We also looked at pendant lights for above the kitchen island. We can't decide between these "nest" lights which we feel will go with both the kitchen and the long, dark-timber dining room table:
Or these suspended, modern fluoros:
Both options are modern and will go with the look and feel of the house we wish to achieve. We just can't decide...any opinions/suggestions are welcome :-)
We also learnt a lot from the Lighting Centre at Campbelltown. The very nice and helpful lady there gave us great advice on all the lights in our house. She told us to check with our builder as to exactly which LED downlights they're installing. Apparently, ideally we shouldn't run more than six on any single switch and they should be above 620 lumens and have a beam greater than 60 degrees. We also need to check they're gimble (though we already knew this) as this will allow us to alter the direction of the beam which is very handy in a raked ceiling! We also discovered that lights only account for around 2% of your energy bill and are often cheaper to run (and last longer) when left on continuously rather than switching them on and off again. The lady we spoke to used to turn her kitchen fluoro on when getting ready for work in the morning and leave it running until she went to bed at night. She didn't have to replace a tube in eight years! Anyway, assuming the information she gave us is correct, we learnt a lot.
The gentleman we spoke to at Beacon Lighting was also very helpful and spoke to us a bit about BASIX requirements and showed us the difference between different wattage and coloured (i.e. cool white and warm light) bulbs.
After our reconnaissance mission, we then popped by the Fairmont display homes at Gregory Hills. It was great to catch up with Kerry and to see the homes. We were especially interested in their single story home (the St Thomas) as it has a raked ceiling with sky lights similar to what we are building. Mick used his trusty tape measure to check the ceiling heights and ensure that the lights we like at maximum extension fit and also to see if their proportions will work. It was also really nice to take the time to sit in the Meals Area of the Dominico and feel like, just for a moment, we were home.
So, here are some pics from the gorgeous St Thomas display home:
I can't wait to be able to see sky while standing at the kitchen sink!!!
Me being silly while trying to hide from the camera:
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Sky lights - drool!
ReplyDeleteI like the nest one - but MrB hates it :(
B
Thanks B, I appreciate your input. Shame to hear the nests anger Mr B lol. Hmmm, perhaps if put in context he might grow to like them...it wasn't a flattering photo... Oh well :) We're really at a loss about the lights. We're now even considering having no pendant lights in the kitchen. I originally wanted simple, clear glass pendants but I can't find what I'm looking for, they either have frosting, are too small or don't give enough light... *sigh* decisions, decisions.
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