New Kitchen Advice

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Reduced to tears by too many lights???

Yup…upset as she hates the lighting and we are spending a packet on the extension and internal reconfigure.

 

[BiMGuy]

Well…after a few days of her ‘getting used’ to them she’s decided she hasn‘t - and the number of downlights that have been installed actually still really really upsets her - to tears. And so last night I blanked off seven, leaving just the downlights around the periphery of our L-shaped space, plus pendant lights over our peninsula, these being more central. Maybe move one about 2ft. No part of our new room is more than 4m wide and we aren’t seeing any dim areas with the seven blanked. Kitchen area now has seven dls around three sides plus two pendants on the fourth side above the peninsula. Let’s see what our builder thinks tomorrow.

Its difficult as we could see where lights would be before the ceiling was put in, but we had no idea what it would look like (runway lights she calls it). And that the electrician told us that he put in more than he normally would as he had to balance things around the central roof joist…and for my Mrs that just proved to her that she was right in there being ‘too many’.

How many lights are there. Sounds like someone has got carried away if you’ve blanked of 7 and still have enough left light the room.

 

[bobmac]

How many lights are there. Sounds like someone has got carried away if you’ve blanked of 7 and still have enough left light the room.

I thought that, how big is your kitchen?

 

[Fade and Die]

How many lights are there. Sounds like someone has got carried away if you’ve blanked of 7 and still have enough left light the room.

Spark’s obviously getting paid per point.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

How many lights are there. Sounds like someone has got carried away if you’ve blanked of 7 and still have enough left light the room.

It’s a combined kitchen/living area (40m^2 total area). There were 23 dls plus two pendant lights. Eleven dls plus the two pendants in the kitchen/breakfast/utility area (20m^2) and twelve dls in the lounge/TV/dining area (20m^2). I‘ve blanked four of the lounge dls and three of the kitchen ones.

 

[BiMGuy]

It’s a combined kitchen/living area (40m^2 total area). There were 23 dls plus two pendant lights. Eleven dls plus the two pendants in the kitchen/breakfast/utility area (20m^2) and twelve dls in the lounge/TV/dining area (20m^2). I‘ve blanked four of the lounge dls and three of the kitchen ones.

That does sound like a lot. Our kitchen is 22.5m and we have 6. Plus some under counter task lights.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

That does sound like a lot. Our kitchen is 22.5m and we have 6. Plus some under counter task lights.

We have a friend who is an interior designer. He’s popping round this week to have a look and advise what we should keep. The word from him is that recessed downlights should never have become a thing in residential properties, he hates them with a passion and they should be banished to be found in offices and industrial premises only.

 

[KenL]

We have a friend who is an interior designer. He’s popping round this week to have a look and advise what we should keep. The word from him is that recessed downlights should never have become a thing in residential properties, he hates them with a passion and they should be banished to be found in offices and industrial premises only.

Pity you didn't seek their advice in advance.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Pity you didn't seek their advice in advance.

Indeed. We didn’t realise the visual impact that too many dls would have, and truth is we trusted the electrician with their layout. MISTAKE. I can see us ending up with maybe about ten and a lot of ceiling patching to be done.

 

[Fade and Die]

We have a friend who is an interior designer. He’s popping round this week to have a look and advise what we should keep. The word from him is that recessed downlights should never have become a thing in residential properties, he hates them with a passion and they should be banished to be found in offices and industrial premises only.

Doesn’t sound like you are going to get a very balanced view from your “interior designer”

Millions of houses throughout the land look just fine with D/Ls, you should have been able to trust your electrician to put in the right amount but maybe because of the odd layout he erred on the side of caution (nothing worse than under lighting a space) and put in extras, tbh your Mrs would probably have been just as upset if it was too dim.

Anyway the situation is untenable so something has to be done. Use your designer friend to get some alternative ideas of what sort of fittings you would like then get your builder and sparks back and work it out. You said previously that the builder was a decent sort who took your concerns seriously so you should hopefully get a good response. Explain the situation and offer to pay for the guys time to resolve the problem.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Doesn’t sound like you are going to get a very balanced view from your “interior designer”

Millions of houses throughout the land look just fine with D/Ls, you should have been able to trust your electrician to put in the right amount but maybe because of the odd layout he erred on the side of caution (nothing worse than under lighting a space) and put in extras, tbh your Mrs would probably have been just as upset if it was too dim.

