My best suggestion is to turn the existing lights on and go work in the kitchen as you would - even if it’s just standing at locations with a knife or utensil and pretend to cook. Check for shadows on your work planes and how well dining spaces are lit - would you be able to see a companion’s face, etc.
It’s great to look at a set of plans, but nothing beats testing the actual space.
@Finch
I would- but, I’m working with a gutted space currently.
Ashton said:
@Finch
I would- but, I’m working with a gutted space currently.
Hmm… well looking at your plan, it looks pretty complete. I like that you placed your downlights overhead at the work stations - it’s a small detail I see missed in a lot of new builds.
If you’re familiar with CAD-type programs, you could try laying it out in something like Visual-3D or AGI-32 (both have 14-day free trials and don’t require a credit card to install) and render the space to see if you have any deficiencies. Visual-3D only renders in grayscale, IIRC, but it’s accurate enough as long as your finishes are not super color-saturated.
You can probably try it anyway if you’re not familiar with CAD, but having that background will make it easier to navigate both programs.
Lighting layout looks good but I’m having trouble understanding the chandelier placement. I’m sure it’s fine, but here are a few other “not-necessarily-necessary” options while you’re still planning:
- Toe kick lighting
- Under bar lighting (in the seating areas)
- Pendants over the island. I like the clean look of recessed lights in your design, but pendants add yet another layer of light at a different height.
It’s refreshing to see someone placing recessed lighting correctly, and your tape light use for ambient lighting in the ceiling is perfect.
@Han
Thank you, I worked hard on researching placement. 
Important to know: I have incredible views, and if I put pendants over the center island, it will be in the way of the views from the booth (not labeled - it’s the pink corner). I love toe kick lighting, but I have cats, and it will just highlight any cat hair on the floor. I don’t know what you mean by under bar lighting; do you mean under the center island countertop?
So I guess what I really need to know is with all the lighting I have in place, do I need walkway lighting, or is this enough? If so, do I put one or two 4-inch lights?
I read this, and it really confused me:
“Ideally, you should use one recessed light for every 15-25 square feet of ceiling space to provide even illumination to your entire kitchen area. However, this will still depend on the quantity of lighting you prefer or if relying exclusively on recessed ceiling lights.”
@Ashton
Most lighting designers will tell you to never let light spill onto the floor, meaning each light should have a purpose, and that purpose is never just to shine on the floor.
I noticed you were asking about 2-inch vs. 4-inch lighting. Most quality fixtures (e.g., DMF, Lutron) will deliver 1000 lumens or more from a 2-inch fixture. Although you can get more lumens from a 4-inch fixture, there’s rarely a need to go bigger than 2 inches. In fact, while 5 or 6-inch fixtures make homes look ‘dated,’ 4-inch fixtures are heading that way too. The 2-inch size is now standard, with 1-inch fixtures being what designers truly want.
@Han
Thank you :). I have read that 4-inch fixtures are getting outdated. I’m just so confused about spacing a 2-inch and the whole lumen discussion.
Questions:
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Do I need to add more recessed lighting if I use 2-inch fixtures? I believe lumens should max out at around 3500 for a kitchen. Do you have any product suggestions?
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What about using a 3-inch fixture as a middle ground?
@Ashton
Normally, you’ll use the same number of fixtures regardless of size, so 4-inch and 2-inch fixtures are interchangeable.
There are 3-inch and 3.5-inch lights available, but many companies have focused on 2-inch fixtures due to demand. This trend is not as prominent with 1-inch fixtures yet, but improvements in cooling technology may change that.
DMF Lighting offers budget-friendly 2-inch fixtures with True Spectrum (99+ CRI), available in any color temperature (e.g., 3000K), Warm Dim, and Tunable White, with lens options and smooth dimming down to 1%.
Lutron also has options, with the high-end Ketra D2 being exceptional but costly. More budget-friendly Lutron options are also available.