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Kitchen task lighting without wall cabinets

6 replies

Mapleleaf3 · 27/10/2014 15:11

We are building a new kitchen/diner space. It will be mainly all vaulted ceilings, though there will be a bit of a bulkhead area, under the new bedroom. There will be fitted kitchen base cabinets along one wall. No wall cabinets. A moveable island/butchers block in the middle of the room and a dining table on the other side, maybe with a dresser on that side too. Lots of rooflights, three on one side and two on the other.

If I understand it correctly, we can't have recessed spotlights in the vaulted parts of the ceiling. I think we will have spotlights in the bulkhead bit.

We are thinking some pendants down the middle of the room, in the apex. Though how do they fit the ceiling roses in the apex?

Maybe an uplighting lamp in the corner by the dining table, but this could be added later, as it will just plug in. Have thought about pendants over the dining table but not sure where to put them given that we don't know how big or where our table will actually go. Though I guess we will be limited a bit by the location of the roof lights. Same goes for lighting over the island, as we won't buy whatever we buy until the extension is done (i.e. we may start out with the ikea moveable island but keep looking for the perfect old butchers block, which we won't buy until/unless we find exactly what we want). So hard to commit to lighting locations now.

Main question really, if you have made it this far, is what does one do for task lighting when you don't have any wall cabinets? Most websites talk about under cabinet lighting but this is obviously not an option.

What else do people do for task lighting in the kitchen? Will need to light worktops and sink. Hood will have some lights in it, I suppose, so that will help for the cooker.

Thanks in advance for any help.

OP posts:
MummytoMog · 27/10/2014 16:07

Uplights recessed between work top and wall? I have been struggling with the same issue as we only have one wall cupboard and I don't want to put spotlights in it. Mostly I'm just making tea in the dark...

WandaFuca · 27/10/2014 16:56

Our kitchen is similar - vaulted ceiling, no wall cabinets. We've got small wall-mounted spotlights for the task areas.

We've got a fan in the middle of the vaulted ceiling. Our builder fixed a narrow piece of wood to the roof beam, then a wider piece of wood to that which was wide enough to fix the fan to.

RaisingSteam · 27/10/2014 23:21

Our kitchen has a combination of neat modern fluorescent lights and a few small wall spotlights high up on the walls (about 10 inches from ceiling). They are just enough to kill shadows or (like now, in the evening) give enough light to walk through and make a cuppa. Strategically positioned so they light the door/ prep area/ dining table.

Just choose some normal small wall lights that you like, ideally low energy. Once you start looking into lighting there is a great choice

example

If you've got a big room I would go for good bright general lighting, some spotlights pointed up to show off the lovely shape of the roof, and some adjustable task lighting, all to be turned on separately if you want. TBH I think pendants are a bit limiting if you want a flexible space.

Marmitelover55 · 28/10/2014 13:52

We don't have any wall cupboards either in our new kitchen extension. We do, however, have recessed spotlights in our vaulted ceiling. Our architect wasn't too keen on this and suggested pendants, bug by this time it was too late as the veluxes had been installed and there wasn't space to lower the apex with a flat big to put the pendants in (hope that makes sense?) we have got pendants over our peninsular and dining table though, and I actually thought pendants in the kitchen as well would make it look like a Forrest!! It wax difficult trying to decide where to put the electric cables without the peninsular and dining table being in situ, but have just about managed it although think the pendants over dining table should have been slightly closer together

I will post some pictures...

Marmitelover55 · 28/10/2014 13:53

Here you are:

Kitchen task lighting without wall cabinets
Kitchen task lighting without wall cabinets
Kitchen task lighting without wall cabinets
CerealMom · 28/10/2014 15:30

I chose to have a shelf with lights underneath it. We used a very thin strip led type light which was routed into the underneath of the shelf, so it's completely invisible.

Or a series of downlighters to wash light down the wall.

Or a small recess between wall and back of floor cabinets with the light washing up the wall?

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