Kitchen Diner Downlights - too many!?

[richo106]

I am planning my kitchen diner lighting, i am thinking about installed megaman 5w dimmable led GU10s, not sure on either 2800k or 4000k. whats people past experience with the lighting colour?

My main concern is the number of lights though, the kitchen area will be lit by downlight and the dining area lit by a pendant over the table. I have no kitchen cabinets on the walls just full height cupboards in the alcove.
As you can see by plan my first draft is to install 15 downlight at 95cm apart, is this too many? i will be installing a dimmer also so i can control the light level.

What are peoples thoughts? All help appreciated

Thanks

 

[muzza1]

Don't forget a nice deep box for your dimmers. Two rows of three for me (approx 8 watt led ww dimmable)
I'd feed the switch then 3x sw lives to your downlights, island light and under unit light, aggree with "less is more"

 

[Adam W]

The thing about downlighters is they project a spot of light, the diameter of which depends on the beam angle of the bulb and the distance from it - with a narrow beam angle and low ceiling you'll end up with nothing more than bright spots on the floor (or indeed worktop), dark walls and an overall dark room; fine if that's the effect you're going for, but not ideal when you want task lighting in somewhere like a kitchen.
Another thing to consider is shadow - a defined beam of light creates a defined shadow; great for making silhouettes, not so great when you're trying to make spaghetti bolognaise. Remember also where your own shadow is going to be cast - if the light source is behind you the shadow of your head will darken whatever you're trying to work on.

If you're not having cupboards on the walls, maybe consider a shelf with under-shelf lighting such as LED strip, or do away with the downlighters in the middle and get the widest beam angle you can to light the worktops.

IMO the lighting in the middle of a kitchen is pretty irrelevant - it's only really there so you can see to clean the floor. You could have star lights in the baseboards, a decorative pendant in the centre, or just more downlighters; as others have said I'd probably have these on the separate circuit so you can either light just the worktops, just the floor so you can see where you're going, or the whole room.