Lighting in kitchen diner

[Yorky]

We are about to start work on the extension which is going to house our new kitchen and I'm looking at lighting, I'm afraid this will be quite long, bear with me, I value your opinions and suggestions

It will be a long thin room with kitchen at one end, with a big window by the sink, and a bit of glass roof and bi-fold doors at the dining room end but no windows in the long wall, and a breakfast bar in the middle.

I want a pendant light over the breakfast bar I like this atm,

And spotlights over the sink so that I'm not washing up in my own shadow in the evening. I don't want lots of spotlights in holes in the ceiling so am looking at either suspended lights or track mounted spots for the sink/window wall.
DH likes the black finish as we're having black appliances, whereas I thought white would blend into the ceiling better?

There will be under cabinet lighting on the 1 wall with wall units,

Do we need a central ceiling light in the kitchen area as well as these? There will be a bank of tall units on the wall opposite the wall cupboards which might will need light from somewhere

At the dining end of the room, a pair of wall lights and a ceiling light over the table

It sounds loads, but I will ask if they can all be switchable individually so the lighting can be varied, rather than feeling like Blackpool illuminations!

Congratulations if you've made it this far. Your opinions please. Am I going OTT? Alternatives? Should I look for a range I like and co-ordinate all the different bits?

Thank you

[pootlebug]

It's a bit difficult to visualise without seeing a floorplan, but my initial thoughts are:

• Don't worry about it seeming like loads. Just make sure all the bits are separately controllable. Very easy to leave some switched off....more complicated and pricey to add more lighting at a later date.
  
• I would prefer white lighting track etc to blend into the ceiling rather than the black which stands out too much, imo.
  
• Personally I'd prefer recessed spots to track mounted spots but that's just me. The ones you linked to are halogens - can you use retrofit LEDs in them? I much prefer LED to halogen - less hot, and nicer light (especially with warm LEDs).

[Yorky]

Thanks for that Pootlebug, I am clueless on the difference in cost, energy efficiency and appearance between LEDs and halogen, I just know I don't want fluorescent tubes!!

I am now thinking about this for over the sink.

I will try and add a picture of the kitchen to my profile

[ILikeBirds]

i think various spotlights on tracks and then pendants elsewhere will look a bit odd tbh. Spotlights on tracks are normally used as the main lighting in a room where there are no pendants. Recessed into the ceiling is standard for extra lighting

[Flatbread]

I think it is too much lighting and too many styles.

I personally don't like recessed ceiling lights.

I would go for a simple arrangement with one style of lights. Preferably white or neutral. Am not too much into 'feature' lighting in a space that has lots of functions. It just clutters and makes the space seem busy.

I would say one track light in the centre of the kitchen with four bulbs pointing in the four directions (warm led as suggested above)

Undercounter lighting on your main working surface.

And then one pendant over dining table. That's it. Save yourself money and unnecessary extra lights.