thx David. Will go cr6 and a generic can with an edison fixture (i'm in Ontario). I'm still open to ideas if anyone wants to chime in on where these should go. With the benefit of a reread of David's thread, I'm now thinking the following, working from top to bottom: - 4 along the top of the pic, just inside the counters - 4 more just before the island, running from outside the banquet table area to the cooking area counters - 1 behind the middle of island, and 1 in line with that between island and rangetop - 4 on the other side of the island, matching the lines of the other 4 on the other side of the island. Maybe one more in that string on the left side? - if 5 above, another 5 just inside the counters on the bottom side of the kitchen. thx for any help with this..

The Cree 5" retrofit is already out. I've been using it with my customers. It's not inexpensive, but it really is great. I did get my hands on an LED module for low voltage halogen cans. It's bigger than an MR16, but that's fine, as there is room in the can. This one puts out about 60 lumens per watts- with a total of 8 watts of LED. So that's only 480 watts. The next generation, sometime in November, will be putting out at least 80 lumens per watt. If not 100 lumens per watt. Color temperature will affect the light output. But that's all you'll need for a normal kitchen. The only drawback is the does CRI. I'm not sure what the module will ultimately be. But I know it's not as good as Cree's. As for where to get a housing, go to a local lighting store. They should be able to take care of you better than any warehouse store.

Get rid of the soffit and have the contractor do a flush beam in the attic with the ceiling flush. Lose the pony wall and wing wall corner cabinet and just go straight across the wall with cabinets and take them to the counter as a hutch. Use cabinet paneling on the back of the peninsula cabinets, not drywall. Lose the dated open shelving by the window and get a real hood instead of an OTR. HD contractors can't handle that level of construction, so you need to interview real contractors. They'll be less than half of what HD charges as well. For lighting, three fluorescent mini pendants over the peninsula with a dimmer and two semi flush fluorescent pendants over the sink with a dimmer.Make sure you select fluorescents that can operate on a dimmer and the correct dimmer. Under cabinet LED lighting on a dimmer. 8-10 recessed LED lights on a dimmer depending on where the fridge is in this layout. You need someone experienced in cabinet installs to go over the plan on site in person before you order to double check measurements. HD cabinet people aren't noted for their experience or accuracy.

The rule of thumb is that the work isle in a one-cook kitchen should be 42" wide, or in a two-cook kitchen 48" wide. Those measurements are from the closest point to closest point (i.e. from refrigerator handle to counter edge.) Assuming the 36" and 18" measurements are accurate, you would have 40 1/2" of clear walkway as shown. Since there is a cabinet there and because traffic from three rooms will potentially be converging at that point, I'd like to see a 42" minimum and preferably 48" of walk space. However the choice is ultimately yours of course. The typical hallway is 36" wide.