Downlights in pitched roof

[DetlefSchmitz]

It's always been my opinion that the best way to use a ceiling is to have it a light colour (preferably white), and shine the light at the ceiling. Then you get a nice even illumination of the whole room. I used spots at the top of the vertical wall under a vaulted ceiling, pointing at the opposite ceiling half, so didn't need to make any holes in the ceiling. It's staggering how little illumination comes from downlights. Still, each to his own.

 

[Taylortwocities]

https://enlitelighting.com/ae/ProductDetail/EN-PL24B

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Ah, I was thinking proper vaulted, not a bit of a lean. If you're dead set on downlights then warm roof (or counterbatten under insulation to give you a void for cables & downlights & whatever). Means losing 50-odd mm of headroom but lets you have your lighting scheme without compromising insulation & vapour barrier.
I'm also a fan of uplighting the pale ceiling and using the bounce to light the room.
If you do go downlights, make sure they have swivel adjustment in the mounts (so they point straight down from your 15 degree ceiling)

 

[Katwina]

Haha I did wonder if my description was a bit pants! Here is a pic of the ceiling in it's current state. I am guessing the warm roof option is a bit too late/costly to implement, but the counterbatten could be more straightforward?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Counterbatten will basically create a (sort of) warm roof construction, and probably your option.
A real warm roof has all of the insulation layers on top of the joists, with therefore a nice deep void between the insulated roof layer and the ceiling.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

You'll be a bit tight for headroom at the wall (I make that 10 and a bit courses, interesting bit of gauging gone on to get the window in) for the counterbattening. It'll still work though, just leave the height where it is on those horizontal cuts on the rafters & only build up the angled bit. Trouble is you'll need downlights fairly near the wall (if thats going to be worktop) so you don't cast your own shadow on what you're working on

 

[Katwina]

Thanks oldbutnotdead, could you explain what you mean about the gauging? Just another example of poor work I'm guessing by our awful builders

 

[oldbutnotdead]

In the window wall you've got some little slivers of block to bring the top of the course to the correct height for the lintel above the window. The blocks at the bottom of the window have been cut to get it to the correct height, a skilled builder might have suggested dropping cill height by 20mm to avoid that mess, just as well its single storey cos lining up wall ties above would be very dull.
Hard to tell with the Acro in the way, have they fitted cavity closers round that window?

 

[Katwina]

I'm not sure, I'll ask hubby but I would hardly be surprised if they hadn't given 'skilled' doesn't seem to feature highly in their list of qualities. Are cavity closures a necessity?

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Yup. Without them the window reveals will be very cold and prone to condensation and draughts.

 

[Katwina]

I'll check when they're having lunch! If they haven't are they easy enough to put in before we go any further? Have to say I dread pulling them up on anything though as they already treat me like an idiot.

 

[bernardgreen]

If the beam is cased then this might give good results

 

[Katwina]

Thanks so much! We actually had a lighting designer visit last night who suggested something very similar to illuminate the ceiling. So I'm feeling much more positive about that aspect of the project at least!

 

[oldbutnotdead]

At the stage in the pic not a massive job- window out, fit closers, window back in. Hard to see whether the window is bridging the cavity

 

[Katwina]

I'll try to post a pic shortly. They're just putting the sliding doors in now and I can't see that they've fitted any sort of insulation around those either