Ceiling spots in concrete ceiling planning and arrangement

Hello everyone,

since the construction of our single-family house started a few days ago, we are now dealing with the planning of the ceiling spots in the concrete ceiling. I am initially only referring to the living/dining area, as this is the most important to me. There were two proposals regarding this.

Here are a few comments:

[*]The ceiling spots should be centered above the entrance to the area (on the floor plan, lower side, slightly left in the room)
[*]From there, we move to the right and left towards the respective outer sides of the room
[*]In proposal 1, I don’t like that the distances vary significantly (between 170 and 200) and that the line is not centered above the passage from the dining room to the living room
[*]I find proposal 2 better because the distances there are more homogeneous. However, a total of 3 more spotlights were installed than in proposal 1. Do you think that could be too much, or do you still find the distances okay?
[*]The clear room height is 280 cm. The room is about 12.5 m wide and 4.3 m deep in total.

Which of the proposals do you find better? Or would you maybe do it completely differently?

Just asking: what do you want to achieve with the ceiling spots?

In principle, there are several objectives:

[*]Dimmed light in the evening while watching TV for a cozy atmosphere [*]In the dining room with friends, perhaps also somewhat stronger lighting so that one can converse well [*]In winter/evenings, also normal passage lighting to other rooms or, for example, for cleaning.

Since the construction of our single-family house began a few days ago, we are now dealing with the planning of the ceiling spots in the concrete ceiling. I am initially only referring to the living/dining area, as this is the most important to me. [...] Which of the proposals do you find better? Or would you maybe do it completely differently?

Yes (but actually everyone here already knows that): I would do it completely differently, not planning and discussing something holistic like a house in isolated snippets of individual aspects; and also not "only during the trip".

Basically, there are several objectives:

[*]Dimmed light in the evening while watching TV for a cozy atmosphere [*]In the dining room with friends, maybe somewhat stronger lighting so that one can have a good conversation [*]In winter/evenings, also normal passage lighting to other rooms or for instance for cleaning.

As I asked, I’ll put it like this: every necessary intervention in a beautiful ceiling should be reconsidered. If you want to accentuate a line or a path, then three, possibly up to six spots in a line are suitable. Spots, whether one or several in a ceiling, are not suitable for a cozy atmosphere or for conversation. Yes, dimmability is useful if you want to dim the brightness. Nothing more. These expensive holes in the ceiling are completely replaceable before they are even planned. Namely, over the dining table with a ceiling lamp that can be dimmed. A cozy atmosphere is basically created by light that is installed lower, for example at eye level. Not without reason have table lamps or possibly wall lamps proven themselves. The latter, however, please not scattered, but used with care.

Passage lighting in the living space is actually not needed, because a well-lit dining table emphasizes the active center and the central place and gives the room enough “passage light.” Furthermore, there are floor lamps and standing lamps, all in a range below body height, as it should be. And for the few times a year when you need main light for cleaning or searching, a modern ceiling light suffices.

Light from above basically brings no mood—except for those who have always dreamed of those 80s-style spots.

The question from immediately popped into my head as well.

If you do that, I would choose version 1 with the plan top line on the wall distance dimension from variant 2. That is completely sufficient. And, there should be at least 3 circuits. And I find the spots at the dining table rather unnecessary and would miss a cozy pendant light construction over the dining table. So one or two pendant lamps. In my opinion, that makes it cozy.