Recessed lighting tips
We are in need of about 20 recessed lights for our renovation. We are undecided on whether to go with fluorescent, halogen, or incandescent. Some will be on dimmers. Where is the best place to purchase? Any suggestions or tips appreciated. Thanks.
We are in need of about 20 recessed lights for our renovation. We are undecided on whether to go with fluorescent, halogen, or incandescent. Some will be on dimmers.
Where is the best place to purchase? Any suggestions or tips appreciated. Thanks.
FromPhilly, thank you so much!!!
Ray
I used this formula when deciding on how many cans we needed. I can’t remember the website I got it from. From what I understand, it is a pretty standard equation that the electrical industry uses.
Square feet times 1.5 = Total wattage to light the room properly. If your ceilings are high, bump up the factor to 2. Then, it you’re using 50 watt bulbs, divide by 50 to get your number of recessed lights.
Hope this helps.
~FromPhilly
Not knowing anything about lighting, we recently went to Lighting by Gregory (in the Bowery). They didn’t provide much in the way of design services (we did not ask for that, but I believe such services are available) but they did have a large product line, and pretty knowledgeable staff. It was also nice to see the products in person, and in use, before we bought.
Related to this… do any of you know of a source to learn about the spacing and generally the number of lights you need in a given space?
Thanks,
Ray
You can got to Lowes and get them for $10 apiece. Work just as well as the ones in the Bowery. Whether your ceilings are open or not is the determining factor. If they are open you may go with the larger ‘housing’ often used in new construction. If you do not plan to remove the ceilings, the smaller units are suitable. The difference will be noted on their respective boxes.
Cheers
My point, Mrs L, is that you *don’t need* a lighting specialist (I have done that, btw, so I know.) They almost always over-specify lighting and make it too uniform as they are wedded to their light-level tables. An interior designer may be better, but one’s own common sense is best.
New LED fixtres are quite bright but expensive; eg: http://www.prescolite.com/products/index.php?c=377482&p=d1
There are also LED retrofits for existing recessed cans, 12w=50w incand:
http://www.lightingonthenet.com/CREE-LLF-LR6-LED-Retrofit-Bulb-for-6-Recessed-Lighting-Housing-P494478C1148.aspx?AFID=1&Theme=themes/new_lighting_feed.thc
LED lights aren’t as bright as their incandescent/halogen counterparts so if you go with that, make sure you have a specialist figure out how many you need. No point in putting a bunch of lights in that don’t illuminate the space.
CFLs are the way to go if you are looking for energy effciency but the light cast from them (even the ones meant to mimic warm light) are not very flattering. If thats important to you, something you would consider.
I have halogens and like the light cast from them but they do create heat and arent great for energy effciency. The heat issue hasn’t been obvious to me as I dont feel the heat from them but may be a concern if your ceilings are low.
Hope that helps.
First, cut that number from 20 to 10 or less. Every lighting manual/designer specifies at least twice as much light as needed. And too much recessed lighting is, well, not the best aesthetic. An extra floor or table lamp fills in well, is cheaper, looks better and gives you more flexibility.
Fluorescents don’t dim well or much right now. Supposedly cold-cathode bulbs dim well but they max out at 50w incandescent equivalent (which I think is enough.) And LED’s are the coming thing. Make sure you get warm white, not cool or that full-spectrum abomination.
So in a pinch: halogen; better: LED or cold-cathode.