ᐅ Lighting Design for Ceiling LED Spotlights

Mycraft schrieb:

@Ypsi aus NI
I already mentioned it: panels and strips. Kitchens are ideal for surface and linear light sources.

But what you often see is this:



Dark kitchens and light cones. Brr. Often expensive too, since recessed spotlights in delicate ceilings often don’t just cost 10–20 euros, but over 100 euros per light point. You want to go to the homeowner and ask who did this and why???

Large panels simply create diffuse, soft light.
Honestly, this picture doesn’t say much about the quality of the spotlights.
The spots under the window look poor—maybe placed too close to the wall, misaligned, and so on.
If no thought is given beforehand to the distribution of recessed lights, their beam angles, and the power of the light sources, it can end up looking like this. But even with a weak panel, it wouldn’t necessarily look better.

Choosing between recessed spotlights, panels, or pendant lights is a matter of preference.
However, you need to understand lighting basics before planning the lighting layout.

It’s actually not that complicated.
A large light source relative to the object produces soft light with low contrast and smooth light-to-shadow transitions.
A small light source relative to the object produces hard light with high contrast and sharp shadow edges.

A recessed spotlight with a 40° beam angle or a pendant light with a 120° beam angle both create hard and contrast-rich light (the recessed spotlight is slightly more contrasted because it is directional).

Light only becomes softer when the light source is enlarged.
For example: clear sky = small light source = hard light
cloudy sky = large light source (clouds) = soft light

You just need to think carefully about where and what kind of light is needed.

K1300S schrieb:

To clarify once again: The term "spot" does not indicate whether a light is recessed into the ceiling or not. However, this meaning is often (incorrectly) assumed, including by @Grantlhaua.

I'm aware of that too, but I think being that precise would just confuse most people here.

What confuses me much more is when people say "spots" but actually mean recessed ceiling lights.

We installed recessed spotlights throughout the entire basement, and not just a few. Of course, it’s important to consider the desired light beam. We chose swivel and dimmable versions with a wide beam angle. I find it provides a very pleasant warm lighting. In the kitchen, above the counter, we also installed a panel light (which I would never do again, as it needs to be cleaned of grease at least once a week) and spotlights under the wall cabinets, which I love.

For the staircase and the upper floor, we only have wall lights, but this is due to the ceiling height with an open ceiling design.

So, tastes can really vary that much.

K1300S schrieb:

I find it much more confusing to talk about spots and actually mean recessed ceiling spotlights.

Try searching on Amazon and similar sites, and you will mostly find recessed ceiling spotlights.

I deliberately ordered frames without bulbs and then selected and installed the suitable GU10 lamps myself.

Grantlhaua schrieb:

Just search on Amazon and similar sites, and you will mostly find recessed ceiling spotlights.

Repeating something incorrect does not make it right.