Positioning of kitchen downlighters

[Michael Kilpatrick]

As part of the new kitchen to be done this autumn I'm having the ceiling
redone imminently and we want to fit downlighters (presumably LED GU10s
unless anyone has better suggestions) to replace the current rubbish lights.

On a wall which has a line of 300mm deep wall cupboards above a work
surface which will be one of the places most used for preparing etc, is
it best to position the first row of downlighters fairly close to the
wall - say 500mm, and so 200mm away from the cupboards - to get good
light on the work surface or is it better to the lights slightly further
away and rely on the fact that light will be coming from either side and
not casting a shadow over the surface?

Based on a spacing of approx 1m between lights, there will be between 9
and 12 lights either in a square grid (3 x 3)or a diagonal latice (e.g
3,4,3) or (4,3,4) depending on how I arrange to get more light on the
breakfast bar.

Not planning to have strip lights under the cupboards.

Michael

[alan_m]

On 06/09/2021 10:45, Michael Kilpatrick wrote:
> As part of the new kitchen to be done this autumn I'm having the ceiling
> redone imminently and we want to fit downlighters (presumably LED GU10s
> unless anyone has better suggestions) to replace the current rubbish
> lights.
>

LED panel lights - and they can be more of a "designer type" rather than
the type fitted in offices. Being a work area rather than a living area
consider LEDs towards the blue/cold end of the colour temperature spectrum.

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[SH]

On 06/09/2021 10:45, Michael Kilpatrick wrote:

I have 10 spotlights on kitchen ceiling in a 2 x 5 config (room is 3.6m
x 4.8m) and the two long walls have worktops and cupboard along them so
the actual visible floor area is 4.8m x 2.4m.

Consider where people will be standing to prepare or cook food. Try to
position lights to both their left and their right as their body will
cast a shadow from any light directly behind them.

You want a light close to cupboard to light front half area of worktop
and a 2nd light further back to then light the back half of the worktop

So thats how I ended up with 2 rows of 5 spotlights along the 4.8m
length of the two parallel worktops and from both worktops, the first
row is 60 cm from the cupboards and the 2nd row is 1.5m from teh cupboards.

(Its symetrical so the two light rows are also the same other worktop is
also the same distances from the cupboards on other side of kitchen.)

However, I also added undercupboard lights as this makes food prepping
life so much easier. I have LED lights under all cupboards and thats on
a 2nd switch next to the switch to the main cveiling lights.

[GB]

On 06/09/2021 10:45, Michael Kilpatrick wrote:

We have 4 of these round LED panels from TLC : GLCPL18CT

They look quite smart and inconspicuous, whilst providing shadow free
light on all the work surfaces.

Not quite what you asked, but I thought I'd throw that out in case it helps.

[newshound]

Another +1 for undercupboard lights; mine are old mini fluorescent
strip, daisy chained, but I have never had to replace one. I'd go for
LED panel or strip when replacing.

[SH]

Incidentally, you can now get white LED strip lighting that is self
adhesive, see:

https://www.screwfix.com/search?search=white+led+tape

or

https://www.screwfix.com/search?search=5m+LED+tape

In my case I used Knight LED battens.

If your cupboards go all the way up to the ceiling like mine do, you
*may* be able to feed a cable down the back of the cupboard to connect
the undercupboard lights to the existing lighting circuit in the ceiling
void above if it is the disruption that is putting you off.

Often if there there is steel or plastic conduit to the wall switch, one
can often push through some fish tape and then pull through a new switch
cable and chang eteh face plate to a twin switch if you desire being
able to control ceiling lights and undercupboard lights independently of
each other.

[williamwright]

On 06/09/2021 10:45, Michael Kilpatrick wrote:

Downlights are the pits. Use big LED panels. 4000K is neutral white.
Don't get colder (bluer) ones. They are unpleasant and make food look weird.

I did my kitchen with 4000K panels 300mm x 1,200mm. Absolutely beautiful
light quality.

Bill

[alan_m]

On 06/09/2021 15:00, williamwright wrote:

> Downlights are the pits. Use big LED panels. 4000K is neutral white.
> Don't get colder (bluer) ones. They are unpleasant and make food look
> weird.

Supermarkets use lighting to enhance the look of vegetables and meat.
It's worth looking at what you put in your basket in another part of a
supermarket to see what yo are actually buying.

