Recessed lighting on vaulted ceiling??

16 years ago

If I may, I need to impose upon you kind helpful people again. I bought 9and read) the book (residential lighting), went to see the lighting designer at the light store, and I am still confused and unsure about my design. The part that is throwing me off is the fact that the ceiling is vaulted. There is a ceiling fan in the livingroom and I know the recessed lighting has to stay away from that (to prevent strobe). Here's my plans. the only thing not shown is I plan to have wall sconces on each side of the fire place and also will have table lamps on either end of the couch. Please.....take a minute and critique my plan. I don't know what I am doing and don't want to make a huge mistake! Thanks for looking.

This is a cross-section showing ceiling elevations

Comments (7)

ccoombs1
Original Author
16 years ago
The first pic is a little hard to read. I can blow up any portion of it if someone wants to see it better. Thanks.
ilitem
16 years ago
I would think about putting any recessed lighting in the center of any room. My problem is that it cuts the ceiling and takes away from the area. I usually place the recessed lighting around the perimeter, especially if the person is going to use other lighting (i.e., lamps and fixtures). If you weren't going to use sconces by the fireplace, I would probably go straight across that area with recessed.

What we sometimes forget is that there is "backlighting" from those recessed lights aimed at walls. If I were to turn on my recessed lighting in any given room, I have more than enough lighting to illuminate it. I have table lamps to read by in the family room and in the dining area I have a fixture.

The same applies for the dining area. It is really hard to read the measurements on the picture. If you can blow this up, I would suggest doing so in order for us to get a better idea of size and scope.

Hope this helps.
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ccoombs1
Original Author
16 years ago
Thanks for the help. I really do apprecaiate it! Here's a drawing that hopefully will show the details a little better. I removed all the recessed lighting in the center and left it around the perimeter only. I also decided to do away with the sconces because it may limit my ability to re-arrange and decorate the way I want. If I am going to do cans along the perimeter, how far off the wall should they be, and what size cans? I assume I need to use the kind with the eye-ball so the light points down. Is there another way to direct the light down without the eyeballs? I don't like them.....but will use them if necessary. Thanks again for the help.
Jon1270
16 years ago
I think the lighting in the kitchen looks skimpy. A lot depends, of course, on what size cans you want to use, and whether you're using incandescent or fluorescent.
ccoombs1
Original Author
16 years ago
I would prefer to use fluorescent can lights. The kitchen will have 3 incandescent medium sized pendant lights going down the center (not shown in the drawing though). I am also going to have undercabinet lights and on the row of cabs that back up against the 13' wall, I plan to have puck lights on top. Will that be enough....or should I add more recessed lights?
Jon1270
16 years ago
I see now that some of the kitchen lights got erased when you posted the second drawing, and that's what I was responding to. The first drawing looks better.
ccoombs1
Original Author
16 years ago
on the second drawing, I moved the light by the sink in towards the wall so it would be over the sink. I moved the others in a bit so they would be lined up with the edge of the counters, 3 on each side.