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February 28, 2007
Do people hate recessed lighting
What are people's thoughts on recessed lighting? We are putting
some in our brownstone - which is almost completely devoid of details.
Comments
I love the look of recessed lighting! I find it much less fussy than fixtures. You should enjoy your home as you see fit—regardless of others opinions on how it should look…
Posted by: Anonymous at February 28, 2007 9:30 AM
I think they have a place even for the traditionalists -- either to supplement ceiling fixtures that don't provide enough light or as accents. They can be a little harsh if the light is focused too tightly on a limited space.
Posted by: anon at February 28, 2007 9:37 AM
I'm a big fan of recessed lighting--it's low key and provides the extra light that ceiling fixtures and lamps generally can't provide alone.
We have a bunch of pinpoint halogens throughout our house--it provides a really nice white light that's both functional and warm. Add dimmers and you can really control how you want your room to be lit.
FYI, we have have a townhouse with some detail, but our furnishings are mostly contemporary.
Posted by: tinarina at February 28, 2007 10:07 AM
I put recessed lighting in the garden level of my townhouse, which had no period details whatsoever when I bought it, and I love it. The ceilings are low and the recessed lighting keeps things much more open than fixtures would. The recessed lights are unobtrusive and practical: they provide great light and I don't have to worry about reaching up and banging into them. If it works with the present design on the space, then go for it!
Posted by: anon at February 28, 2007 10:10 AM
I love the looks of them just make sure to get the low wattage fixtures otherwise the room ends up like an oven and your electric bills skyrocket.
Posted by: Anonymous at February 28, 2007 10:27 AM
What are the costs for putting in recessed lighting?
Posted by: Anonymous at February 28, 2007 11:22 AM
Those big old high hats are so dated looking and I hate them in living rooms, dining rooms. In kitchens, hallways etc. some of the newer kinds fit in better, but in general they look awful in rooms that have detail and a period feeling.
Posted by: Anonymous at February 28, 2007 11:34 AM
Those big old high hats are so dated looking and I hate them in living rooms, dining rooms. In kitchens, hallways etc. some of the newer kinds fit in better, but in general they look awful in rooms that have detail and a period feeling.
Posted by: Anonymous at February 28, 2007 11:34 AM
If one just puts in developer-grade line-voltage cans, 4" to 5" in diameter, then I would say they tend to look awful in period rooms, and merely ugly in new construction.
However, small, recessed (with a baffle) low voltage lighting, on a dimmer, with a narrow beam spread can look really clean on the ceiling and provides a nice punch of light on the floor or a wall.
Since the labor is the big number when putting in cans, it really makes sense to pay more to put in nice fixtures, not the cheap and cheap looking off the shelf stuff from a big box retailer. It makes a big difference.
--an architect in Brooklyn
Posted by: Anonymous at February 28, 2007 12:17 PM
Original Poster: Phew, architect in Brooklyn.
We have 3", low-voltage cans.
Posted by: Anonymous at February 28, 2007 12:37 PM
Keep up the good work, OP.
--an architect in Brooklyn
Posted by: Anonymous at February 28, 2007 12:52 PM
i like big cans.
Posted by: Anonymous at February 28, 2007 12:54 PM
At the insistence of our architect -- and on budget grounds as much as easthetic ones -- we did no recessed lighting during our reno. While I love our light fixtures (a mix of very modern and very traditional), I know that our rooms would be better lit if we had done some recessed fixtures. Especially on the parlor floor where those big rooms and high ceilings can create pools of darkness and shadow that are hard to overcome unless you have room for lots of lamps.
Posted by: NeoGrec at February 28, 2007 1:10 PM
Hey Architect in Brooklyn--any recommendations for where to go, what to get re: low-voltage recessed pin-point lights?
Posted by: Anon at February 28, 2007 1:50 PM
I have a kitchen on the ground floor in the back and it is dark in there! I put in recessed lighting on dimmers and it is bright and very attractive. I can adjust the lights for the time of day - but they look very nice and the light is excellent for the work I do in there. Otherwise the place would be like a cave.
Posted by: donatella at February 28, 2007 1:58 PM
any idea of the cost per light, including labor?
i like the small halogen ones..
my rich neighbor has LED lighting, but thats cause he's rich and i'm not~people say they appreciate more personality more though...
Posted by: 府kううぃてまあん at February 28, 2007 5:48 PM
Recessed lighting rocks. Thought I would hate it but it is so cool in an old house with details.
Posted by: Anonymous at February 28, 2007 7:32 PM
Recessed lighting in excess (as in most places) is fugly. And inefficient to boot, that's why you have a oodles of them in new condos. Makes one think one's in an office.
I'm surprised at the generally tradional group on this list endorsing this modern horror. Guess if you like dark lacquered wood all over the place, you'd have to have a thousand watts of light to see anything.
Where to use them: one or two in places where you want *accent* lighting (hallways, kitchens, over paintings, etc.) NOT in living rooms or bedrooms.
If you know much about lighting design, indirect lighting is much warmer and non-unif0rm light is easier on the eyes as well as aesthetically pleasing.
Posted by: cmu at February 28, 2007 8:47 PM
well, thanks for setting us gaggle of unwashed heathens straight. it's always great to learn from someone truly better than us.
Posted by: Anonymous at February 28, 2007 9:55 PM
Sorry, didn't mean to step on any toes, just commenting on design, which of course is very subjective. There's been plenty of other comments on poor taste on this board, so I don't feel mine was out of line.
Posted by: cmu at March 1, 2007 8:36 AM
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