How do I light a big wood box

7 days ago

last modified: 7 days ago

My family room is 17x19 ft with something like 20-24 ft ceilings and a lot of wood. A lot of wood...which I like because the house is in the mountains, so please don't suggest we paint the wood. The room is fine during the day, but at night the current floor and table lamps just don't provide enough light. I will not swiss-cheese the wood ceiling to put in recessed lighting. I thought about cable LED lights (inspiration photo below), but are they dated in comparison to LED strip lights? I'm thinking of either strips applied to the beams or there's a new rotatable LED strip light (see the link) that attaches from wall to wall and hangs freely. I've thought about pendant lights - there is a chain (on the left of the photo with the windows), and some hooks in the ceiling, but I just have not found (or committed to buying) large enough, chain-hung pendant lights that would fit the space and not detract from the view. My style for the house will be fairly modern: wood, with black metal accents, and furniture that is simple and functional (a bit mid-century). The house was built in the mid 80s, and has lots of angles. Carpet will be replaced but with a similarly light color to give some contrast to the wood (the small rug is temporary).

That one wall is floor to ceiling wood. It'd make a great climbing wall, if I were into that! If I had the money I'd put some clerestory windows in it.

Are these lights out-dated? Would I dislike the lights shining down on me?

These are the LED strip lights I found. Would they be too modern? If I did these, I'd run them parallel to the beams

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Beth H. :

7 days ago

for this one, I'd hire a lighting expert. The trac lighting you show is too modern of a style for a mountain cabin.

will you be keeping that carpet? what type of furniture or colors?

This ceiling has it and it looks alright. i guess it depends on the overall look of the design.

you don't have to swiss cheese it, but carefully placed recessed lights would still look good.

smaller one like this w/color coordinated housing would look nice

a lighting expert would be able to run wires along the beams, carefully placed so you won't see them.

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Comments (7)

Yvonne Martin
7 days ago
The best lighting is for the area where people live, not the ceiling. Thus, you need to plan for floor and table lamps. Some lighting on the ceiling is fine--helpful for cleaning and preparing the income tax, but for relaxing and conversing focus on the people-level. Think about reading a book or knitting in the space.
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wdccruise
7 days ago
Take a look at the photos of this ski house. Note that the designer did not illuminate the whole living room. She hung a few wall sconces but added lighting for each section of the room: pendants over the bar, a massive circular fixture over the seating area. Maybe you should decide how you're going to furnish/use the room and then select appropriate lighting for each area.
Lori thanked wdccruise
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JAN MOYER
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
"My family room is 10x19 ft with something like 20-24 ft ceilings and a lot of wood. A lot of wood...which I like because the house is in the mountains, so please don't suggest we paint the wood. The room is fine during the day, but at night the current floor and table lamps just don't.............."

"I haven't committed to pendants, am worried about obscuring the view...

But it is the 10 x 19 family room we can not see.

We see a window, no couch, no standing or table lamps, Pleas take some pictures at eye level, all angles of the room?

You live at floor level, not even eight feet above the floor. There IS no" view" in the black of night, and a floor to ceiling window is also sucking the light right out of the room when the sun is gone..

A cool chandelier /pendants may solve the problem for ambient light, as Beth posted above, but......show the WHOLE space please? The ground level of the room.?
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Patricia Colwell Consulting
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
I still use cable lighting but I drop the bcable to get light where I need it and in your case at least drop it to light the space from about 10-12 ft from the floor not up at 20 ' which is too high to light the space The cable can all be LED and different heads than what you show too. IMO recessed lighting 20' up is useles for lighting the space
tracefloyd
7 days ago
last modified: 7 days ago
We have a similar room but with sloped ceilings.
- We use table lamps with a surprising amount of soft light for the walls and ceiling...make sure the bulbs also direct light upward.
- We have a wheel chandelier with glass shades over the dining table (open concept) which provides ambient light in all directions. I would hang a chandelier using the pendant swag chain, it does not have to be centered in the room.
- We have a floor uplight spotlight behind a plant in a corner with washes a wall and ceiling. Try aiming one or two of your floor lamp shades up. You don't want to see the bulb.
- I would try these methods first before calling a consultant. Our room is warm and inviting at night...LED light bulbs with a warmish tint. I would not want bright lights directed downwards.
I found this one style seems modern but retro for an 80's cabin.

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/Lighting-Ceiling-Fans/Beta-Modern-6-Light-Wheel-Unique-Chandelier-Glass-Dining-Room-Lighting-27.6-L-x-4.7-W-x-12.6-H/37121859/product.html?option=72977486
Lori thanked tracefloyd
tracefloyd
7 days ago
I just added the link if interested.