I think that you need at least nine recessed lights in your ceiling for task and general ambient lighting. Personally, I would install twelve on two separate circuits.

If you go with the 4" pendants I don't think that two will be enough if you are looking for functionality, if you are looking for a primarily decorative function then they'll be fine. The larger pendant over the kitchen table will be nice.

Good Luck !

Where would they all go? I definitely want funtionality over the island.

No answers?

Hi spincrazy25, I took out 2 track lights and replaced the main lighting with 12 lights and 3 lights over the sink area as well as 9 undercabinet lights. That seemed like an unnecessary amount of lighting to go from 2 to 24! But it has made a huge difference so far. My web page is not done very well yet, I haven't had much time to devote to it but you can see some of the befre and current pics. Still in the process of a remodel. I am very glad we added all those lights in our kitchen. All that lighting is within an area of about 170" x 123".

check out these 2 links:
kitchen, before and plans

kitchen, current - in process of remodel
The second link you can scroll down and see the new lights I installed.

The sun tunnels have a light kit added and are on 1 circuit, the 10 4" 50w halogens are on 1 circuit, and the 3 6" lights over the sink are on 1 circuit. Don't have the under cabinets lights yet as our cabinets are not done yet, but we will have 4 circuits for lights and we also have a separate switch for a light over the "message center" area.

Hope this helps with your decision making. I REALLY like the natural light coming in through the sun tunnels. And they are relatively easy to install.

Wade

A bare naked bulb fixture can't be turned up very high. How much wattage you can stand is a combo of the fixture max (60 watts) and your tolerance for the glare of something like that.

In your case, you want 30-36" of clear vision before reaching the bottom of the fixture. That means that the bottom of the fixture is at about 6 feet high - enough for clear vision for all but the tallest of people. The maximum height of the fixture plus cord is about 2 feet - so 12" of cord and the 10" fixture.

If you can stand the bulbs at half, you'll be doing your prep bathed in exactly 60 watts of highly directional light that comes from behind the food you are trying to light (light bulbs are about 2 feet in front of you).

That is supposed to be funny, not painful. It might be better to move those pendants to the seating side and put three cans on the business side. Place recessed lights at both ends and the middle. For depth, place about one foot in. That would make the entire business side very bright. Remember to use two separate dimmers for the cans and the pendants over the island.

Also, nudge your perimeter cans so the center of the can aligns with the edge of the counter. You don't want to light the floor, or the top of your head (the can position you have chosen) - you're trying to light the food or dishes on the counter. The trick here is that your body should not be between the counter and the light.

So, people at lighting stores are great places to get information - certainly more than I know. These are nice- Forte Electric articles.

The other pendant will accumulate bugs and dust inside. Sad, ain't it?

Thanks bmorepanic. Opening my eyes yet again! Especially on the Hundi. Gross!

Re your question about where you'd put the extra lights I suggested:

I would run three rows of four pots. Nudge them closer to your work areas as bmorepanic suggested. If you put them on different circuits you can use your task lights when working on prep and cooking, and then either dim or extinguish them when finished to move from a bright working environment to a dimmer, more relaxed ambience.

Remember that even the "flood" pots are pretty directional. They don't light things on the periphery as well as other types of lighting do, and most of them cannot be aimed.

It would be a shame to spend all your time and money on a reno and then find out that you needed more light. better to have a bit more than you need than too little.

Good luck :)