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The question
Pot lights are too expensive and halogen too inefficient, so I am considering installing loops of LED rope lighting on my kitchen ceiling as the room's main light source. Could this work?
The answer
LED rope lighting, which looks like a clear garden hose with pin lights every four inches, is not attractive and is meant to be hidden, typically in a cove, valance or closet. Instead of installing a messy loop of it, why not stick with regular fixtures over your kitchen island and monopoints or pot lights along the perimeter?
As for bulbs, I love the look of (soon-to-be-banned) incandescents, which turn on instantaneously. This is not the case with compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs), which cast a harsh, cold light and contain mercury, making disposal tricky. Though expensive, LED lighting is efficient and long-lasting, while halogen is also long-lasting, but generates too much heat. My advice is to go with The Good (LED) or The Bad (incandescent) but stay away from The Ugly (CFL).
Architect and interior designer Dee Dee Taylor Eustace's new e-book, Dee Dee's Rules, is available on iTunes. Follow her on Twitter: @ddtaylordd. Have a design problem? E-mail style@globeandmail.com.