Maybe not OT? Kitchen lighting, DIY, give me some ideas!

[vpt]

I need two new kitchen lights, one for the cooking part of the kitchen and one for the table eating area of the kitchen. Right now we have one of those double ring florescent light fixtures over the cooking area (blueish light output, icky) and a 4 bulb cheap pos hanging light fixture over the table area.

Looking for ideas for something to replace these with that can be home built. I hate spending big money on a few wires and a cheap but pretty looking casing.

I was thinking of something like the 4 bulb 4' T8 fixtures but with oak trim surround and a nice looking cover.

Pics, ideas, and stuff? Energy efficient is always a plus but not a total concern. We have CFl's threwout the house besides these two fixtures.

[rklopp]

How about building something with LED ribbon lights? We just did a gut-to-the-studs kitchen remodel. New lighting includes LED strips under the cabinets, and even a strip under the bar overhang that lights the cabinet face and floor. The LED strips are expensive, but you can get the naked ribbons for pretty cheap on eBay. Our new lighting is just gorgeous, with the added bonus of energy efficiency and easy dimming. The old under-cabinet fluorescents reek in comparison.