Need help with lighting.

[OffTopic1]

I am redoing my home with new tiles & hard wood floor, and I?m thinking of replacing my entire home with recessed lights.

Is it a good idea?
How does it look if you have done it?

 

[Dowfen]

I like it myself, some people don't. It's in about every house where I live so it's pretty common, I don't know about where you are though.

Eric

 

[episodic]

I prefer well done track lighting. . .

 

[dartworth]

I just installed some in the hallway on the second floor and one above the landing of the stairs leading up to the 2nd floor. They give a nice clean look.

There are different sizes and styles. Look through some books and look at Home depot and Lowes to see what you like.

 

[arcas]

If you go with recessed lighting, make sure you get the air-tight cans. They cost a bit more but you'd be surprised how much air can leak through a non-air-tight can. It'll save you lots on heating and cooling in the long run. Also, be aware that you need an IC-rated can if you it's going to be in contact with insulation.

I have both recessed and halogen track lighting. They each have advantages. Recessed lighting works really well for hallways and the family room but for a 2 story high ceiling you need pretty high wattage lights or else you get lots of strong shadows. In the kitchen, nothing beats halogen track lighting.

 

[KingNothing]

Originally posted by: arcas
If you go with recessed lighting, make sure you get the air-tight cans. They cost a bit more but you'd be surprised how much air can leak through a non-air-tight can. It'll save you lots on heating and cooling in the long run. Also, be aware that you need an IC-rated can if you it's going to be in contact with insulation.

I have both recessed and halogen track lighting. They each have advantages. Recessed lighting works really well for hallways and the family room but for a 2 story high ceiling you need pretty high wattage lights or else you get lots of strong shadows. In the kitchen, nothing beats halogen track lighting.

This man speaks truth.

 

[OffTopic1]

Originally posted by: arcas
If you go with recessed lighting, make sure you get the air-tight cans. They cost a bit more but you'd be surprised how much air can leak through a non-air-tight can. It'll save you lots on heating and cooling in the long run. Also, be aware that you need an IC-rated can if you it's going to be in contact with insulation.

I have both recessed and halogen track lighting. They each have advantages. Recessed lighting works really well for hallways and the family room but for a 2 story high ceiling you need pretty high wattage lights or else you get lots of strong shadows. In the kitchen, nothing beats halogen track lighting.

I'm getting Halo recessed cans that are IC rated for insulation, and will install them at 3' apart at 30~70W each. And, the counter top will have under cabinet lighting.

 

[OffTopic1]

The floor also getting hydroponics radiant floor heating.

 

[flot]

I put recessed lights in my bedroom, and will slowly get around to doing most of the rest of the house. I think it looks great, makes a big difference in how the room looks overall.

Slightly off topic - originally I wanted recessed lights for my closet - but then read a couple of things that implied that this may not be up to code. Anyone have any info on that? (the thing I read basically said that you couldn't have a fixture with exposed bare bulbs in a closet.. which, in some ways, recessed lights are, and in some ways, recessed lights aren't...)

 

[arcas]

About this time last year, I was redoing the lighting in my kitchen. The 3 existing 65W recessed cans provided decent general light but weren't enough for a large kitchen. I figured it would take another 5 recessed cans along the perimeter to illuminate the whole countertop (I did say it's a large kitchen). After figuring how much work it would be to fish the additional romex through the ceiling, I decided to replace the existing fluorescent ceiling fixture with two sets of halogen track lights.

I now have the aforementioned 3 65W cans, 6 50W halogen track lights, a small fluorescent under-cabinet light and 6 20W under-cabinet lights. IMO, those 20W under-cabinet lights suck -- they get pretty hot even if your cabinet wood is the recommended thickness. They'd make good accent lights elsewhere in the house, though. That's what I eventually plan to do with them. The recessed lights are good general lighting but the aimable track lights are the bomb when actually cooking anything. They simply cannot be beat.