Anyway the situation is untenable so something has to be done. Use your designer friend to get some alternative ideas of what sort of fittings you would like then get your builder and sparks back and work it out. You said previously that the builder was a decent sort who took your concerns seriously so you should hopefully get a good response. Explain the situation and offer to pay for the guys time to resolve the problem.

You‘ve got it

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Why not just put lower output bulbs in?

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Why not just put lower output bulbs in?

Unfortunately it’s not simply the brightness, if it was that would be easy - as well as being on dimmer switches the lights have four brightness/warmth settings. It’s the look and layout, and that can’t be dimmed or switched off.

 

[Green Man]

I would imagine the Electrician will be reluctant to just remove the lights and push the cables into the ceiling to be patched. You can’t have a load of inaccessible junction boxes in the ceiling. Should really be rewired if possible.

 

[Fade and Die]

I would imagine the Electrician will be reluctant to just remove the lights and push the cables into the ceiling to be patched. You can’t have a load of inaccessible junction boxes in the ceiling. Should really be rewired if possible.

Ideally yes but maintenance free junction boxes are allowed.

https://hager.com/uk/products/wiring-accessories/junction-boxes/maintenance-free-junction-box

 

[BiMGuy]

Doesn’t sound like you are going to get a very balanced view from your “interior designer”

Millions of houses throughout the land look just fine with D/Ls, you should have been able to trust your electrician to put in the right amount but maybe because of the odd layout he erred on the side of caution (nothing worse than under lighting a space) and put in extras, tbh your Mrs would probably have been just as upset if it was too dim.

I wouldn’t trust most sparks to do a decent lighting design. Most will just install an equal grid of 4, 6 or 9 lights depending on the size of room with very little thought into the actual positioning.

The 6 in my kitchen are placed light work surfaces and appliances correctly. I’ve had a spark (who is a very good friend) comment that whoever installed them must have been blind.

Interior/kitchen designers are much the same.

 

[Fade and Die]

I wouldn’t trust most sparks to do a decent lighting design. Most will just install an equal grid of 4, 6 or 9 lights depending on the size of room with very little thought into the actual positioning.

The 6 in my kitchen are placed light work surfaces and appliances correctly. I’ve had a spark (who is a very good friend) comment that whoever installed them must have been blind.

Interior/kitchen designers are much the same.

Absolutely right. It all comes down to experience. If the guy has plenty, talks and listens to the client there is no reason he cannot do a decent design. Spaffing spots all over the place is not the answer, a combination of spots, pendants and under pelmet lighting is preferred.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Absolutely right. It all comes down to experience. If the guy has plenty, talks and listens to the client there is no reason he cannot do a decent design. Spaffing spots all over the place is not the answer, a combination of spots, pendants and under pelmet lighting is preferred.

100% We were naive in our thinking about the lighting and design. Once bitten twice shy.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

…and so new kitchen nearly done and beginning to look to put things where we want them to go…

And immediately a schoolboy error - joiner has fixed first shelf in utility cupboard too low for an ironing board standing upright…and not quite enough room to the cupboard socket above to raise the shelf. Did he know we were putting ironing board in it? Pretty sure it would have been obvious but he could have checked. As I can’t be 100% sure we did there can be no pointing of finger. I know a solution - he will have others, but silly, silly mistake by us. The little but important things. Conversation with joiner tomorrow.

 

[Fade and Die]

…and so new kitchen nearly done and beginning to look to put things where we want them to go…

And immediately a schoolboy error - joiner has fixed first shelf in utility cupboard too low for an ironing board standing upright…and not quite enough room to the cupboard socket above to raise the shelf. Did he know we were putting ironing board in it? Pretty sure it would have been obvious but he could have checked. As I can’t be 100% sure we did there can be no pointing of finger. I know a solution - he will have others, but silly, silly mistake by us. The little but important things. Conversation with joiner tomorrow.

I would say it’s a bit of a mistake by the chippy, if it’s a utility cupboard there should be room for an ironing board, mop and bucket and a broom.
Maybe he could raise the shelf but cut a semi circular notch out the back so you can use the socket?