Kitchen downlights

[glitch]

Does anyone have a recommendation for good quality downlights, for use in kitchen and other areas?

I have a small list of demands...

- matte white finish
- dimmer compatible
- take a GU10 bulb (negiotable, if alternative a better option)

And some bonus points...

- can fit a diffuser to the front
- option to angle the spot if desired

Budget is whatever needs to get spent for quality.

 

[glitch]

Ooooo... they look nice. And there is a lovely adjustable one in the range as well, both look to be mains dimmable as well.

I’m going for six downlights in my kitchen, in two rows of three.

Possibly a few more in the bathrooms, but definitely nine more to run down the hallway, up the stairs and down the landing.

 

[glitch]

Also, have to ask why rows of lights?

How the lights look on the ceiling doesn't matter, you need the lights in the right spots. Do you have any pics of the room, and can you change the light positions, or are you stuck with where they are now?

Here's an example of what I am intending, although I would go for three sets of two, as previously mentioned.

Thinking is to have two spots that would cover the hob, as the only light source there will be from the hood, two in the middle, one angled over the sink for lighting that area, then two down the end.

Dining room will have three pendants/some sort of light over the table.

Cabinet runs will have LED strips in a diffused rail underneath and possibly on top, to flood the ceiling. Not sure what to go for as yet as I'm struggling to figure out if anything would work with a standard dimmer switch or if I need a separate control unit.

 

[glitch]

I've got like 40 of these lights:

https://www.downlights.co.uk/icage-mini-fire-rated-downlights-new.html

So far so good, decent build quality and they can be tilted.

They look pretty good and are ticking a lot of boxes.

One of my reasons for wanting GU10 is that I want daylight-balanced bulbs, which I figured would be easier with GU10. 4000°K from the Zep lights might not work.

 

[glitch]

apart from costs whats's wrong with zep - 4000k is 4000k ?, which always gives me a better daylight than 6k, where I cannot see the gas hob flames either.

I guess I'm used to thinking 4000k is a little yellow, but that's possibly being too literal. Having now actually checked, my Hue's at 4000k (ish) are perfect for the look of my house.

Grabbed your schematic and put some rough positioning for x6 spots. I personally wouldn't bother with angled fittings as they don't really add anything unless your projecting towards say art on the wall

Positioning them like this (all learned from Guy @Ecoled) is all about getting the light where it needs to be. Rows of lights on the ceiling is what builders and sparkies do who have no concept of lighting design.

Thanks!

Now you've mapped it all out, what you're saying makes a lot of sense. My worktops will come out 650mm from the wall, but having lights in the positions you have placed them works nicely. Only thing that bugs me is the off-line fitting near the fridge/freezer. Hmmm.

Some nice pendants in the dining area would be lovely. Possibly an freestanding uplight in a corner. Gives a nice warmer effect.

I have a myriad of options, but the Flos Glo Ball are currently winning. Or I might get a spider pendant made up, depending on how it all looks.

NB. Every room in my house (apart from the kitchen) will have 40cm light cubes dotted around, throwing nicely diffused light from Philips Hue bulbs, so ambient lighting is pretty sorted. Just ceilings, really.

Would you go spots in lounge (etc) or hang pendants?

I use Highline Lighting for all my LED strips. There's a huge array of strip types, colours (obvs stick with 3000-3500K) and they come with IP rated coatings. Plus there's a selection of cheaper IP20 PSUs or better rated sealed units (smaller). You can get dimmable PSUs for these lights.

https://www.hiline-lighting.co.uk/gb/

Strips, IP65
https://www.hiline-lighting.co.uk/g...d-strip-smd2835-144w-cri80-5060440711190.html

Dimmable PSUs
https://www.hiline-lighting.co.uk/gb/84-mains-dimmable

Ooooo... I can use one of those PSUs and have the strips mains-dimmable from a normal dimmer unit?!

I'm also going for a large ceiling wash with strips ontop of the cabinets, just ensure your plasterer and paint finish up top notch, as uplit strips will show off imperfections.

I'll be using Highlines 14.4W/m2 strips for uplighting and currently have a 5m strip sitting against the lower web of our exposed RSJ firing upwards. It gives a good effect and nearly gives enough light (along with task lighting), to not need spots anymore. This is in a 3.5m x 6m kitchen area. With the new set of units I'll put more strips up high so might eliminate the need for spots altogether.

I really want to get rid of ceiling spots, but I don't have cabinets all around the perimeter, so I don't think the wash will totally work. Might be able to do away with the two down the dining room end though.

I'm happy to chat via trust if you like

That's very good of you, thanks!

Like I said before, I wouldn't bother with angled spots and just grab some ZEP1 darklights as they're the same price as regular ZEP1.

