Did a complete lighting overhaul as part of our Cabbagetown Victorian kitchen and main floor renovation. Sharing because lighting is consistently the most underplanned element in renovations I see discussed here.
Before: Single ceiling fixture in the kitchen (seriously), no pot lights anywhere on the main floor, a few plug-in floor lamps in the living room. The house looked like a cave even during the day.
What we installed:
Kitchen:
- 8 x 4" LED pot lights on dimmer (spaced at 4-foot intervals, perimeter row 2 feet from walls)
- Under-cabinet LED strip lighting (hardwired, on separate dimmer)
- Pendant over the island (decorative/accent layer)
- Total: $2,400 electrical + $800 fixtures
Living/dining:
- 6 x 4" pot lights on dimmer throughout
- Cove lighting above the built-in bookshelves (LED strip, warm 2700K)
- Dedicated switched outlet for the dining table pendant
- Total: $1,800 electrical + $600 fixtures
Colour temperature consistency: Critical lesson — I specified 2700K throughout. Previous owner had a mix of 3000K and 5000K in different rooms. Walking between them was visually jarring. One temperature, whole house.
The result: The house went from feeling like a cave to feeling genuinely inviting. Multiple visitors commented specifically on the lighting before commenting on the renovation. It matters that much.
Cost total: approximately $5,600 for all main floor lighting. Best money we spent.