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amberley_gw

I am SO frustrated. Ceiling lights dim as nightlights!

amberley
14 years ago

We had all our lights installed today. I am genrally happy, but I am miserable about the ceiling lights. We bought 3 Restoration Hardware Turner flushmount fixtures in ORB. I love what they look like, until you turn them on. They are almost laughable as a ceiling fixture. The are SO SO SO dim. The wattage is the exact same as my DR fixture, and the light isn't even comparable. Thankfully RH is going to give me a full refund. So now I have to find something else. I am so irritated!

Comments (11)

  • brickton
    14 years ago

    It's a little late now but one of the nice ways around this is that light fixtures are rated for incandescent bulbs (ie 60W max) due to the heat, but you can pop in a CFL that sucks 1/2 the power and provides 2x the wattage. If you popped a couple 100W equivalent CFLs rated at 26W each (for power usage) they would have likely lit up your place like a palace.

    This assumes you had room for CFLs in the fixture, though they do have smaller ones now.

    If you still have the fixtures in place, you might want to give it a shot, if you still like the look of them.

  • amberley
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I will give it a try- since I do love the look of the fixtures. Hopefully they will fit. It is not a roomy interior.

    Thanks for the tip brickton!

  • amberley
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Haven't tried the CFL's yet- I'll pick some up tomorrow, but I am even more frustrated at trying to find a replacement, if necessary. It is very aggravating. The only thing I can find is 3xs more expensive, or has the same wattage as these.
    I am just so tired at this point. I looked online for 4 hours last night.

  • young-gardener
    14 years ago

    Did the CFL's work? I've been itching for these lights, but I've been waiting to see if the dimness issue could be resolved. I can't wait to see your finished kitchen! I'm already smitten with it!

  • grlwprls
    14 years ago

    I'm finding lighting to be quite a challenge. It's actually one of the lower allowances in my project, but we have 14' ceilings in the kitchen. To light that space, I am worried it will either look like swiss cheese (and I really don't want to do recessed!) or a pendant farm. Or I'll end up with some gigantic fixtures that are $$$ and reflect in the darn TV that is across from the sink (where I really will need light).

    We had a very modern styled kitchen in our Garden District house with maple shaker cabs and polished black granite (done in 1995 by previous owner) and I will admit that with the 14' ceiling there the recessed lights were adequate - but there was also a complete wall (counter to ceiling) of windows overlooking the cocktail pool. I have some natural light in the new house, but not that much.

    I am definitely finding lighting the most challenging aspect of our project. Everything else, no problem. Whipped through the tile and plumbing fixtures, appliances, flooring, wall and trim colors...but lights. I hate working in shadows so I'm really stressed about making my selections.

    I'm going to need more light, too, since I'm sure I'm not doing my eyes any favors staring into a computer monitor looking at lights all day.

  • Circus Peanut
    14 years ago

    Did y'all ever resolve this?

    In my experience, classic white schoolhouse-type glass shades are the most translucent; more so than the modern "frosted" types. I have the Thurman from Rejuvenation that can take quite a high wattage, and it lights my whole kitchen (10x11) very well.

    Something that allows more shade area to extend from the fixture will likely give you more light? In terms of lighted 'acreage', your Turner looks to be a flattish glass insert with the sides covered by metal. This might affect how bright it is, since the light is only directed straight downwards?

    Some alternatives from Rejuvenation:
    Moreland:
    {{!gwi}}

    Arthur:

    Or Schoolhouse Electric's Otis?
    {{!gwi}}

  • amberley
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I WISH that one of those two sites had something that would work. The biggest problem is that I can't have a depth any deeper than 5". Even that is really pushing it. The Turner is 4". I know that the frosted shade is part of the problem. I was hoping I could remove the glass and replace it with something custom, but it is glued in.

    We have so much other light in the kitchen, I have decided to live with it for now and hope that somebody comes up with something I like in the dimensions/style/wattage I need.

    I had a Rejuvination fixture in the kitchen before, and I wish I could put 3 of them in, but it would be way to busy.

    I still haven't gotten the CFLs, as I was having a tough time trying to fins a CFL for that base size/wattage when I looked on line last month.

  • sabjimata
    14 years ago

    Here is a Hudson Valley two light pullman, available in a variety of finishes, almost identical to the Turner. Not sure what you mean by depth. Diameter? Height?

    This is around 12' D and 5.5' high.

    Here is a link that might be useful: pullman

  • berone
    14 years ago

    This is unlikely, but did you check the voltage at each fixture? A wiring error could result in the lights being dimmed.

  • brickton
    14 years ago

    Amberley, not to push on the CFL thing (but I am curious to see if it will work) but here is a site that lists bulbs with their measurements.
    Sizes and wattages

    You can likely find whatever bulbs they are selling somewhere else too, but I liked that each one had it's corresponding measurements.

  • amberley
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I cannot find ANY CFL bulbs that are a 60w or greater equivalent, AND dimmable, AND for use in an enclosed fixture, AND a candle base as opposed to the medium base. I do not think that it exists. Sigh.