Alternatives to recessed spotlights

Is not really an argument... with designer lamps you also have a designer piece that beautifies the room... with spots you just have spots. Good average lamps start at €60 (e.g. Honsel Valor 21382) and then you might need 4 per living-dining area and not 12-15 spots.

: Yes, it is a filigree ceiling. Exactly, I once calculated that to achieve decent lighting only in the living room, I would need about 20 spots, and those would cost 2400€ Bauträger Golden Spots. 50€ pots + 70€ wiring etc...

I don't know what exactly you want to illuminate in [WZ], but in our case, the ceiling lights have only been turned on about 4 times a year. Mainly, lighting is done with a floor lamp and a standing lamp. I also don't find it subtle when the whole ceiling is covered with those things. In the hallway and kitchen, you need main lighting, I can still understand that. LED is also not always the best. We have surface-mounted halogen spotlights in the kitchen, which I also posted about in a thread here once. But they are rarely used, rather the direct workplace lighting. Check out "I believe" by Philips.

Hello,
the thing with the spotlights is a matter of taste, we
already have quite a few in the living/dining room, but they are arranged in different circuits so that not all of them are on at the same time, plus they are dimmable. Additionally, we will have a designer lamp above the dining table and a floor lamp in the couch area.
Everyone as they like and as their wallet allows!

How about a track system instead of spotlights? Or the version with drywall? We installed surface-mounted spotlights in the bathroom; the costs for recessed pots in the filigree ceilings were also too expensive for us. However, I would now recommend doing it right away! Later on, it will cost nerves overall with drywall or the effort of installing surface-mounted lights and, in terms of price, it is sometimes not much cheaper at all.