Lighting design for kitchen diner

[jstrong]

Can anyone give us some lighting advice for our kitchen/diner?

At the moment all we have provision for is 3x 5 amp lighting sockets the locations of these I have marked with a circle with cross inside.

We would ideally like the dining table to be moveable between either end of the dining area depending on party size!

Any thoughts on a lighting design would be really appreciated.

Untitled

• jstrong
• 24 Apr 2012
• 1

 

[ban-all-sheds]

We would ideally like the dining table to be moveable between either end of the dining area depending on party size!

That's an inhibitor.

This basic type of lighting:

can look good over a dining table, but not much good if you move the thing around.

Avoid small downlighters like the plague.

In the kitchen area I'd suggest minimalist, unobtrusive recessed ceiling lighting (large diameter though), dimmable would be a good idea so you can have some light in that side of the room when eating.

Concealed under cabinet lights would be useful too.

What are you doing about an extractor over the island hob? You can get these.

Concealed neon lighting? //www.diynot.com/forums/electr...h-what-lighting-would-you-get.308011/#2259433

You need to start looking online, and going round proper lighting shops (not the sheds).


A few non-lighting suggestions:

1) You should seriously consider a wider gap between the island and the worktop/units along the wall - it looks like it's under a metre, which will drive you bonkers if there's more than one of you working there.

2) I can see how stalls there would save a lot of walking back and forth to the loo when you've had a few, but it's not very hygienic, and the womenfolk won't like it, no matter how many photos you find on the Internet.

3) A cantilevered canopy like this:

would be a jolly useful thing along that wall with the folding doors - we quite often have weather where you might like the doors open even though it's raining.

 

[Chri5]

I'd suggest you "steal" a 3d layout plan via any of the kitchen web sites, the 3d plan will indicate where shadows and potential light issues are.

Under wall unit lighting of the led type does look very good, then again I would say that because we have some.




If the table will move then it might be an idea to have banks of lighting that is switched in zones allowing switch A to control table lighting in one location, switch B another etc

Seen a lot of double skin glass tables recently, some actually have led lighting inside them for a under lit mood look.

Have a architect mate would has just done this to his diner kitchen.



http://www.penningtonphillips.co.uk/project.php?cat=small-works&id=park-avenue-north

Led counter lighting

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_In...n_Index/LED_Undercupboard_Fittings/index.html

If you look on my diynot profile you find a picture file called kitchen, there a few photos of the led lights.

 

[jstrong]

b-a-s

Many thanks for taking the time to reply.

These were my initial thoughts on lighting....

For the dining area, 3 plug in lights as shown on the plan all three controlled from 1 gang of a 4 gang switch and 6 downlighters for when we want the room lit a little brighter!

For the kitchen area I was thinking of a downlight above the hob and 1 above the sink these would be controlled by the second of the 4 gang switch and come on together.

2 or 3 pendant type lights over the stool end of the island and some concealed lighting under the wall cupboards to light the worktop and an additional couple of downlights in the kitchen area!

Oh and also some plinth lighting on both the island and kitchen plinths.

In summary a 4 gang 2 way switch with the first gang operating the lamps in dining area, pendent lights over the stools and also the concealed worktop lighting.

Gang 2 would do the 2 downlights over the sink and hob.

Gang 3 would do the 6 downlights in dining area and a couple in the kitchen area.

Gang 4 would operate the plinth lighting.

Can I ask what you would do if it were your house? I am totally open to suggestions and am aware of your dislike of downlights.

PS I was thinking of a metre gap between island and worktop do you think that would be ok, obviously i don't want to encroach too much on the dining area with the island!

Thanks again for your thoughts.

 

[bernardgreen]

A mobile dining table could have ELV ( 12 volt ) table lamps running off a battery fitted into the table. With LED and 12 volt compact flourescents this is possible with much smaller batteries ( rechargable ) than a few years ago.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Seen a lot of double skin glass tables recently, some actually have led lighting inside them for a under lit mood look.

Marvellous idea - make sure everybody can clearly see all the greasy fingermarks.

 

[flameport]

This basic type of lighting:

can look good over a dining table, but not much good if you move the thing around.

Unless fitted to plug in ceiling roses, then the lights can be moved easily.

The 'other' table location would also have plug in roses with some other form of light fitting connected.
When moving the table, swap the two sets of lights.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Unless fitted to plug in ceiling roses, then the lights can be moved easily.

Not really, as ones like that tend to have/often have a ceiling-fixed component which is the length of the span of the light.

 

[sparkybird]

If you are having an extractor hood, these normally have lights in built so no need to extra lights over the hob

Plinth lights - waste of space and just highlight all the dust/crumbs on the floor - don't bother

Putting lights on top of the wall units can be a great way to give general light with a hidden light source - fluorescents are good (and cheap!) and you can get ones which dim. Then use under cabinet lights for worktop task lighting

Can't see a way around the moveable table lighitng, unless you have some sort of rise and fall light fitting