ᐅ Lighting Design for a Multi-Story Apartment with LED Indirect Lighting
Created on: 21 Feb 2025 12:35
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goldfisch138
Hello everyone,
we have finalized the floor plan for our new build and are currently working on the final lighting design.
All lighting and electrical systems will be connected via KNX.
[IMG width="726px"]https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/7192e74307b114bb_8432-w500-h328-b0-p0--.jpg[/IMG]
Here is how I planned the lighting:
I will mainly use recessed ceiling spots, with changes only in the bedrooms and living/dining area.
Lamps 1 to 5 will be warm white fixtures. In the hallway, I planned three ceiling spotlights, but I’m still unsure whether to add an LED strip about 30cm (12 inches) above the finished floor as indirect lighting. The lighting transition from the hallway to the living/dining area is also still unclear to me. The dining table will be the focal point of the living/dining area and is currently planned to be illuminated by a ceiling light.
In the kitchen, I will place the spots in an L-shape over the work surface. I think a central placement is not ideal, as it tends to create shadows on the countertop. Regarding spots 23 and 24, I’m uncertain about their placement since that is where the appliance wall is.
Additionally, there will be an LED strip in the living room that can be adjusted between warm white and cool white depending on the atmosphere. Another LED strip will serve as backlighting behind the TV. The sofa has now been rotated compared to the plan above and is positioned against the wall facing the balcony.
I would appreciate it if you could share your experiences and also offer honest, even harsh, criticism. I have put a lot of thought into this and would now like to finalize the lighting design but want to gather your opinions and expertise beforehand.
Thanks in advance.
we have finalized the floor plan for our new build and are currently working on the final lighting design.
All lighting and electrical systems will be connected via KNX.
[IMG width="726px"]https://st.hzcdn.com/fimgs/7192e74307b114bb_8432-w500-h328-b0-p0--.jpg[/IMG]
Here is how I planned the lighting:
I will mainly use recessed ceiling spots, with changes only in the bedrooms and living/dining area.
Lamps 1 to 5 will be warm white fixtures. In the hallway, I planned three ceiling spotlights, but I’m still unsure whether to add an LED strip about 30cm (12 inches) above the finished floor as indirect lighting. The lighting transition from the hallway to the living/dining area is also still unclear to me. The dining table will be the focal point of the living/dining area and is currently planned to be illuminated by a ceiling light.
In the kitchen, I will place the spots in an L-shape over the work surface. I think a central placement is not ideal, as it tends to create shadows on the countertop. Regarding spots 23 and 24, I’m uncertain about their placement since that is where the appliance wall is.
Additionally, there will be an LED strip in the living room that can be adjusted between warm white and cool white depending on the atmosphere. Another LED strip will serve as backlighting behind the TV. The sofa has now been rotated compared to the plan above and is positioned against the wall facing the balcony.
I would appreciate it if you could share your experiences and also offer honest, even harsh, criticism. I have put a lot of thought into this and would now like to finalize the lighting design but want to gather your opinions and expertise beforehand.
Thanks in advance.
W
wiltshire3 Mar 2025 12:14goldfisch138 schrieb:
@wiltshire would you like to share your assessment of the kitchen lighting again – kitchen plan see aboveThe layout doesn’t require base cabinets under which pleasant task lighting could be installed. The cooktop probably has a downdraft vent planned – at least, there’s nothing overhead that might already include an integrated light. For kitchen work, I prefer a well-lit workspace where I don’t cast shadows on myself. Multiple ceiling lights can create a pattern of light and shadow. Having the light source closer to the work area has advantages compared to ceiling lighting: 1. No issue with shadows
2. Illumination focused exactly on the needed area with the ideal type of light
3. Minimal stray light that could disturb the atmosphere in the rest of the room
I would use ceiling lights only for general lighting arranged in an aesthetically pleasing layout, combined with pendant or wall-mounted fixtures to provide task lighting.
In the end, it always depends on how it should look and what function the lighting is meant to serve. Personally, I have accepted some functional compromises and am quite satisfied with the result.
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goldfisch1383 Mar 2025 13:08wiltshire schrieb:
The picture doesn’t show any base cabinets where under-cabinet lighting could provide comfortable task lighting. The cooktop likely has a downdraft extractor planned—at least, there’s nothing above it that might already include a light. For kitchen work, I prefer a well-lit countertop where I don’t cast shadows on my own workspace. Multiple ceiling lights can create a mix of light and shadow. Bringing the light source closer to the work area has advantages over ceiling lighting:
1.: No shadow issues
2.: Lighting exactly the needed area with ideal light
3.: Minimal stray light that could disturb the atmosphere elsewhere in the room
I would use ceiling lights mainly for general illumination arranged in an aesthetically pleasing pattern and rely on pendant or wall-mounted fixtures for task lighting.
In the end, it’s always a question of appearance and the purpose the lighting should serve. I have personally made functional compromises and am quite satisfied with the results.Alright, your assumptions about the downdraft extractor and lack of wall cabinets are correct. I have now arranged the lights in a 3x3 square and hope this will provide sufficient illumination. I haven’t placed a light in the middle, which I don’t consider necessary. The spotlights are about 50cm (20 inches) away from the wall, so that a 35cm (14 inches) wall cabinet could potentially be installed later. In my opinion, it doesn’t make sense to design the lighting to cover every possible scenario or future modification (which I believe is not even feasible).In the living room, I have also planned 3x3 lights, and possibly a wall light aligned with the hallway. For that, I have currently planned an empty electrical box to later drill an outlet in a suitable place and pull the wiring through.
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goldfisch13810 Mar 2025 12:30@wiltshire I forgot to mention one more thing. We will be installing a dual-white LED strip along the living and dining area, providing indirect ambient lighting. Would you separate the strips or run one continuous strip from the fireplace to the tall kitchen cabinet?
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wiltshire10 Mar 2025 19:04goldfisch138 schrieb:
Would you separate the trims or run one continuous piece from the fireplace to the tall kitchen cabinet? I don’t have a specific recommendation on whether it’s worth creating sections. Is it a 230V alternating current system with local drivers, or a 12V or 24V system with centralized drivers? For longer runs with many LEDs connected in series, I would at least avoid the 12V option.
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goldfisch13810 Mar 2025 19:08ypg schrieb:
If recessed spotlights are absolutely necessary there, they should be aligned with the hallway, not offset.What would you use instead of spotlights? I have been considering surface-mounted fixtures. How would you design focused lighting in the living room? So far, only the sofa and the table are fixed. There will also be LED cove lighting in the ceiling with dual white.G
goldfisch13810 Mar 2025 19:10wiltshire schrieb:
For longer runs with many LEDs connected in series, I would at least avoid the 12V version. I think we planned to use the 12V version. In the kitchen, I was already thinking about downlights mounted on the upper fascia of the appliance wall. Additionally, maybe an LED strip along the baseboard, but I’m still unsure because of possible dirt that would be very visible.
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