1. Concerning color temperature, if I choose Cree LED recessed lights, how does that affect the recommendations for choosing bulb types on my island pendants, undercab lights, and the chandelier in the eat-in dining area?

2. I have 8ft ceilings, and someone recommended I use 5" cans, but did not go into detail about why. In my layout below, I was planning it based on 6" cans, partly for cost and thinking that the 6" cans will spread more general light. Any thoughts on this based on my layout below would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Matt

If you use warm light color which is ~ 2700k, most of the Cree down lights fit the bill.

You might want to consider using the cr4 and 4" cans if 6" seems too big for your taste.

I lean towards having some lighting can be of a different temperature color, since some hoods will want some PAR20 halogens or similar bulbs which means a higher temperature color.

If you use LED recessed lamps such as the CR6 or CR4, the aperture size doesn't matter all that much.

It really doesn't matter whether the pendants should be LED or not. I would go with LED only if the bulbs have an efficiency > 55 lumens per watt and produce enough light.

In the end, it's your home and your style/ preferences should matter most.

The "sun room" will have a HF chandelier (but smaller than the first one that I picked (thanks David), LED tape lighting above the cabinets and on a shelf. This room is open to the kitchen but has a 12 foot cathedral ceiling.

6" cans are more readily available and are easier to service. This is important for recessed CFL housing with an integrated ballast. Although the integrated ballast could have a longer lifespan than the electronic ballasts on screw on CFL bulbs, they do fail. Replacing the ballast would require access to the top side of the can to reach the compartment. If the housing needs to be dismantled from below, a larger opening would be appreciated.

Generally, the smaller the aperture, the higher the cost of the housing and trim.

The Cree CR6 lamps will not fit inside a 5" can.

However, some designers prefer having smaller openings.

If cost is not an issue, why not use a CR4 type lamp in a 4" housing?

When looking at recessed lighting, it is easy to fixate on the cost of a particular part/ item and loose sight of the total cost (upfront, operating, maintenance costs).

The typical setup should be broken down into
1. The recessed housing.
2. Trim piece.
3. Bulb, discrete ballast (for some CFLs).

A2gemini, did you mean move 4 to the right? Someone mentioned to me that it's a good idea to have the lights spaced evenly on either side of the stove and also the sink. I'm assuming this helps to balance the lighting better when working in those particular spaces.

The even spacing helps the appearance of symmetry in the placement of lights instead of a random pattern which could evoke images of stellar constellations.

In reality, achieving even spacing throughout might be difficult due to the physical obstructions.

If conventionally shaped bulbs in recessed cans are used, the physical locations of individual cans matters more especially when the cans have smaller apertures.

As for cost, expect a ~$15 to $20 differential for the entire package for the CR4 + can vs CR6 + can.
The Cree LR4 is not price competitive (~$160 for the lamp, trim & can).

I've read a lot of threads on here, and have found all of your answers very informative and helpful. The time you take to respond to so many questions, no matter how repetitive, is truly appreciated!