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tony_hubert

Need help with recessed lighting for open concept living room area

MJ Hubert
5 years ago
Recessed lighting for living room area
Please bear with me, I know this is a long post but I wanted to make sure I gave as much info as you need to help me. First of all let me start by saying I like a lot of light.
That being said I will have dimmers on the majority of the lighting to accommodate the times when more subdued lighting is wanted. I’m having problems with the recessed light placement in the living room area. I want adequate recessed lighting to be able to see what I’m doing by turning the light up full with the dimmer switch (I read, knit, sew and do crafts as a hobby) without it looking garishly overlit. I will have some lighting from lamps but due to not having furniture purchased or a definite idea of a furniture layout yet I’m not sure where I will need lighting. I did go to a lighting designer and she helped confirm and tweak the lighting in the rest of the house but she suggested only 4 recessed lights in the living room. I added just a couple more lights in the kitchen/dining area than she proposed because it seemed dark in a couple areas. WF4 LED 27K MW M6 LITHONIA wafer lights are being used based upon her recommendation, except in the areas over the mantle, above the window seat, and above the sinks in the kitchen. In those areas WF3 LED 27K MW M6 LITHONIA lights will be used. The ceilings are 8’, the floors will be a medium to dark stained oak (think not blonde and not espresso but in between) and the walls light colored. The fireplace is a wall of painted white brick with firewood storage on either side of firebox (DH would not agree to a reface or modification but finally agreed to let it be painted and a chunky wood mantle added), the window seat faces NW under a covered front porch so not a lot of light source, and the baseboards and window/door trim are white. The kitchen cabinets are white, countertops are Carrara marble, and the counter height T-shaped marble island has bar height seating along one side with a chair height wood stained tabletop at the end of the island with chunky pedestal legs. (11 grandkids and counting plus 11-12 adults at Thanksgiving will overrun even this amount of seating!)
In addition please comment on the placement of lights in the kitchen/dining areas. I readily admit I need help. I thought paying a lighting designer for advice would solve all my problems and maybe it has and I’m just being obtuse. If I am, I’ll gladly admit to that also after I get some feedback. Of all the decisions I’ve made on this house, this has been the hardest thing to wrap my head around.
On the attached plans the yellow dots are the wafer lights, the red dots are 3” wafer lights and the green dots are light fixtures. Thanks for your help!

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