A haze or wheat haze trim with triple tube lamp at 2700K helps with the glare of recessed fluorescent. Please post what combination you have tried. What brand of housing, what trim, what lamp and color temperature?

I grabbed the only fluorescent can that HD sold to test out. I think it was their own brand (Commericial Electric?). With that I tried a reflector trim, a white baffle trim, and some shower trim which hid the bulb. The only one we thought was decent was the reflector, but staring anywhere near the light was still blinding.

Oh, and the can takes a single 26W bulb, as opposed to the ones that take 2x13W bulbs. Don't know if that makes a difference.

Are you sure that you are testing a CFL flood that is for indoor use (i.e. soft white), and not one with the reflective metallic coating and clear glass face that is typically for outdoor floodlight situations?

We have 4 cans in our kitchen, all w/ Greenlight R40 23 watt dimmable, 2700K. They are by no means "blinding" and give great light!

Here is a link that might be useful: This is what they look like

lightinguniverse.com has some modern flourescents. I call them box lights. We want a modern box light as well for our kitchen. There are several on their website that look nice and are flush mount.

I too am not impressed by the light output of cans in kitchens. I want evenly distributed light.

No. I don't think it is a flood. The light bulb is a 4 pin, PL like this http://www.nolico.com/saveenergy/26_watt_quad_4pin.htm

I'm in california, and my understanding of Title 24 is that the 2 or 4 pin bulbs are required over the screwin type because the screw in type have the ballast integrated into the bulb. I'm not sure the reasoning, but that is what I've read. Although I think I would like the flood a lot more.

Stale, the reason the 4-pins are required under Title 24 is so you can't switch out the bulb for an incandescent.

I see... then I have no idea what you are needing, because we don't have title 24 here, and our cans take normal, screw-in bulbs of any type. We also have the worst CO2 output of any state, and the Governor is trying to fast track 11 new coal-burning plants for TXU Energy. So, as you can see, we have no issues like you, at all.

Good luck!

I am not sure if you are still searching, but my wife and I had the same problem and we keep our lights and replaced them with skypanels. We bought these at www.usaskypanels.com they were decorative light covers which saved us a ton of money and gave us a nice view! Hope this helps

Here is a link that might be useful: USA SKYPANELS

We put florescent lights in our kitchen years ago. Wouldn't have anything else again. Our fixtures are flush to the ceiling and we ordered them through a lighting store.

If you take your kitchen layout into the lighting store, they will help you determine how much light you need - it's incredibly helpful. The installer had to cut the drywall to put them in. But they are just up there. You don't see them when you walk in because they are flush with the ceiling and your eye isn't drawn to them. We also have an incandescent fixture (pendant style) over the eating area but for the work area, I'll take florescent anyday over can lights. It's great light to work under. We also have 2 can lights over the kitchen sink area and rarely even need to use them.

:: the reason the 4-pins are required under Title 24 is so you can't switch out the bulb for an incandescent.

Well that does make sense. Most people I know with new houses have made some effort already to remove the fluorescents, or have the fluorescents and halogens on different switches so they never have to turn on the fluorescents. We actually want the fluorescents and we like the spirit of Title 24.

So, I've spent the weekend raising my ceiling by 7-8 inches. Now it will be a more standard 8' ceiling. We may reconsider some of the larger 3-4' fluorescent fixtures if we can find a nice modern look. Or stick with the cans, since the ceiling is higher, I'm hoping it will be less likely that people will stare into the bulb (it was almost inescapable when the ceiling was 7'4".

Thank you everyone for your time and thoughts. We are doing a complete remodel by ourselves, I'm moving walls, pouring concrete, removing tile, etc... and lighting has caused me so much more stress than anything else.

skypanels ...

To each his own, I guess. No offense to those who like them, but these remind me of the mid-1960s "tromp l'oeil" fluorescent backlit "windows" that some folks used to put in their basement rec rooms. I remember seeing one especially kitschy Polynesian-themed rec room where the "window" had painted palm trees and grass huts. ;-)