Good morning everyone,
I would like to ask for advice from experienced recessed ceiling spotlight users.
Since I need to decide between two options, I would be very grateful for any ideas. The spots should not be installed in a suspended ceiling but directly into the precast concrete ceiling, as we have raised the room height on purpose and do not want to lower it again unnecessarily.
Option 1:
In the kitchen on the ground floor and in the bathroom on the upper floor
Option 2:
In the entrance hallway on both upper and ground floors
Implementing both options would be too expensive, and we don’t want the house to look like a spaceship. The architect mentioned that in the kitchen, placement needs to be considered carefully to avoid casting shadows.
A few details about the spaces:
The kitchen is located on the south side, has two windows, and an opening to the dining area with a glass sliding door, size 12.5m² (135 ft²)
The bathroom, also on the south side, is 10m² (108 ft²)
Entrance hallway on the ground floor (double door with side glass panels) is 12m² (129 ft²)
Entrance hallway upstairs with gallery is 11m² (118 ft²)
How many spots roughly do I need? I have no idea yet...
I would appreciate any help very much.
Best regards
I would like to ask for advice from experienced recessed ceiling spotlight users.
Since I need to decide between two options, I would be very grateful for any ideas. The spots should not be installed in a suspended ceiling but directly into the precast concrete ceiling, as we have raised the room height on purpose and do not want to lower it again unnecessarily.
Option 1:
In the kitchen on the ground floor and in the bathroom on the upper floor
Option 2:
In the entrance hallway on both upper and ground floors
Implementing both options would be too expensive, and we don’t want the house to look like a spaceship. The architect mentioned that in the kitchen, placement needs to be considered carefully to avoid casting shadows.
A few details about the spaces:
The kitchen is located on the south side, has two windows, and an opening to the dining area with a glass sliding door, size 12.5m² (135 ft²)
The bathroom, also on the south side, is 10m² (108 ft²)
Entrance hallway on the ground floor (double door with side glass panels) is 12m² (129 ft²)
Entrance hallway upstairs with gallery is 11m² (118 ft²)
How many spots roughly do I need? I have no idea yet...
I would appreciate any help very much.
Best regards
Ultimately, only you can decide. Personally, I would always use recessed downlights or surface-mounted spotlights in the bathroom. They look neat and provide plenty of light. Possibly with different lighting circuits or dimmers so you can also enjoy a romantic bath. In the kitchen, I agree with your architect; you need proper planning, otherwise you might end up right between the light fixture and the countertop. Once the spots are fixed, so is the kitchen layout! Additionally, you can do a lot with under-cabinet lighting, extractor hoods, etc., so if your budget is tight, I wouldn’t invest in ceiling spotlights there. Nevertheless, the kitchen needs very good lighting because it always has to be bright.
I also have spotlights in my living room, but unfortunately, they alone don’t create a cozy atmosphere. Comfort usually comes from (additional) wall lamps, furniture lighting, uplighters, indirect ceiling lights, and so on. I wouldn’t want to rely on just spotlights.
Regarding hallways, it’s only possible to comment once you see them in real life or on drawings and know the intended use. In my opinion, spotlights are excellent for passage areas and corridors. I don’t know if that applies to your situation. These areas tend to be given the least attention, so it’s important to weigh costs and benefits. For a gallery space, for example, I would much prefer wall lamps combined with an attractive ceiling fixture or indirect lighting. But as I said, this is just guesswork.
I also have spotlights in my living room, but unfortunately, they alone don’t create a cozy atmosphere. Comfort usually comes from (additional) wall lamps, furniture lighting, uplighters, indirect ceiling lights, and so on. I wouldn’t want to rely on just spotlights.
Regarding hallways, it’s only possible to comment once you see them in real life or on drawings and know the intended use. In my opinion, spotlights are excellent for passage areas and corridors. I don’t know if that applies to your situation. These areas tend to be given the least attention, so it’s important to weigh costs and benefits. For a gallery space, for example, I would much prefer wall lamps combined with an attractive ceiling fixture or indirect lighting. But as I said, this is just guesswork.
