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yborgal

Is it a big deal?

yborgal
12 years ago

Background: 1928 home our DD is remodeling and the kitchen has been gutted.

She's at the lighting stage and left the contractor to install recessed lights. The plans called for the lights to be installed 28" away from the walls along the 19' wall.

Well, she came back only to find he had evenly spaced them on the 12' wall which means the cans are now about 4' from the walls.

She's using 2 hanging fixtures that will be centered on the 12' wall as well.

Will it look strange to have the hanging fixtures so close to the line of recessed lights?

Will shadows be a problem?

Time is important and to ask him to redo everything means a day's work was wasted. Would it be awful to leave things as is? or bite the bullet and get things changed back to how they should have been done?

Comments (11)

  • columbusguy1
    12 years ago

    In my opinion, it's his mistake, and fixing it should cost you nothing.

  • ks_toolgirl
    12 years ago

    I agree, but I'm wondering - was it a "mistake" or something else? Who drew up the plans he was using? An engineer, architect, or did he do them himself? Does he not know how to read them (scary), or did he just decide to disregard them & do it his way - after your daughter left the house (worse, I think!). Either way, he was hired to do the job with the specs she provided... And wanted. Even if she doesn't mind the lighting where it is, perhaps they should "rein him in" a bit, before she ends up with the contractors idea of what her perfect kitchen should be - instead of the one she wants. (And is paying for!).
    Maybe that sounds silly, I don't know. Hopefully it was just a misunderstanding & he'll make it right for her.

  • yborgal
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    He thought it would look better this way. It wouldn't cost her anything but time to change them to the original placement, but she's on a time schedule and it would push other people back on the schedule.

    If she leaves this as it is, would the cans look funny so close to the hanging fixtures? And would shadows on the counters be a big problem?

  • ks_toolgirl
    12 years ago

    I'm sorry - I'm too visually-oriented to answer your question, I have to "see" something - a diagram, photo, or - best, scan the plans, a copy w/new locations added? (Yeah, I know - that's an unreasonable request, lol). I can't picture the situation from your description, but others here probably can - & would know better than I would about what looks best, anyway.

    Time IS money - & your DD's time is worth something, even if she doesn't get to see her own "billable hours" - & there's always the chance that the other people have other jobs scheduled. What if a day or 2 causes them to be unable to be there, because they have committed themselves elsewhere?

    The lights are installed, it sounds like? What does she think? Does she think they look odd?

  • yborgal
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    This is a basic diagram with recessed lights and two rectangle light fixtures.

    But she spoke with the installer and he said that he had no choice but to position the cans that far away from the cabinets. It was either put them there or have them only 14" from the wall. Based on that info, this was the better spot for them.

    So, that's where they'll be staying.

  • antiquesilver
    12 years ago

    They look too far from the cabinets on the 12' walls to me; she's likely to be working in shadow if she's standing at the counters. Assuming the above are base cabinets & the upper cabs are more shallow, the lights should be above the counter edge but check over on the Kitchens Forum for the exact specs.

  • yborgal
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I agree about the shadow problem and I'm trying to convince her to make the change no matter what it takes. (You can lead a horse to water but.....)

  • trailrunner
    12 years ago

    Under cab lights would be the only other way to go if indeed for whatever reason you are "stuck" with this arrangement. Not sure why he says they HAD to go where they did. Beams in ceiling ??? What ??? It is almost always a problem to try and do a remodel in a rush mode. There is a thread about that on Kitchen's right now. It is always better to take the time and make others wait and postpone as needed to get things right the first time. I'm just sayin'.....c

  • yborgal
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Trailrunner, I hear you.

    She also has under cabinet lights. I forgot to mention that earlier.
    We were told the positioning had to do with beams and AC ductwork.

    If you've seen pics of the chaos in the house as they're gutting the kitchen, repairing the hardwood floors, fixing a leaking roof, bulging wall and peeling plaster..all the while living there..you 'll understand she's nearly at the "pulling her hair out and drink until I forget everything" stage.

    Everyday there's another delay adds to the craziness they're living in..thus, the reason for moving along quickly. Trust me, I am cautioning her that haste makes waste.

  • sacto_diane
    12 years ago

    I know this doesn't answer your question but personally I don't think that can lights belong in an older home. To me they just jump out as something out off a remodel that came out of the latest kitchen mag. You can get accent and task lighting through more creative usage of fixtures and under cab lighting that are more appropriate to an older home.

    Just my own .02

    Diane

  • worthy
    12 years ago

    Looks fine to me. I assume they are halogen, not old fashioned incandescent floods or spots. As mentioned , under cabinet lights are for tasks, overhead for general lighting.

    In practice, I personally prefer the drop fixtures and undercabinet lights and only turn on the pot lights when I'm showing a house for sale.

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