Hi Normel, Thanks for the suggestion. I opened the receptacle and the wires were taut (i.e. nothing was loose there). Of course, since the wires come through the sheet rock I can't see where it is coming from. All the sockets closeby and infact pretty much every socket appeared to have power. Somehow it is the living room lights, the kitchen lights and dining area lights that are not having power. All the sockets in the living room, fan and the lights that go with the fan have power. Any other suggestions? Any ideas about how I can check if the circuit breaker that supplies to this circuit is ok ? Thanks Regards, Mohan_R

"We are taking down an extra large square fluorescent light and replacing it with one two-bulb type flush mounted light and maybe another if need be then also adding a pendant over the sink." It will depend on the size and layout of the kitchen. One flush mount will not work as good as the fluorescent for two reasons. (1) The fluorescent puts out 6.5 times as much light. A 4' fluorescent with 4 tubes (2600 Lumens × 4 = 10400 Lumens) A two bulb flush mount w/60 watt bulbs or equivalent (800 Lumens × 2 = 1600 Lumens) (2) The surface mount fixture's light source comes from exactly 2 points that are very close together. The fluorescent light source has infinite sources of light within that 2' × 4' area which spreads the light out better, causing less noticeable shadows. With the fluorescent, the light reflecting off of all the other surfaces in the kitchen is also bouncing off at a more infinite number of angles, (compared to just from the pinpoint light source of the standard fixture) further contributing to the feeling of even light in the kitchen. . Pendant lighting that is bright enough to really contribute to the overall lighting of a room will also be glaring, since it is down closer to eye level. Pendants are fine for specific task lighting or mood lighting. Under cabinet lighting can also be a bit glaring if it is relied upon for more than half the light needed for a task. Keeping the under cabinet lighting out close to the face of the cabinet helps. Using two surface mounted luminaries on the ceiling will help spread out the light sources and help the light bouncing off of the cabinets light the room more evenly. Whether I would use fixtures with two or three bulbs depends on how big the kitchen is, how much light you are used to, and how intricate your tasks are. 800 Lumens × 6 bulbs is still only 4800 lumens, or less than half of what you currently have. You could try taking out two of the tubes and living with it for a while to help decide how many fixtures you want on the ceiling. . The difference between two 3-bulb fixtures and recessed cans over the outside edge of the countertop should not be enough to worry about as long as you have the under cabinet lighting and the pendants. There is a trade off between the two types of lighting. The recessed lights can be put right where you need them, but the light does not spread out as evenly. The surface mount in the middle of the room can produce more unwanted shadows, but the light spreads out and bounces off everything better to counteract the problem.

The type of lighting that is typically on its own switch includes pendant lights and over sink lights. This allows for more control over the lighting in specific areas of the kitchen. In terms of combining lights, you can consider combining the under cabinet lighting with the pot lights to provide overall ambient lighting in the kitchen. The pendant lights over the seated counter can be combined with the over sink light to create a focused task lighting area for food preparation or other activities at the counter. For the room size of 10'x16', having 6 pot lights should provide adequate lighting coverage. For outlet locations, it is recommended to have outlets installed along the countertops for convenient use of small appliances. Additionally, consider adding outlets near the seated counter for charging devices or using small appliances while seated. Be sure to follow local electrical codes and regulations when determining outlet locations.

IKEA https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/arstid-led-picture-light-nickel-plated-10355627/ https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/brynet-led-picture-light-black-90389223/ https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/brynet-led-picture-light-silver-color-70389224/ https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/maglehult-led-cabinet-picture-light-black-30464890/ You can also use swing arm library lights to illuminate the art.