"Get spotlights!" they said "It'll be grand! they said, "Plenty of light!" they said

[Gingernaut]

So why am I standing in the middle of the room wearing a fucking head torch to see stuff?????

Where ever I stand, there are at least three shadows crossing what I want to see and I had to get a taller ladder.

I now have to reach up to the ceiling, not the light fitting to change the fucking bulbs!!

Give me one solid, central light over these spots stuck in the corners.

I hate them. I hate them. I hate them.

And I'm stuck with them.

[MissKittyCat]

They have their place, but new or refurbished houses always seem to have lots of them in every room by default. I've heard them described as 'property developer pox'!

[SwedishEdith]

I hate them as well. I cannot ever understand why people actually put them in living areas or bedrooms.

[Anordinarymum]

I think they are great but only in certain rooms.
I have them in my kitchen, my TV/playroom and the downstairs loo. They are fab in my kitchen, it is light and bright without being glary and of course - no shadows over the worktops.

For the rest of the house I have different sorts of lighting which are less intrusive, but those spots do the job where they are needed.

[IHateCoronavirus]

that made me giggle. I completely sympathise with you op. My teenage DS has some amazing blackheads at the minute. Can I find the light? No I cannot!

[murgatroid]

We have them in our kitchen, they were there when we moved in. My autistic 6 year old says they hurt his eyes . He wears sunglasses at mealtimes in winter when we need the lights on!

[Gingernaut]

It's horrible!!

[MojoJojo71]

I feel for you OP. The bright spark who owned my flat before me decided spotlights in the kitchen would be a great idea. In a 12 foot high Victorian ceiling, Embarrassingly I had to pay someone to change the bulbs because even perched on the top of my ladder I still couldn’t reach

[Bol87]

We have them in the kitchen, I like them.. they are pretty bright but I’ve put in lower watt bulbs & that helps. I find seeing things perfectly fine 🤷🏼‍♀️ I do have 8 in my not huge kitchen though.. also in my bathrooms, also fine. I wouldn’t want them in any other room though, I hate main lights. I never ever use my main lights. I like a lamp with a warm bulb..

[PinkBuffalo]

@murgatroid

We have them in our kitchen, they were there when we moved in. My autistic 6 year old says they hurt his eyes . He wears sunglasses at mealtimes in winter when we need the lights on!

I am also autistic and sympathise with your boy they DO hurt our eyes!
Previous owners of my house had them in front room and kitchen.
Instead of the spotlights on in my front room, I usually just have a standing lamp on instead giving a softer light.
Actually I much prefer the summer when there is no need for artificial light

[dudsville]

I lived in a house with these horrid things. I feel your pain op.

[dudsville]

I think they'll be the wall attached uplighter of its time.

[Bikingbear]

@murgatroid

We have them in our kitchen, they were there when we moved in. My autistic 6 year old says they hurt his eyes . He wears sunglasses at mealtimes in winter when we need the lights on!

Change the bulbs to less bright ones or look for warmer white ones that aren't as glaring.

[FixTheBone]

There's a big difference between bulbs, cooler colour temperature, narrow beam spotlights can seem very direct and harsh and leave areas in complete shadow.

Definitely worth trying to find some with a wide angle beam, warmer colour and a diffuser - if you go for a diffuser, they'll need to be higher wattage to light the room.

I normally use ledhut as they provide detailed specs for all their bulbs.

[itwaseverthus]

I hate them too op. Re-did our whole house and removed the lot of them. Builders were perplexed. In the kitchen I have two lights over the island, on dimmers, under counter lighting that's diffused, cooker hood light and four soft glow wall lights on dimmer. I can change the ambiance with ease from bright for cooking to soft and cosy for dining in. Similar in en suite and bathroom, just one overhead with dimmer and two wall lights either side of mirrors. Means you can bathe in a soft glow.

[sar302]

We've just bought a new house and there are 12 of them in the ceiling of the bedroom. The bedroom. What was the previous owner trying to light for???
I'm now aware of cellulite I never knew existed before. They need to go....

[Dillo10]

Had to get them in the kitchen, living room and hallways because DH is so bloody tall! But I hate them and think I miss out on the opportunity to have beautiful lighting fixtures

[Gingernaut]

12 spot lights in the bedroom?????

With how many switches?????

[allofthetings]

I hate spots in any other room but the kitchen.
I live in fear for the day one of them needs changing, luckily even after living in my house 15 years I still haven't had to change one....so that's a plus I guess?

[youngestisapsycho]

DH put them in all rooms in our new house.... but I insisted they were all dimmable... they are so bright!

[GrumpyHoonMain]

At my last house they were in the living room as it was fairly dark - it was ridiculous. We never really used them because there were so many.

[Greensidepark]

I had 15, 15 in the kitchen. Looked like a bloody hospital pharmacy room. Removed the lot , plastered over and out in two pendants instead. Kitchen looks so much better

[mumsy27]

cheaper option if you don't want to change the bulb to warm white is to add an orange film screen, cut them in round shape, stick to the fitting.
done, they look Fab.

[LittleEsme]

This thread has been an eye opener. I assumed spot lights were popular!

Planning a house renovation at the moment. It's an old cottage which guaranteed to have dark spots. I'm having doubts about the lighting now!

[Straven123]

I got a set of 5 adjustable spotlights on a bar and fitted it to the wall above my sink and worktop area where I prepare veg - works well as kitchen is big with central light.

[Toomanycats99]

You need a lot if you have them so you don't get the dark areas. My kitchen has 10.

My bedroom has 9 (loft conversion so low ceiling and no choice!)