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Lighting Design Dilemma Kitchens

Need a solution for kitchen lighting - problematic pancake box

3 years ago

Our kitchen has a cluttered half wall with an island range hood and two pendant lights. One main goal of our renovation project is to visually open up this space without tearing out the half wall itself or moving our stove. We decided to swap out the range hood and replace the pendant lights with 4 inch can lights.

As it turns out, there's a ceiling beam just above the drywall where the lights are mounted, so recessed cans (or even partially recessed canless lights) won't work.

I bought some "flushmount" flat lights at Home Depot, but even those require more room above the ceiling than the pancake junction box allows.

What can I put here that isn't visually obtrusive? All of the small, low profile flushmount downlights I've found seem to be sized for European junction boxes and they are bit too narrow to cover my 4" box. We don't want to install new pendants but we're going to need a little bit of a canopy to house the wires. We don't want gallery-style spotlights or anything else that looks ultra modern or industrial.

I don't really want to lose lighting, but I guess one option is to patch the drywall. We'd probably prefer to do that over putting new pendant lights up.

Some pictures for reference. Thanks for your help and your ideas.

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Comments (5)

PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
3 years ago
I need to see this space from much further back and BTW a good hood will have good lighting I always change the bulbs to LEDs 4000K to add a bit better light.
Josh Paterni
Original Author
3 years ago
Hi @Patricia Colwell Consulting, I'm attaching a few additional pictures. I've capped off the old pendant lights left and right of the range hood. I'm going to need to contract out some drywall repair work anyway so I might just have the holes patched. Even with the plastic caps, I think the space is improved by losing the pendants. I'll look into replacing the bulbs in the hood--that's a great suggestion.
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Thanks you all for continuing to help me work this through; your suggestions are terrific! buehl, thanks for your vote of confidence on proceeding with this installation. do you remember if it was a chimney-style or an under cabinet-style in front of the window in the example you're remembering? jejvtr, thanks for your helpful suggestions on the Zephyr and about showing all the specs to my contractor--very helpful idea. Is your Zephyr quiet on the lower and middling speeds? capecodcook, thanks also for the vote of confidence on the window--I like the way it looks, too. And, I always was going to remove the shelf. I really want a real hood, so if I go very, VERY, low profile, and put the under cabinet model where the shelf is, I think I'll only lose one row of glass bricks. Not ideal, but maybe the best compromise, given what I have and what I want. guadalupe, why did you go with Kobe CH-7936, instead of Kobe CH-2236? How is the location of the lights on yours? Are they in front? Thanks!
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Ironcook, Good for you for sticking to it, but could you please repeat the question? I was one of those who couldn't see the pictures from the link in the old thread, and I don't remember what you wanted to know. As to the pictured kitchen, I think there are two "secrets" that make it work so well. One is the return with the fridge. It looks like a 24" Liebherr, or something similar. By having that return and corner (even though it's a deep dark corner), I think the kitchen looks a lot bigger than if the fridge had just been on the end of a straight line. At the same time, it defines the space, especially with the matching return of the breakfast bar. What is basically not much more than an efficiency kitchen is made into a U including eating--though that would have been better if they'd shown the stools and not just plates. The overhang looks a bit minimal for proper usage. The other secret is the colored framework of the partial wall borders and inverse tray ceiling, which, with the wrap around raised bar, really defines the kitchen as a separate space, rather than just a wide spot in a hallway. Very clever.
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Forgot to add that my main concern now with the 4" low-voltage (or any non-LED or CFL solution) is heat. However, when I was over at a friend's house checking out their low-voltage MR16 based setup they said (and demonstrated) how they only have to run their lights at about 60 to 65% under everyday circumstances. When they need more light at the primary task area (a large island) they just crank up the 4 cans covering it. Thus, I am assuming I will be able to do the same. I am also going to install the same Lutron Maestro dimmer solution they are using which "remembers" your last dim setting so just tapping it on will set it to 65% (or whatever I end up running for normal day-to-day lighting).
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No. It's my fault. I overlooked it in the sketches. I was too consumed by designing the mantle and the built in bookcase that I got "sloppy" on the kitchen. I had the sketches for one day before I had to meet with him to give him the go ahead. I can't believe I overlooked that. Duh! The refrigerator fitting into your cabinets the way you want is pretty huge. I fumbled around with the microwave fitting and didn't even look at the fridge. I also had a nasty stomach flu at the time. So yes, I will have to pay for it. that is why I'm hoping there's a way to get it fixed without ripping it all out. thanks, bridget
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sandk
3 years ago
Have you considered moving the lights over a few inches to avoid the beam? You’d have to check for other obstructions and that the wire is long enough. If you post in electrical wiring forum, the electrical gurus may have ideas for you. Drywalling over hot wires is a no-no in my area.
Josh Paterni
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks @sandk. I'm trying to avoid that additional expense, but it's definitely a possibility. I imagine that drywalling over these wires would violate code here, too. Though I'm guessing the risk would be extraordinarily low, so long as the wires are properly capped and taped.
PRO
HALLETT & Co.
3 years ago
Capping the wires in an inaccessible location is illegal everywhere. They need to be terminated in an accessible junction box (attic is fine). It seems cheapest would be two new 4" cans next to where the pendants are now, minor drywall work required.
Josh Paterni thanked HALLETT & Co.

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