We are building a timber frame home which uses an exposed t&g ceiling in the 1st floor which also supports the second floor (over the frame itself). This gives us no enclosed space between the floors. We are planning lighting in the kitchen and were wondering if there is a recessed lighting system which has minimal depth (<2″), probably would have to be low voltage to be that small. The closest thing I have found are the under cabinet puck type lights, but these are not intended for the actual fixture to be seen. Anybody have any ideas?
Mike
Replies
GORGEOUS PLACE.
I hope I get what you mean. You wanted them <2" so you could recess them into your super small ceiling space?
What about those low-voltage linear systems running in the open space between your ceiling joists. Not your old-fashioned track lighting, but slim rails or small light units suspended on cables. Very modern and airy. They are found at most big lighting shops. Here's the first example I found in a quick search using terms linear and low-voltage...
http://www.techlighting.com/
Mike,
The LV puck lights could be mounted directly to the ceiling. They are available in several different finishes if they will be seen.
I'm not sure if lv lights will provide enough light for your situation.
I have seen can lights done with this ceiling setup where the joist bay was boxed out for the light with the same material as the floor above.
high end track lighting.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
try this link: http://www.fiberstars.com
ALSO Goggle "fiber optic lighting" and get a greater range
of choices.
Thanks for the suggestions- I'll do some more research on your ideas.
-Mike
Looks like you are all done. I see everything looks clean and finished. How were you planning to route all your wiring?
The pic looks like you have moved in already. Isn't that a rug on the floor I see? That being the case, how are you lighting the place now? Candles? Gaslamps?
The kitchen is just about finished, but I left the wall in the adjacent bedroom open to route wires. Also, since the the outside walls are SIP's, I ran power feeds from the panel to the switches in the outside wall, and then fixture feeds from the switches and stubbed them out upstairs, which is unfinished at this point. If I use a fixture which is placed in the middle of the ceiling, I'll route a channel in the subfloor and then cover it with protective plates. If I use something on top of the left wall cabinets, I'll run it down the open bedroom wall cavity. The SIP's present special challenges for wiring, as does an indecisive wife..............
Mike
As for lighting right now, I use the lights under the hood plus small plug in lamps which sit on the window sills. They were removed before we took the picture. They are temporary, of course, and barely adequate.
Mike
I had a similar problem both on a job and in my house. Lightolier makes a can that will fit in 4 inches. I needed something that would be directional and this was all I could find. Check, they might have a down light that is shallower.
WAC puck lights and CON-Tech puck lights can be mounted flush rather than on the surface. You can get pucks in various finishes also.
If you install something with a remote transformer, don't forget proper wire sizing and fuses or minibreakers for the Low Voltage secondaries.
If you haven't drawn blood today, you haven't done anything.
Don't laugh, but IKEA has an impressive assortment of accent lights available (including a variety of those LV halogen thingies that hang from rails/cables srung across the ceiling). I'm sure it's all there to see/order on-line and it's not going to cost you the fortune that a designer lighting shop will.
You still have to figure out a way to get power there without unsightly cords, however.
Good luck.
the Juno track 12 gives great results, very classy, which is the only thing that should be in a kitchen like yours, very nice
http://www.junolighting.com/productinfo/trac_t12_intro.asp