I hear you on placement making a difference. When we redid our kitchen, I thought recessed LEDs would be perfect, but after installation, it felt a bit like a dentist's office. We ended up adding some warm pendant lights over the island, and suddenly the whole room felt cozy again. Makes me wonder—has anyone tried mixing recessed lighting with pendants or sconces? Curious if that combo worked out for others or if it just ends up looking cluttered...
Mixing recessed lights with pendants can actually work really well if you plan it out thoughtfully. I've done several kitchens where we combined recessed LEDs for general lighting and pendants to add warmth or highlight certain areas. The key is spacing—don't crowd them together. Keep recessed lights evenly spaced for overall illumination, then use pendants strategically, like over islands or dining spots. If you're worried about clutter, dimmers help a ton...you can adjust brightness and create different moods easily.
I get the appeal of recessed lights and pendants, but honestly, after renovating a few properties, I've found under-cabinet lighting to be the unsung hero. It's subtle, practical, and saves you from accidentally chopping veggies in the dark...trust me on that one.
Under-cabinet lighting is handy, but have you tried toe-kick lighting? I've seen it in a few kitchens lately—seems kinda gimmicky at first, but apparently it's great for late-night snack raids without blinding yourself...anyone have experience with it?
"seems kinda gimmicky at first, but apparently it's great for late-night snack raids without blinding yourself..."
I've installed toe-kick lighting in a couple of kitchen remodels recently. It's subtle and practical—especially if you choose a warm LED strip with a diffuser to avoid harsh shadows. One thing to consider though: placement matters. Too bright or poorly angled, and it can highlight every crumb on your floor...not ideal. Curious if anyone's tried motion sensors with theirs? Seems like that could be handy for midnight trips without fumbling for switches.
