"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.

@Haggisfish

I have worse. Had new spotlights put into new conservatory roof. Which bulbs do they take? ‘Ah, if a bulb goes you have to change the whole light fitting’. Apparently light manufacturers weren’t making enough money in fittings and bulbs do this is the new thing.

I have this in my kitchen. I had to get an electrician out to rip the whole fitting out of the plaster and fit a new one. There are now 5 matching spotlights and one that doesn’t match (though it’s the same colour and you have to look closely to see the difference).

Having said that, they at least seem to light the kitchen OK, though there’s a big window which helps during the day.

Do you mean spotlights or recessed lights?

They’re both shit. I’m forever seeing creepy crawlies out of the corner of my eye, then realising I’m seeing the convergence of multiple shadows moving as I move.

I think they're lovely as atmospheric lighting. Just get a spark in to add a central light 🤷

We got caught that way Haggisfish - new light fitting in our livingroom have unchangeable LED bulbs. We didn't realise til they were up, they look like normal bulbs and we hadn't come across it before. Fingers crossed for longevity...

I hate the ones that are recessed into the ceiling. A real PITA when the bulbs need changing, esp. if you’ve got high ceilings.
OTOH we’ve had a few fixed to a bar, and 3 on a circular fitting - all easily adjustable for direction - which work well, and where it’s easy to replace bulbs.

I agree the key is options. We have 9 in our kitchen/diner on two dimmable switches. We also have two pendants low over the breakfast bar and the cooker lights. We just end up using the cooker and the pendants, the recessed ones don't tend to be used much. The 4 in the bathroom aren't dimmable, though, and my husband hates them. So we have a light-sensitive, motion-sensor little battery-powered light, so when it's dark enough it comes on when you open the door.

Thanks @IdrisElbow

Great username btw

@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!

They kill.my eyes we lived in a house with them for a year i bought lamps and wouldn't use them i couldn't read watch TV NOTHING without crippling pain

I share your pain OP! 'posh' new builds seem to have them in every room, including directly above the sofa & the bed! eugh...

I like them in the kitchen (We have spotlights mounted on rails but had recessed ones in the old house) & bathrooms, but anywhere else, nope.

3 meter ceilings and spotlights throughout the flat, half of them don't work and if they did the place would be visible from space. Oh and they're halogen too!

Working on being more American with lamps everywhere

When we redid our kitchen 8 years ago we took out the spotlights and replaced with a big strip light.

Electrician thought we were being very old fashioned but I'd rather be able to see than be fashionable.

My house has recessed spotlights in EVERY FUCKING ROOM. I have no idea what the previous owner was thinking. They made other seriously questionable design choices too, such as 3 toilets all floating back to wall modern type and all completely cemented on the tiling. So if the flush breaks or any form of plumbing issues you have to smash out the tiling. Which has happened in all 3 toilets . And the most hideous wood effect diarrhoea brown plastic window frames. Sorry I digress, but I feel you OP, the lights are shit!

I like spots. The new integrated lamps are ok. They use to be limited to an arc of about 36deg, modern bulbs and fittings can achieve over 60deg coverage. Suggest that you change your bulbs and you should see an improvement.

I have them in the kitchen and hallway where I want a good light. I have enough that there aren't any shadows. But central light plus lamps in living and bedrooms.