Okay... explain the darklights to me. The inside is painted black so you don't get stray light bouncing around? That simple or more to it?

 

[glitch]

yes - saw there is a zep1 thread on pistonheads https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=207&t=1638730&i=20
the shadows on the living room example look naff - each to their own.

Is that because they are darklights or the beam angle/spread? Or both?

I want nice, diffused, washes of light from my spots - the shadows on the wall would not be okay.

 

[glitch]

Spoke with Guy @ Ecoled and he's a very knowledgeable chap. Certainly worth spending some time with him to understand not just their products but the importance of lighting design and where money should be spent, if you want a certain result.

Good news: I like their products and what they can do for me. Bad news: Zep1 are out of stock, which leaves me with Zep1 Mini or Zep 6. And that gets eye-wateringly expensive.

I'm sold on doing something clever with my kitchen/diner, but less so in my lounge - I don't see the need for spots here, there and everywhere.

Without knowing fully what is going on the walls and where I might have bookcases (etc) it's hard to gauge how well spots would work. And if I got anything like the effect shown here it would not work with the intended 'look' of the property.

 

[glitch]

I know, it's really bloody annoying. I won't reveal pricing on the Zep6 as Guy asked me not to, but suffice to say (as you know) they aren't cheap. Granted they look amazing, particularly the Eyeconic/Trimless range, but those prices... I'd be over a grand for just one room and that doesn't seem right.

Zep1 seem to be the ideal product, but they have none available and no ETA for when they will. I might have to look at something like the Haler H2 Pro, which @a1ex2001 mentioned.

Alternatively if anyone has any suggestions for 4000k, wide-ish angle, diffused light and decent CRI, I'm all ears. I have my sparky in this and next week, so can have him wire accordingly!

 

[glitch]

I use Highline Lighting for all my LED strips. There's a huge array of strip types, colours (obvs stick with 3000-3500K) and they come with IP rated coatings. Plus there's a selection of cheaper IP20 PSUs or better rated sealed units (smaller). You can get dimmable PSUs for these lights.

https://www.hiline-lighting.co.uk/gb/

Strips, IP65
https://www.hiline-lighting.co.uk/g...d-strip-smd2835-144w-cri80-5060440711190.html

Dimmable PSUs
https://www.hiline-lighting.co.uk/gb/84-mains-dimmable
Then just add some LED profile cheaply. I found some Hafele stuff on ebay cheap.

I'm also going for a large ceiling wash with strips ontop of the cabinets, just ensure your plasterer and paint finish up top notch, as uplit strips will show off imperfections.

I'll be using Highlines 14.4W/m2 strips for uplighting and currently have a 5m strip sitting against the lower web of our exposed RSJ firing upwards. It gives a good effect and nearly gives enough light (along with task lighting), to not need spots anymore. This is in a 3.5m x 6m kitchen area. With the new set of units I'll put more strips up high so might eliminate the need for spots altogether.

I have been doing a think and wanted to pick your brains about LED strips...

Ecoled recommended their Mini Nova, which is 120LEDS/m, 10W/m and an output of 819Lm/m. I'll need around 6.5m in total, to cover both the underneath of the cabinets and then the tops as well. They recommended an 80W driver for both strips.

Hi-Line have two products which are similar.

Natural White LED Strip - 120LEDS/m, 28.8W/m and a staggering 2640Lm/m!
Natural White LED Strip - 60LEDs/m, 14.4W/m and 1320Lm/m.

For the latter option, it looks like I'd either need a 100W driver or a 150W driver, depending on which page on their site you read.

I'm thinking that the 60LEDs/m strip from Hi-Line is going to be plenty for my needs... any thoughts?

And on the profile front... how flat can I realistically go, with a nice milky/opal diffuser? I've found stuff around 7mm with a diffuser, just wondering if I can and if I should go thinner.

PS. I owe you an email, which I will sort later.

 

[glitch]

Hungover me has been doing another think... would the bonkers 2640Lm/m strips be sufficient to wash the ceiling, if positioned to fire upwards from the cabinet tops, and forgo spots?

 

[glitch]

Right then. Progress is slowly being made with my kitchen (well, the entire house) and I'm thinking about LED profile. Need to make a decision by end of October... which seems a long time but, well, I'm indecisive.

I am definitely going for under-cabinet lighting and strongly considering running the same on top of the cabinets, to wash the ceiling. What profile(s) would people recommend?

I'm torn between something slim (like this) which will sit towards the front of the cabinets, or an angled profile (like this) which would go up against the walls.

Pros and cons of each? There are no edges to the units, so whatever goes underneath might be seen. Need to minimise that if possible as don't want glare.