[David Wade]

On 06/09/2021 10:45, Michael Kilpatrick wrote:

Put lights under the cupboards. otherwise you are working at least in
part in your shadow.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa)]

Why don't you want lights under the cupboards?
A lot of the issue will depend on the sort of light you use. Many of my
visually impaired friends find the very blue whites and the very warm
whites difficult, The first is harsh and hurts the eyes, the second seems to
make the light a bit noisy, ie like the things under it are granular.
Something in between is needed. Not being in the seeing category any more I
don't know what these are called these days.
I'd have thought that as many lights from different angles as possible was
the way to go to avoid shadows, but often that depends on the colours used
on the surfaces.
Brian

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[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <ipml8e...@mid.individual.net>,

williamwright <wrights...@f2s.com> wrote:
> Downlights are the pits. Use big LED panels. 4000K is neutral white.
> Don't get colder (bluer) ones. They are unpleasant and make food look weird.

Fine if you like it to look like a commercial building.

> I did my kitchen with 4000K panels 300mm x 1,200mm. Absolutely beautiful
> light quality.

The equivalent of having a couple of florries in the old days.

--
*Bigamy is having one wife too many - monogamy is the same

Dave Plowman da...@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <sh4o0i$628$2...@dont-email.me>,

Only way to get decent lighting under cupboards is with lights under the
cupboards. As it is impossible to beam light there from the ceiling. If
everything is white and reflective, it might not be too bad. If you're
easily pleased.

--
*By the time a man is wise enough to watch his step, he's too old to go anywhere.

[alan_m]

On 07/09/2021 11:02, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> In article <ipml8e...@mid.individual.net>,
> williamwright <wrights...@f2s.com> wrote:
>> Downlights are the pits. Use big LED panels. 4000K is neutral white.
>> Don't get colder (bluer) ones. They are unpleasant and make food look weird.
>
> Fine if you like it to look like a commercial building.

Not necessarily. A low profile rectangular panel on a flat light
coloured ceiling really doesn't look out of place. If you also have
square (false) ceiling tiles then it may look like a commercial premises.

IMO any flat LED panel looks a lot better than a maxtrix of many
individual downlighters.

However, I also consider a butler sink in modern kitchen looks
completely naff ;)

>
>> I did my kitchen with 4000K panels 300mm x 1,200mm. Absolutely beautiful
>> light quality.
>
> The equivalent of having a couple of florries in the old days.
>

Even modern LED tube fitments tend to be a lot slimmer and better
looking that of yesteryear. No need for reflectors as led light is not
directed upwards.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <ipp1rl...@mid.individual.net>,

alan_m <ju...@admac.myzen.co.uk> wrote:
> On 07/09/2021 11:02, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> > In article <ipml8e...@mid.individual.net>,
> > williamwright <wrights...@f2s.com> wrote:
> >> Downlights are the pits. Use big LED panels. 4000K is neutral white.
> >> Don't get colder (bluer) ones. They are unpleasant and make food look weird.
> >
> > Fine if you like it to look like a commercial building.

> Not necessarily. A low profile rectangular panel on a flat light
> coloured ceiling really doesn't look out of place. If you also have
> square (false) ceiling tiles then it may look like a commercial premises.

> IMO any flat LED panel looks a lot better than a maxtrix of many
> individual downlighters.

Not to me. Flat panels look like the sort of commercial lighting you get
in offices, etc.

> However, I also consider a butler sink in modern kitchen looks
> completely naff ;)

> >
> >> I did my kitchen with 4000K panels 300mm x 1,200mm. Absolutely beautiful
> >> light quality.
> >
> > The equivalent of having a couple of florries in the old days.
> >

> Even modern LED tube fitments tend to be a lot slimmer and better
> looking that of yesteryear. No need for reflectors as led light is not
> directed upwards.

--

*Horn broken. - Watch for finger.

[Scientist & Saint]

"We have 4 of these round LED panels from TLC : GLCPL18CT"

How are you finding the reliability of those? I installed 12 less than a year ago, and already 3 have failed..

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For full context, visit https://www.homeownershub.com/uk-diy/positioning-of-kitchen-downlighters-3154220-.htm

[GB]

On 21/02/2024 17:33, Scientist & Saint wrote:
> "We have 4 of these round LED panels from TLC : GLCPL18CT"
>
> How are you finding the reliability of those?   I installed 12 less than
> a year ago, and already 3 have failed..
>

We have had 4 of that size plus 10 of a smaller size for several years
without any failures.

It is, of course, possible that build quality has dropped.