Lighting for a large open-plan family room?

7 years ago

Hello. I would appreciate ideas on how to light my new open-plan family room. I've attached a plan for it. It's about 6m x 10m. Back of the room is bifolds. Front has 2 large windows, and there is a full-height window at the top right. The kitchen area (bottom left) has full height wall units in 6 'columns', each of which has a downlighter just in front. The kitchen island has 5 downlights over it. The dining table has a single lighting point from which I'll put a long light central to the table.

The room has visible steel beams on the ceiling (grey dotted lines). These are boxed in.

Kitchen area and dining area is ok, but I really don't like the 'grid' lighting of downlighters often put in large rooms like this. But I do like being able to flood up the place with lots of light if needed. Lights will be on dimmers so can be toned down.

Any advice/opinions on how to tackle the ceiling lighting in this room would be really appreciated.

Comments (5)

PRO
OnePlan
7 years ago
Usually the grid system (that you don't like) works as a generic lighting system so that you aren't beholden to keeping your movable furniture in fixed places - if you start adding lights in specific areas it may tie you to keeping furniture only in those areas always ... so is something to consider too !
k8_barton
7 years ago
I would agree with One plan. I have a similar sized space and a friend gave me the same advice and so pleased with the result. I have 2 zones and lights within the 2 roof wells too, all on dimmer switches so I can create whatever atmosphere I want. I've also moved furniture for parties, Christmas lunch etc and no problem with light in wrong place.
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helen44
Original Author
7 years ago
thanks for the advice. I hadn't thought about that. Maybe if I find some mini 'invisible' ones, that wouldn't be so bad.
PRO
OnePlan
7 years ago
Space at approx 1200 on a grid is usually sufficient for overall lighting - with additional under lighting on wall cabinets and 2- 3 pendants over a prep island - or if it's a cooking area island - the lights in a ceiling extractor, to add better task lighting is often enough ... the multiple lights over your island and kitchen area look to be a few to many perhaps at the moment ?!
PRO
Darklight Design Ltd
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Hi Helen

This looks like a nice open plan space. Although
the advice above is great, I too share your feelings on grids of downlights and
think they can be obtrusive to the eye. Good lighting design includes allowing
for darker spaces, so that you an accentuate the lit areas - zoning the areas
with light is the best way to achieve this. If you want to make a real feature
of the pendant above the dining table, maybe consider using trimless
downlights above the kitchen island with, say, a medium beam of 36 degrees
and then adding in downlights specifically to light the tall kitchen units (assuming
that’s what you have). Please see the first image below as an example.

By introducing up-down
wall lights either side of the television and then adding downlights to
light any art or pictures you have, as well as 5amp sockets for table
and floor
lamps, you can create different layers of lighting. This achieves a
balanced and inviting environment. If the patio doors do not stretch right up to
the ceiling, you could introduce a coffered ceiling and insert linear LEDs for
indirect background lighting. This will also utilise one of the boxed in beams
as that would be the height you could drop the edge of the ceiling. The second
image below is an example of a coffered ceiling for reference. If you have a
lighting control system this would give you all you need to create the lighting
environment you have always dreamed of.

I hope this helps and we look forward to seeing
some images of the finished project.

Best of luck, Rich

Darklight Design

Lighting for a large open-plan family room?

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Lighting for a large open-plan family room?

Comments (5)

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k8_barton

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helen44Original Author

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helen44
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