To Downlight Or Not To Downlight

[Tammi]

To this point, DH and I have not disagreed significantly on any part of our renovation, but now we are selecting lighting, we are at loggerheads. Who knew lights could cause such marital disharmony!

He wants downlights in the living room/dining room.

I want pendants. Actually I want Fanaways ( http://www.beaconlighting.com.au/fanaway.php ): they fit with our deco design style and they will also fit with my environmental ideals. We are installing many water and power-saving features so WHY would we install downlights?? I realise there are energy efficient options like fluoro or LED downlights, but he won't come to the cost of LEDs and I just don't like the look of a 'spotty' roof, dotted with light recesses.

What do you think? Am I being too precious?

[Julie-Ann]

Lol it is amazing what causes marital discord when renovating or building.
What about a compromise - the fanaway light on one switch and a few extra downlights on another switch. Then you can use the fanaway most of the time and the downlights when you want a brighter room. Would that work?

I personally find just a pendant light not enough light in a room. I would normally supplement it with either extra downlights or lamps. If a room has poor lighting it can make you very tired. Plus if your eyesight isn't great the poor lighting makes it worse

[thisisme]

We are having a ceiling fan with light as well as dimmable Downlights. And all on separate switches.

[Cheltenham Home]

Originally Posted by Julie-Ann

I personally find just a pendant light not enough light in a room. I would normally supplement it with either extra downlights or lamps. If a room has poor lighting it can make you very tired. Plus if your eyesight isn't great the poor lighting makes it worse

We did exactly as Julie-Ann suggests, surrounding a replica chandelier with four LED downlights. We're going to put the downlights on a dimmer switch this week.

With downlights in our extension, the oyster lights in the rooms without downlights seem comparatively dim. Each oyster has two globes, but the central lighting doesn't compare to the bright and even lighting of downlights in a large space.

[LDH]

I know it can be frustrating when the image in your head isnt happening exactly how you imagine ... but just think ... if that's the best thing you can butt heads about - you're doing pretty damn good! Dont sweat the small stuff and pick your battles ... if this is it though, by all means slog it out

[designsbyjole]

I love down lighting. Hear the reason....
Dimmers, I agree and also, they can act as "nightlights" so to speak. Having place bigger can lighting along with small pendulum lighting can give a room several different looks by flipping switches. You can do some focal points w/art work, if you have a large TV screen you can do small eyeball lights along the outter edge of the ceiling,then point them at the walls to give a home theater look to the room (or romantic), all of them on at once can give the room the most optimal situation if having a large gathering or such. I find lighting art in itself...just sayin!!!!

[Tammi]

M'kay. So the consensus is downlighting is necessary... Poo.
We ended up compromising on a fan light in the dining area (after all who wants bright lights when they dine??), a fan light and 4 LED downlights and a row of fluoro lights on a rack to illuminate a 1x1.5m painting in the lounge on separate switches, 3 small hanging pendants over the kitchen bench and some under-cabinet downlights in the kitchen.

I negotiated a fan light and two bedside wall lights for our bedroom replacing the holey-ceiling look of 4 downlights. I think the spotty ceiling look will die a rapid death. Or at least I hope so.

[Julie-Ann]

Sorry that we agreed with your DH. We promise never to do that again.
It sounds like you came up with very good solutions design wise and environmentally friendly.
Let us know if we can help with anything else.