24" - 36" from the walls would be fine.

The lights should be installed in some regular pattern and provide sufficient general lighting. Typical kitchen lighting could be ~ 35 lumens per sq ft.

To me, LED modules are brighter and have better light spread than a CFL in a can.

Thanks Davidtay.

The kitchen is 12'L x 11.5'W with a peninsula perpendicular to the long dimension. Placing the cans at 30 inches off the long walls solves an ac register issue but will put the center of the western most cree in the middle row only 6 inches from the face of the 24 inch deep vent cabinet. Would it be ok to stretch this offset to 36 inches?

I can eliminate conflicts with the ceiling joists, if I space them along the L dimension on 4' centers (if acceptable) which will put the last row 12' from the dinning room wall and 6 inches beyond the projected centerline of the peninsula. Will this work or look odd since they will not be centered over the peninsula? There will be 3 rows with 2 crees per row beginning 4' from the dinning room wall and proceeding to the peninsula.

Also, I need a light over the sink. The cabinet will be 15 inches deep an approximately 4' above the sink. I was thinking of putting a CR6 here also but having second thoughts and considering a 4 inch bulb instead. What do you think?

All of the above will be on a dimmer switch.

TIA

36" should work out since the Cree modules have a pretty good light spread.

If you're installing new work cans and putting up new sheetrock, you can adjust the locations fairly easily.

If you're open to using other forms of lighting, you could use pendents over the peninsula.

4" cans are more expensive. Typically the LR4 + can costs ~ 160.

If you have cabinets directly above the sink area, you could consider using strip lighting - LED or T5 fluorescent or MR16 lamps. If T5 fluorescent lighting is used, a dimmable electronic ballast would be required. Or the light would have to be on a separate circuit.

Having the sink light on a separate circuit could give you additional flexibility in lighting control - only one light on/ All the other lights on, sink light off.

This is remodel work with most of the switch boxes already set. We did think about pendents but at the time decided against them.

At this stage, the light above the sink will be a recessed type. I was just thinking the CR6 would be to much although it can be dimmed. I like the idea of the MR16 which I believe can be mounted in a 4" can; and, once the 4" led bulbs become more affordable, I can replace the MR16. Does the MR16 come in a similar Kelvin color scale as the CR6?

MR16 lamps may not be usable in 4" cans unless the cans come with the bi-pin or GU10 connector.

There are MR16 lamps with a similar color output of 2700k.

I failed to mention that I have already purchased the remodel cans from cree and if I did something different it would not matter at this point.

I've thought about it some more and would like to keep the cr6 above the sink.

Thanks for the information.

We installed medium base JDR or MR16 halogens over our sink. The color seems close to the CREE. It is a very modern look for a kitchen in my opinion.

In retrospect, I would prefer a couple of incandescent R30 reflectors over the sink, but my vote didn't count.

Here is a link that might be useful: Medium Base JDR/MR16

160 for an LR4 can? My wife paid much less than that.

Could you share where you got the lights?

kitchen cans should be 12 to 20 inches from the cabinets, or the crown molding on the cabinets. 30 inches is too far. We typically use 2rows of cans that follow the room shape in the kitchen. If you show me a picture detailed of your kitchen, I will give you a diagram of where your lighting should be. The Cree cr-6 is a great light for the price, by far better than anything else home depot carries. It has a spread of about 90 degrees.

Mike

Given the cabinet depth of at least 12" and ~ 3" to 5" for the crown molding, wouldn't that result in the can being located ~ 29" - 36" from the wall?

Was that question for me? if so, no it should not. 12-20in is what it should be.

triphase,

I think you and David are saying the same thing. You said to put cans 12-20" from the cabinets or crown moulding. David is saying to put cans 29"-36" from the WALL.

Assuming 12" uppers with 4" crown moulding, this equates to approx 16" of depth. 16" + your recommendation of 12" - 20" from the crown is the same as 28" - 36" from the wall as what David was saying.

However, I do agree that measurements should be based on off the cabinet door face or crown, since some people may have deeper uppers and may or may not have crown moulding. Or given both ways, since the rough in would be measured off the adjacent walls.

I will be posting my plan by this weekend so look forward to your and David's lighting layout recommendations.

No problem, let us know.