There are dimmable fluroescent fixtures but you will need to go to an electrical supply or lighting showroom to obtain these. I don't believe the big box stores have anything like this. I would like to suggest that you may want to think about incorporating different types of lighting in your basement. The play area can have a fluorescent fixture. You may want to have incandescent lighting (lamps) for the TV and reading area. The future bar area should be worried about later as with a drop ceiling you can add lighting. Since I am not sure the depth that you have in your drop, you can check and see if you can get recessed fluorescent lights for the play area. Any reliable electrical or lighting showroom should be able to assist you with this. If not, you can always check the fluorescent lighting manufacturers on line to get the specifications of what is available. Try Lightolier, American Fluorescent or any of the like. The recessed fluorescent lighting that they are doing now is really quite nice. You can even get lenses that will cut the glare. For the different lenses you can check Malcolite. The only reason I suggest different types of lighting is that you are doing different tasks. Most people like to read by incandescent lighting and lamps really are the softest for this purpose. Also, in the TV area, you would want to be able to regulate the lighting so that there is no glare on the TV. If you want you can place a few recessed cans around the perimeter. Also, you can check out the fluorescent websites because they are doing extremely shallow fixtures that are surface mounted.

410.16 Luminaires in Clothes Closets. (A) Luminaire Types Permitted. Only luminaires of the following types shall be permitted in a closet: (1) Surface-mounted or recessed incandescent or LED luminaires with completely enclosed light sources (2) Surface-mounted or recessed fluorescent luminaires (3) Surface-mounted fluorescent or LED luminaires identified as suitable for installation within the closet storage space (B) Luminaire Types Not Permitted. Incandescent luminaires with open or partially enclosed lamps and pendant luminaires or lampholders shall not be permitted. (C) Location. The minimum clearance between luminaires installed in clothes closets and the nearest point of a closet storage space shall be as follows: (1) 300 mm (12 in.) for surface-mounted incandescent or LED luminaires with a completely enclosed light source installed on the wall above the door or on the ceiling. (2) 150 mm (6 in.) for surface-mounted fluorescent luminaires installed on the wall above the door or on the ceiling. (3) 150 mm (6 in.) for recessed incandescent or LED luminaires with a completely enclosed light source installed in the wall or the ceiling. (4) 150 mm (6 in.) for recessed fluorescent luminaires installed in the wall or the ceiling. (5) Surface-mounted fluorescent or LED luminaires shall be permitted to be installed within the closet storage space where identified for this use. You also need to know what closet storage space is defined as. 410.2 Definitions. Closet Storage Space. The volume bounded by the sides and back closet walls and planes extending from the closet floor vertically to a height of 1.8 m (6 ft) or to the highest clothes-hanging rod and parallel to the walls at a horizontal distance of 600 mm (24 in.) from the sides and back of the closet walls, respectively, and continuing vertically to the closet ceiling parallel to the walls at a horizontal distance of 300 mm (12 in.) or the width of the shelf, whichever is greater; for a closet that permits access to both sides of a hanging rod, this space includes the volume below the highest rod extending 300 mm (12 in.) on either side of the rod on a plane horizontal to the floor extending the entire length of the rod.

the problem with the 180fx or wilsonart hd is that after doing the special edges, it is not much of a bargain. i looked at going that route but honestly felt that granite was a better bang for the buck. the laminates that were cheap, weren't to my liking unfortunately and the pretty laminates were not cheap! you might be able to do a solid surface for less than granite but the difference will not be significant. honestly it is better to spend a little more now than to spend now and spend more later to change out the counter. if you love laminate then go for it; but if it is a temporary fix, you end up spending more in the end anyway.

There is a recent discussion on pendant lighting originally specific to larger pendants but the conversation has covered a lot more. I would recommend you check it out. I purchased my bathroom light fixture at faucetdirect & had great customer service dealing with a part that was back ordered. For pendants, these are the sights I have found most useful but I have yet to buy from any of them except lighting by gregory & that was a few years ago. Note - I have been looking for contemporary or simple period "style" pendants (such as schoolhouse) so the list leans that way. Consolidators - carry many manufacturers (more contemporary) http://www.lightology.com/ www.shadesoflight.com - good pricing for copies of higher-end stuff like restoration hardware www.lightingbygregory.com www.ylighting.com Only carry their own stuff www.schoolhouseelectric.com - period lighting www.rejuvenation.com - period lighting www.restorationhardware.com - period lighting www.techlighting.com - contemporary pendants & some period style through one of their brands - Wilmette which has a link on the homepage Here is a link that might be useful: Pendant discussion