lovely: minimalist design in plaster with a choice of black or white baffle and a high CRI of 95 or something like that. Dimmable versions even more money. They were integrated units, i.e. the driver and heatsinks built in.

 

Back in the real world, there's no way I can afford to fit the home out with those. The kitchen alone would cost 1.5k in ceiling lights. And we have quite a few rooms.

 

I've found some fittings on Amazon for around £5 each that are dimmable, and I fitted these to an upstairs office (that I don't use myself)... my god the CRI must be pretty low because they give a pretty bad colour cast over everything. As a photographer, this kind of thing upsets me a lot - no way I can have it in the home! That said they seemed well designed apart from that, integrated units, dimming curve not bad, nice minimalistic design. (Not like the old style GU10 or GU5.3 with horrid bezels and metal clips that obscure the bulb etc.)

 

So - I want to start sourcing some fittings myself. The danger with dealing direct with Chinese manufacturers is of course the issue with standards, dangerous designs, etc., but if it's possible to manage, then of course one can pick up things that would cost in the UK £120 retail for something like £20.

 

Does anyone have experience with this - or can anyone recommend some cheap UK based suppliers of decent quality fittings?

[dimpsy]

Best GU10 bulbs with CRI  90-99 are Phillips LED spot ExpertColor at about £8, plenty of good quality fittings out there and not bonkers £120 a pop lighting designer prices.

[worldwidewebs]

We used EcoLED - the quality of the fittings is superb and far in excess of anything else we found. Speak to Guy and say Andrew Webster recommended him to you

[Dreadnaught]

10 minutes ago, worldwidewebs said:

We used EcoLED

 

https://www.ecoledlight.co.uk/product-ranges/?

[worldwidewebs]

Yes, that's the one. We have a lot of the Zep6 eyeconic trimless, plus a few others. It's worth going to see them as they have a demo area which really helps when it comes to planning what you want/need 

[vfrdave]

On 06/08/2018 at 09:00, worldwidewebs said:

Yes, that's the one. We have a lot of the Zep6 eyeconic trimless, plus a few others. It's worth going to see them as they have a demo area which really helps when it comes to planning what you want/need 

If you don't mind me asking what sort of money where these?

[worldwidewebs]

12 hours ago, vfrdave said:

If you don't mind me asking what sort of money where these?

 

I don't remember tbh, but probably somewhere in the £50-65 region (list was a lot more) but ours were bespoke finishes to both the eyeball and the insert

 

I'd have them again in a heartbeat. Even our electrician, who has fitted out a lot of very high end houses, reckoned these were the best he's seen