Kitchen Can Lights, How Many?

Good job! We like updates and pics.

Thanks OLDOG/NEWTRICK

This thread started out as a electrical question and has progressed as most projects do to include more kitchen pics for you all out there.

With all this work you sure want to have good lighting.

New counter for wet bar, fancy equipment to match seams, remove 24 year old slide in range, built new sink base, new white beadboard for front of stove base.

Has anyone out there installed new hard tile over old tile?

Looking for motivation.... need to to get her done

:beer:

Just finished (kinda) the snack bar front bead board and cabinet trim, built shelves for wine bottles and glasses in wet bar. Just last night installed two hanging lights over the stove with help from my good friend. Used stove to get centered for placement. Had to get in attic and move feeder wire for lights. This was much easier as a two man job.

Next planned is undercounter lights and then remove old track lights for new cans. Bought a hole saw for drill and it is one tool you need to respect.

BTW I am still sore tonight, I should not be an attic worker at my age.

Would anyone like some pics? I will locate the camera...

Here is the new beadboard bar front, wine shelves in wet bar area and the two new pendant lights over the stove. The white board really makes a difference from that old paneling and not real expensive. It does like to soak up the white paint though.

The two pendants do put out a neat glow and are not meant to be the main source of light. We bought the red shades as it was near the holdiays. Looking now for some green shades for St Patricks and Easter, Ha Ha.

Still thinking on the can lights. We saw a kitchen recently that seemed kinda dark with only four cans, thinking 5 or 6 presently space two feet apart and from sofffits. We can always add a dimmer if too much light but don't enjoy attic work at this age.

What are your thoughts on our remodel so far, any suggestions always welcome.

I think it turned out really well and I really like black counter tops like you installed. I'd suggest posting your pics in our photo gallery at the top of the forum page so others can see the results you achieved. Good job!

oldog/newtrick said:

I think it turned out really well and I really like black counter tops like you installed. I'd suggest posting your pics in our photo gallery at the top of the forum page so others can see the results you achieved. Good job!

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Hey old dog/new trick,

Thanks for your kind reply. The granite is called Peacock Verda and is black with green accents. It really shines when the light hits it. Some time back we were in a Home Depot EXPO store and were talking with their designer who suggested this would be a good color to go with our medium oak cabinets. She was right IMO. The dark tops,, medium cabinets and white beadboard seem to all fit together with the new oak floors. Also need to determine a good backsplash now.

Any thoughts?

Just finished a ceiling remodel that is similar to yours. There is a 7th light around the corner. All this is on a 20amp lighting circuit and 4-way switches. Under-cabinet lights come next using LED strips powered of an existing 15amp light circuit because they are low volt and draw close to nothing.

CallMeVilla said:

Just finished a ceiling remodel that is similar to yours. There is a 7th light around the corner. All this is on a 20amp lighting circuit and 4-way switches. Under-cabinet lights come next using LED strips powered of an existing 15amp light circuit because they are low volt and draw close to nothing.

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Thanks for the post CallMeVilla:

:help:Can you give me ceiling dimensions and some pictues. I need some ideas here, my "Supervisor" is getting anxious for work to get back in gear and I want to keep her happy (if you know what I mean ).

Also tell us about your 4 way switches.

Hope I can upload the pics. Kitchen ceiling (recessed part) is about 11.5' x 6.5'. Don't have a good shot of the "before" on the ceiling. It was your typical 80's ceiling with two light boxes holding two 4' florescent light fixtures each, recessed into an over-built drywalled ceiling. We tore out the framing (which was not structural) and created a trey celing which still allowed for recessed lights. We sized/spaced the lights to over-wash. While we are at it, we ran low volt wiring to drop down under each cabinet for the LEDs. They all return to space inside the top of the leftmost cabinet by the sink -- a receptacle is mounted there for the LED transformer. A single pole switch controls the LED lights.

The recessed lights were a combination of old work and new to save cost, since we did not drop the entire ceiling. We had to relocate the HVAC vent slightly and relocate some wiring that was in the way. This required dropping part of the ceiling so I used new work cans there.

The 4-way switches were required because you can turn on the recessed lights from three switch locations. Explanations on how to wire 4-way switches are available on line -- too hard to explain here.

Finish surface was skip trowel to match rest of house. No, it wasn't just sloppy mudding on my part!

If the pics do not come through, shoot em an email and we will use that approach instead. ([email protected])

UPDATE

Still have not decided to cut holes in the kitchen ceiling but have made progress. Just recently installed undercounter light pucks on their own switch and outlet.

Added a duplex outlet inside an upper cabinet and used a spare switch that was never used for a disposer. Installed the lights under the cabinets and they do add a nice downlight on the new counter tops.

Has anyone ever done any toe kick lights in their kitchen with rope lights?

CallMeVilla, what do you think? Can you post one picture of your ceiling here please.

Have I gone too far?

Toe kick lights look great as long as you want to clean the floor 3 times a day, every thing shows up.

nealtw said:

Toe kick lights look great as long as you want to clean the floor 3 times a day, every thing shows up.

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You have a good point there nealtw, our new stove top looks great when it is clean but does take some elbow grease, same for dark granite tops. We are thinking of using old brick pavers for floor.

My friend just put in (toe lights) in his master bath as a night light. I thought that was a novel idea.

nealtw said:

Toe kick lights look great as long as you want to clean the floor 3 times a day, every thing shows up.

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Nealtw, I agree and with four grandkids around no need to bring extra attention to the floor, :agree:

If anyone would like, I have some pictures on recent lighting addition...I did figure how to use some old but new fixtures in the remodel.

Looks good, when the bi-fold doors start to fall apart, don't throw them out. Just take all the hardware off and hinge each panel to the frame and add door stops and spring button on top and get another life out of them.

nealtw said:

Looks good, when the bi-fold doors start to fall apart, don't throw them out. Just take all the hardware off and hinge each panel to the frame and add door stops and spring button on top and get another life out of them.

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Great idea nealtw.

My wife made me take out the louver doors and replace them with raised panels.

By the way, she also wants me to do exactly what you said in her clothes closet, too.

It works great when you want to put shelves on one side of a closet, like pantry and broom closet.

Some pics anyone?

Notice new globes for pendants and center fixture instead of the old track lights, they put out a nice glow and this was taken w/o a flash.

Fresh Boiled Shrimp anyone?

Those undercounter lights really show off the bare painted walls of the backsplash area.

Well we finally located some material for a backsplash. It is a slate mini brick design and comes in 1 square foot sheets. No two are alike and some are rough and some are smooth. All kinds of colors but it does go well with the counter tops and the oak cabinets.

I started on New Years Day and need to do a few end pieces, seal and grout.

Does anyone care for pictures?

Yeah!! Of course we do! You do know that just because nobody answers doesn't mean we aren't looking.
And your right, those undercabinet lights always have a tendency to show the defects in an area.

Ok Ok here are some pictures if anyone really wants a look?

Materials, tools, and layout in kitchen.

Real slate 1 x 2 tiles with a gray grout.

Backsplash was painted and was needing something.