I can only agree; without reliable and preferably very finalized drawings including the planned furniture layout, it is not possible to finalize what is important for the early planning of the concrete ceiling.
In addition, lighting design can provide very professional and effective results.
Attached is an example of my ground floor, which might inspire some ideas.
It is important to avoid creating shadows on the work surfaces.
In addition, lighting design can provide very professional and effective results.
Attached is an example of my ground floor, which might inspire some ideas.
It is important to avoid creating shadows on the work surfaces.
@86bibo: The kitchen is mostly planned already. There will be no hanging range hood. Attached is the kitchen plan.
I also like it in the bathroom, but besides my family no one else sees it, and I find recessed lights to be a nice highlight.
@steija1: Unfortunately, I can’t make out anything on your plan, there are so many lines, but thanks for your answer anyway. I’ll upload the floor plan, maybe you can help me more with that. The kitchen layout will be different from the floor plan.
A concrete staircase is planned in the hallway, with the coat closet underneath the stairs.
The label "gallery" is incorrect because it would need to be open above. I mean that there could be a reading corner there, but I find a standing lamp cozier for that.
I also like it in the bathroom, but besides my family no one else sees it, and I find recessed lights to be a nice highlight.
@steija1: Unfortunately, I can’t make out anything on your plan, there are so many lines, but thanks for your answer anyway. I’ll upload the floor plan, maybe you can help me more with that. The kitchen layout will be different from the floor plan.
A concrete staircase is planned in the hallway, with the coat closet underneath the stairs.
The label "gallery" is incorrect because it would need to be open above. I mean that there could be a reading corner there, but I find a standing lamp cozier for that.
Are you installing the ceiling spotlights for yourselves to have decent lighting, or just to impress your guests? Your sentence sounds a bit like the guest bathroom needs to be the most luxurious bathroom because no outsiders will enter the main bathroom.
To each their own, but it seems like a case of misplaced priorities.
What do you expect from the spotlights? At the moment, it sounds to me like you have some budget left over and are looking for something to spend it on. Lighting is one of the most underestimated aspects of building a house. Nowadays, there are so many options that one or two ceiling outlets per room are no longer sufficient. However, the whole topic is quite driven by appearances. It often seems more important that the lighting looks cool, expensive, and unique than that it actually provides practical benefits.
To each their own, but it seems like a case of misplaced priorities.
What do you expect from the spotlights? At the moment, it sounds to me like you have some budget left over and are looking for something to spend it on. Lighting is one of the most underestimated aspects of building a house. Nowadays, there are so many options that one or two ceiling outlets per room are no longer sufficient. However, the whole topic is quite driven by appearances. It often seems more important that the lighting looks cool, expensive, and unique than that it actually provides practical benefits.
Personally, I prefer not to overdo it with LED strips and spotlights, so that it doesn’t end up looking like a spaceship.
I think it simply looks better this way, better than some lamps you might hang in the hallway, kitchen, or bathroom, which tend to be quite plain. With the spotlights, I’m more worried that there won’t be enough light.
So, the main reason is that I like the look.
Budget is a bit of an issue; when building a house, a few hundred more for spotlights isn’t a big deal. Also, since we’re working with an architect, many costs are still uncertain because the trades are contracted separately. It’s not like working with a general contractor or developer.
Romantic baths are not really an option for us—we don’t like bathing—but we have a child, and for the romantic atmosphere, I find candles more suitable.
How prone are these spotlights to needing repairs? I imagine it would be difficult if they are installed in my concrete ceiling.
I think it simply looks better this way, better than some lamps you might hang in the hallway, kitchen, or bathroom, which tend to be quite plain. With the spotlights, I’m more worried that there won’t be enough light.
So, the main reason is that I like the look.
Budget is a bit of an issue; when building a house, a few hundred more for spotlights isn’t a big deal. Also, since we’re working with an architect, many costs are still uncertain because the trades are contracted separately. It’s not like working with a general contractor or developer.
Romantic baths are not really an option for us—we don’t like bathing—but we have a child, and for the romantic atmosphere, I find candles more suitable.
How prone are these spotlights to needing repairs? I imagine it would be difficult if they are installed in my concrete ceiling.
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