How to place lighting inside cabinets and get an illuminated effect?

[ArtsyG]

I am working on a drawing for a client and need to show the inside of the cabinet lit up, with a shelf and objects. So far, I've tried dropping in puck lights, recessed lights and under cabinet lights, setting the height from the ceiling and customizing the lumens. All I get is a drab, barely-there glow. Any ideas?

[DavidJPotter]

Place a "puck light" under the bottom of the upper cabinets (https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=lighting+under+upper+cabinets+in+chief+architect ), then use the light dialog box to adjust the light to suit

 

DJP

[MarckusW]

I use the same method as David. I use a puck light and then move it upward into the cabinet. This is a negative elevation. Typically, I leave it a few inches below the top of the cabinet box. Then I play with the location forward or back from the front rail. You need to reverse the angle of the light to -90. Then play with lumens, cut off angle and drop off. 

 

I had this open in Chief when I read your question so I have uploaded a few images of a cabinet layout design I am mid. I am deciding what size tambour to use on the island.

 

I did screen caps of the light menu to help you understand what I tried to explain above. Depending on the camera view you create you may need to play with it to get what you are looking for to show the client. 

 

Once this is finished, I will minimally take this into Lightroom before I show it to a client.  If I really needed to "bring it" I would export to dae and finish in Enscape, Twin Motion, Lumion etc. then maybe Photoshop. 

 

I have uploaded the same 2 images straight from Chief and then with minor adjustments in Lightroom. 

 

There are many other people here who can show you how to finish. I try to get as far as I can in Chief.

 

 

[MarckusW]

There is another tool you can use. It is called "add lights". Go to the light bulb in front of the painter. Drop the menu and you will see it. You have to do the same thing as far as opening it up, then elevating it, lumens etc. I use "real lights" 1st to try to get what I want but sometimes you will need this as well.

[Kbird1]

1 hour ago, MarckusW said:

There is another tool you can use

 

Is Chief's Rope Light Tool to simulate LED Tape Lighting , assuming you don't want the "look" of Pucks of course.

 

M.

[MarckusW]

Kbird1, I use them for over cabinet lights, sometimes as under counters, kicks and light wells. I try to show the light as it will appear so the client sees how the light falls off.

 

Even though I use LEDs as under counters in the real world I may not use them in my drawings as the light they throw in Chief is not as easily manipulated/corrected, at least for me. Here is an example from last week. These are not denoised as that was not the purpose of these images. I needed the client to see in their home how various lighting will look. They were making decisions about what they want.

 

I am uploading these images as perhaps someone at Chief will see them and see the problem so it can be fixed. The error is so minor that I have not bothered Chief with it as for my purposes this is not an art contest.  The images show why typically I don't use an LED under counter in my images. I probably could have solved the problem by changing the LED spacing so they are continuous and lowered the lumens 

 

The 1st images is just a control image of the kitchen in daylight. 

 

The existing house has a bump out for the kitchen and this is a tear out and replace. For the client the take away is how does this countertop, Vancouver quartzite, look against white cabinets and what happens in different lighting scenarios.

 

The 2nd is both under counter and over cabinet. You can see the LED problem as a pattern against the rear wall under the cabinet. 

 

The 3rd is under counter, over cabinet turned off. Same pattern showing in the backsplash from the LED. 

 

The 4th is over cabinet. The under counter lighting, although turned off, still shows a line of light.

 

The take away, I could play with the LED spacing and lumens or use a traditional under cabinet light and use a negative elevation to reduce the visibility of the fixture housing. At this point it is less trouble to use the under counter.

 

[DBCooper]

Quote

 

 All I get is a drab, barely-there glow. Any ideas?

 

 

You haven't really given us much to go on.  For example, what rendering technique are you using?  Do you have a video card that supports real-time raytracing?  Are you a new user or a long time user?  A picture showing us how your view looks would help but a plan would help even more. 

 

The bottom line is that getting good results takes a lot of practice with lighting and materials.  It also helps to have a good model to start with. 

 

I would recommend reviewing the training videos:

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/playlists/102/cameras-lighting.html

https://www.chiefarchitect.com/videos/playlists/170/materials-patterns-textures.html

 

[Kbird1]

12 hours ago, MarckusW said:

Kbird1, I use them for over cabinet lights, sometimes as under counters, kicks and light wells. I try to show the light as it will appear so the client sees how the light falls off.

 

Apologies Marckus my comment was not aimed at you, I was just being Lazy and used your post to add another Tip for the OP, as nobody had mentioned Rope Lights in the thread at that point.  I did read a Tip here last week for R.Lights and that was to go the opposite way and try spacing them about 8" apart with low lumens.

 

I do agree with what you are saying above.........

 

 

Mick.

 

.

[MarckusW]

No problem Mick. I didn't take it that way at all. I thought your suggestion was correct. I was just adding my thoughts and reasoning incase there is some benefit for ArtsyG. 

[ChicByDesign]

You guys are the best.  I'm an interior designer, self-taught Chief user which means watching videos and trial and error. I learn so much by the comments and really appreciate your time to post.  Just wanted to give a shout-out  Markus, you rock!