How to install downlights in this room

[littlespark]

1.3m wide doesn't give much room for spacing out 2 rows.

Is there any wall units going in above the washing machine there? Under unit lighting there maybe?

A long LED batten fitting might suit better for spreading the light across the room, but still have the problem with the attic hatch.

 

[brianmoooore]

Couple of 1200mm battens across the room would light the whole place completely and evenly, but hey ho, fashion rules.

The light in the case I wrote of above was a batten fitting at the centre of a tee shaped upstairs passageway. The only place a single lamp would light the whole place without shadow, was in the middle of the loft hatch.

 

[Steve T]

1.3m wide doesn't give much room for spacing out 2 rows.

Is there any wall units going in above the washing machine there? Under unit lighting there maybe?

A long LED batten fitting might suit better for spreading the light across the room, but still have the problem with the attic hatch.

Indeed, was thinking one row in the middle (or as close as possible with joists) between the wall with the door and the wall units which will butt up to the ceiling. Picture of the design is attached, and yes there will be under cabinet lighting which will help but not enough for main room lighting. Agreed a batten would be practically good but to be honest neither of us like the look of them on a house ceiling.

I think frankly whatever we end up doing with downlights or other lights will look a bit odd with the loft hatch there but not much choice.

 

[Steve T]

Indeed, was thinking one row in the middle (or as close as possible with joists) between the wall with the door and the wall units which will butt up to the ceiling. Picture of the design is attached, and yes there will be under cabinet lighting which will help but not enough for main room lighting. Agreed a batten would be practically good but to be honest neither of us like the look of them on a house ceiling.

I think frankly whatever we end up doing with downlights or other lights will look a bit odd with the loft hatch there but not much choice.

 

[DPG]

Indeed, was thinking one row in the middle (or as close as possible with joists) between the wall with the door and the wall units which will butt up to the ceiling. Picture of the design is attached, and yes there will be under cabinet lighting which will help but not enough for main room lighting. Agreed a batten would be practically good but to be honest neither of us like the look of them on a house ceiling.

I think frankly whatever we end up doing with downlights or other lights will look a bit odd with the loft hatch there but not much choice.

At the end of the day it's a utility room, not a shop window display. Remember not to go form-over-function too much.

 

[Other_Tucker]

That loft thatch looks massive from one photo and tiny from the other way like 2 different rooms.

I'd put 4 in, 2 close-ish to the loft hatch and 2 half way from them to the window. Put bright ones in and when she moans about it being too bright show her the dimmer switch. Then she can be right about how bright it should be and wont get to complaining about the placement.

 

[nicebutdim]

Looking at those drawings, there's not much scope to obtain good lighting from downlights.

Maybe some driveway lights in the floor would be more effective

 

[Steve T]

That loft thatch looks massive from one photo and tiny from the other way like 2 different rooms.

I'd put 4 in, 2 close-ish to the loft hatch and 2 half way from them to the window. Put bright ones in and when she moans about it being too bright show her the dimmer switch. Then she can be right about how bright it should be and wont get to complaining about the placement.

Yeah the photos are in 0.5x zoom to try to get the whole room in so are a bit misleading. The hatch is actually unusually big though as a hot water cylinder needs to be able to fit through it, can't remember the exact dimension but don't think it's far off a meter square.

I don't think I can put 4 like you suggest as the width is so narrow especially once the top cabinets are taken into account, so would have to be all be in a row. As for the brightness could use GU10 fittings of course but have used a lot of and grown to rather like the collingwood H2 lites they've got a nice spacious terminal box and good light output. I'm sure she won't complain

 

[Steve T]

Looking at those drawings, there's not much scope to obtain good lighting from downlights.

Maybe some driveway lights in the floor would be more effective

Nope and really any aesthetically nice lighting isn't ideal for the room. I'm hoping the undercabinet lights will be fairly bright to light the countertop well at least, they will be switched with the main wall switch so easy to turn them on with downlights.

 

[ipf]

Scattergun effect.......put them where you need them.....away from joists, of course.

Did actually come across a light fitted to a loft hatch once.
When you went into the loft, you propped the hatch up against the roof timbers, and it doubled up as an effective loft light.

Batten lampholder on a plug in lead?