Track lighting vs. Recessed lighting

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
G

GoingUp

Lifer
Jul 31, 2002
16,720
1
71
Buying a new place next Friday! :)

I am going to put different lights in the kitchen. I like track lights because I can aim them where I need them and change them easily. My mom thinks that recessed lights would be a better idea.

The kitchen ceiling is 9 feet tall, so they wont be in the way. Track lighting is also a lot cheaper than recessed lighting.

Recommendations? Thoughts?

Edit: I want to put about 5 lights in the track. 1 aimed at the stove, one aimed at the pantry, one aimed at the sink, and two aimed directly at a wall where im going to put a block of 12-16 phots that I took.
 
dullard

dullard

Elite Member
May 21, 2001
25,763
4,288
126
Is there enough physical room for recessed? Due to their height, you often cannot retrofit recessed light if there is a floor above you.

I personally think track lighting is hiddeously ugly. And if done right, recessed lighting gets all the light exactly where you need it. But it will be your house, do what you like. Neither your mom nor ATOT should have any say. Therefore, I abstain from the poll, and will use the automatically created Results button instead of voting results.
 
D

Doggiedog

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
12,780
5
81
Track lighting is out of style while recessed is in. I've got track lights in my house and it looks very 70s-80s.

Who knows though? Maybe in 10-20 years, people will be saying the same thing about recessed lighting.
 
C

cthulhu

Golden Member
Feb 19, 2000
1,451
0
76
Recessed is cleaner looking but I've seen track lighting that looks nice.
 
G

GoingUp

Lifer
Jul 31, 2002
16,720
1
71
One wall in the kitchen is going to have a bunch of photos that I took. I want to highlight the photos with a light. How do I do that with recessed lighting? Put in one that tilts? Those look kind of wierd IMO.
 
S

sohcrates

Diamond Member
Sep 19, 2000
7,949
0
0
Originally posted by: Gobadgrs
One wall in the kitchen is going to have a bunch of photos that I took. I want to highlight the photos with a light. How do I do that with recessed lighting? Put in one that tilts? Those look kind of wierd IMO.
Click to expand...

they sell "eyeball" attachments to standard track lighting "cans" that you can point at pictures on the wall.

i just installed recessed lighting in my basement to replace a single track light in the center and it looks awesome. pretty easy to do too if you are ok with cutting ceiling and running a fish tape through
 
D

dawnbug

Golden Member
Oct 29, 2002
1,670
0
0
I think that a lot of the newer track lighting fixtures that are out are really sharp looking. And I hate recessed lighting. If I were you, I'd go check out fixtures and see what works for you.
 
Homerboy

Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,890
5,001
126
they do make very cool, very modern lookign track lighting nowadays you realize people... he's not stuck with the big ole track lighting "cans" like they used to use. cool 12V track lighting, installed properly can be very very cool.
 
B

BigJ

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
21,330
1
81
Originally posted by: Homerboy
they do make very cool, very modern lookign track lighting nowadays you realize people... he's not stuck with the big ole track lighting "cans" like they used to use. cool 12V track lighting, installed properly can be very very cool.
Click to expand...

I was in HD the other day, and they had some really snazy track lighting. Some of the nickel stuff looked really nice.
 
Homerboy

Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,890
5,001
126
I was in HD the other day, and they had some really snazy track lighting. Some of the nickel stuff looked really nice.
Click to expand...

Yeap. While it wouldn't exactly fit into the decor/style of my house (60+yr old Cape Cod). Many newer homes can pull it off lovely. Especially if you have any modernist furnishings etc.
 
G

GoingUp

Lifer
Jul 31, 2002
16,720
1
71
B

BigJ

Lifer
Nov 18, 2001
21,330
1
81
Originally posted by: Gobadgrs

I linked to lowes because Home Depots sessions screw everything up.
Click to expand...

And you are absolutely correct.

If you need some information about the recessed lighting at HD, PM me. I'm not going to talk about it in these forums.
 
G

GoingUp

Lifer
Jul 31, 2002
16,720
1
71
Further complicating things is that I have a brand new place that just got done getting built and I have a 1 year home owner warranty. I think that warranty gets voided if I have someone else other than the original electrician do the installation.

I'd have some buddies help me out with the recessed, but it costs 5 times more compared to track lighting with teh amount of lights I want to put in.
 
M

Mday

Lifer
Oct 14, 1999
18,647
1
81
recessed lighting and track lighting both serve as task or spot lights. generally track lighting provides an easy way to install lighting, cheap and effective. recessed lighting involves pulling wire which is often more labor intensive, especially since they recessed box is more work. of course, if you cannot put a large hole in the ceiling and put in the box, your only alternative is track lighting. there are many types of track (or the low-voltage type) lighting styles. some are extremely "compact" allowing them to be placed under counters to light counter tops. usually they are attached to the ceiling and are allowed to "hang down."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom