We have a 20' long row of lowers with no uppers at all. There are two 8' windows and the cooktop with hood in the middle. We put in three 4" cans over each 8 foot section of counter. All are on dimmers and the light produced has been great. Since there are no uppers there is also not the shadow produced by them. I find the cans to provide lots of light, and I am one that likes to have a lot of light to see what I am doing.

That sounds like it would work well. I'm not a big fan of cans, but I might have to make an exception for the kitchen. I can't picture any kind of wall-mounted light that wouldn't look weird in a kitchen.

How about wall mounted swing arm lights? This is one of the choices that I am considering for task lighting with no uppers.

Here is a link that might be useful: swing arm light

Recessed cans are definitely an option. I don't love them either, but this is an application I would tolerate them in: task lighting around the perimeter. But I don't think wall-mounted lights would look weird. Here are some photos from Houzz.com (I searched for "kitchen sconce")

[Eclectic Kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/eclectic-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2104)

[Traditional Kitchen design[(https://www.houzz.com/photos/traditional-kitchen-ideas-phbr1-bp~t_709~s_2107) by Burlington Architect Smith & Vansant Architects PC

The first picture! That would look great, in your kitchen :)

Just like muskokascp. BTW, that wall-mounted lights looking weird idea sounds like inspiration to me. Just because everyone else doesn't do it? This should be yet another option, and it's a wonderful design opportunity. Do it right, and thousands of people will be clipping pix of your kitchen to their project boards. :)

The only place I have no uppers is over the sink, so I depend on the can there to see what I'm doing. I have a 9-ft. ceiling and found that the 4-inch can wasn't bright enough. I tried every kind of bulb. Finally I replaced the whole unit with an LED kit. It was the only light that provided the brightness I needed.

I love cawaps photos! Especially the first one!

Great pictures, cawaps! I love the first one. The second one is very close to what our kitchen will look like, although on a smaller scale. Windows on either side of the stove, big windows over the sink, coffered ceiling, and pendant lighting.

Schoolhouse Electric has an 'exterior can' that I used in my kitchen and it goes well with my schoolhouse light. I also have sconces above my work tables with no uppers. Rejuvenation has a nice selection with different finishes.