fluorescent recessed lighting for the kitchen

[Irishmul3]

I'm trying to help my aunt 60 yo aunt with a lighting project. She's remodeling her kitchen and has this old school taste.

She wants to use those recessed lights like the old commercial fluorescent ones, where the bulb is tucked way up in the can, so you can't really see the light until you're right under it.
The problem is, all I can find are these new LED ones with a flat baffle trim where the light source is basically right at the ceiling.

We're looking for that deep, hidden look. Is there a name for that kind of light? Any tips on what to look for or if they even make them anymore?

 

[PGB1]

Hi Irishmul3,

If I'm picturing the same 1950's 1960's home kitchen lighting, the trend was using what are called "Troffer" lamps. It included from one to four linear fluorescent tubes in a fixture. The fixture's lens was textured glass and it was flush with the ceiling. The lamp was 4 or so inches above the lens. Coney joints and greasy spoon diners had them, too.

All the kitchens & pantries in the mid century houses that are around here still have them. (Many having been retrofitted to LED tubes by now). They are very popular again and people want them.

I recently wired an engineering center and the employee kitchen areas were designed for the 50's-60's look. (Muscle car era, automotive throw back kind of theme. Gotta add Mom's kitchen to the look.)

Thirty-two inch, double close spaced tubes about 4" above the ceiling, with a chrome frame perimeter of the fixture were chosen. They were in plaster ceilings. Ozzie & Harriet would be jealous.

A photo below shows the end of a typical one. You can buy them with various depths between bulb and lens. Once can get single, double or 4 bulb fixtures. Also, you can buy 24", 32", 48", 60", 72" and 96" long.

The old-timey house kitchens often had 32", double close spaced tubes They go in drop ceilings and plaster (or drywall) ceilings with proper support to the framing.

Any lighting showroom near you will have access to them. You'll have to special order glass lens, as the standard is crinkle acrylic. You can even get polished chrome frame instead of painted white. The electrical supply houses will have them in stock for low cost, but most will be 4-bulb, 2' x 4'. (Used extensively in commercial drop ceiling grids)

Happy Designing!
Paul

 

[General_Valeria]

If you go hunting, know it’s more about the trim geometry than the light itself. Even with LED, a tight baffle, longer cutout depth, and matte black interior make a big difference. You won’t always find the exact “old fluorescent” style, but you can get pretty close.

 

[liteman00]

What you’re describing sounds like deep cone or recessed lensed fixtures basically lights where the bulb sits far back in the can so it’s hidden from most angles, modern LEDs are shallow, but some manufacturers still make retrofit deep baffle or gimbal trims that recreate that look