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Building a Home Lighting Design Dilemma

Where to place power points and lights?

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

Can you take a look at the electrical plan for my renovation and advise on the placement of lights and power points. Are there any places that have been missed or any changes that should be made? Thank you

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Comments (5)

girlguides
6 years ago
My electrician installed ixl in sim position to yours and gate it Too far from shower to exhaust steam properly Too close to shower to dry under heat lamp. You need fan over shower and ixl in middle of floor space Extra cost nothing whereas grievance perpetual
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Style Precinct Interior Design & Decoration
6 years ago
I would suggest a pendant fitting over the dining area (on a dimmer switch) rather than 3 downlights. This is an area where you can create an atmosphere for dining which downlights dont give you. Best wishes

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Love those tiles, will the led lighting provide/spread enough light onto a dark benchtop. How wide and deep will the Oak shelf be, my thought would be to use a dark specialist power point to closely match the dark tile colour or even a colour that works with your multi coloured tiles and have the power point set vertical in the top row of tiles under the Oak shelf. The cooktop is close to the appliance cabinet (can't read dimensions} as you may still need to pull an appliance out of the Nook to use without damaging the cabinet, ie: kettle steam, I think a flip up style door would add to your kitchen style. The space above the appliances gives a good opportunity to have shallow timber shelves for special things. Do you have somewhere to have your notebook open to a receipe you are trying to replicate
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best way to decide is to enlarge your plans and add furniture and appliances and then you will be able to see what's needed eg add up the number and location of counter top appliances you might use in the kitchen and pantry then add two extra outlets (we have 6 double power points in the kitchen plus concealed power points for dishwasher, fridge, freezer and MW) master bedroom needs bedside lights, electric blanket, clock radio, TV? and we always have a two way switch so that we can turn on the overhead light from the bedroom door and turn it off from a switch next to the bed, kids bedroom need bedside and desk lamps, add easy access power points at each end of hallways and/or biggest rooms for vacuum cleaners close enough to clean every room...lights for bathroom and kitchen need to shine over counters not the back of your head so add lights under wall cabinets in addition to ceiling lights, bathroom needs pp for hairdryers, shavers, toothbrush, cleaning appliances etc laundry needs pp under the sink to connect washer and dryer plus extra above counter for iron ...do you use a sewing machine or other special appliances inside the house or in the garage or outside....every room has a purpose but once you add a big heavy couch can you still access pp for a lamp or to plug in a laptop? try and imagine walking in and out of every room to identify best location for light switches and AC controls ... think about where you would like to recharge phones and include an easy access location for a recharging station and it's useful to have a two way switch and/or sensor lights for outside plus outside power points for electric tools and extra lights (keeping in mind that every light, power point and switch is connected by expensive electrical wiring and electricians labour) so where possible try and make pp on both sides of a wall...and good luck with your new home
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Dr Retro House Calls
6 years ago
I would engage a lighting designer, or get one of the Beacon lighting designers to help you with those glary spotlights. Your proposed lighting plan looks like a builder's dumb-down approach to lighting, and is commonly used in display homes to feature the home, but can be quite challenging to live with.

There are so many other choices that will add warmth and character and more options to how you use those rooms. Nothing worse than the glare and reflection on a TV screen from ceiling downlights. Consider wall sconces, standard lamps, concealed LED strips in cabinetwork, and pendants to give you more flexibility and better quality lighting that is more suited to the use of the spaces, with less car showroom ambience.

Keep the intense lights to your kitchen task areas such as benchtops, and some consideration to side lighting your shaving mirror. Your downlight above your bathroom vanity is only good for cleaning it, and it will cast deep shadows on your face when shaving or doing make-up (and add ten years to your age in the mirror).

Dr Retro

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MB Design & Drafting
6 years ago
No light switch in Kitchen...? Walk down hallway to turn on and off.

Pendants ok.

Too many downlights in family. I would say you could get away with half as many downlight's..... and I like brightly lit spaces...

You'll save money or just end up with a better layout by using a designer as mentioned above.
Robbi Zed thanked MB Design & Drafting
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Paul Di Stefano Design
6 years ago
Consider why you are lighting certain areas. You don't necessarily need coverage of every m2 to a certain light level. I advise designing lighting specifically to the task/function required. Agree with MB D&D in that WAY too many downlights - unless you want to mop the floors in the evening. You could arguably do away with most of the downlights, get an appropriate single fitting over the dining table, and for the living area maybe do just 4 downlights but make sure you get dimmers on everything so you can control the light level. Have you thought about doing LED strip under the cabinets for the back bench in the kitchen? you really probably only need then the pendants over the island and the strip over the benches, keep the light in the study, and yeah make sure the fan is actually in the shower....have you considered any wall lighting? it can give a great mood/vibe in lieu of being smashed with the downlighting...
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