In the process our selling our NE Ohio home last fall, our realtor suggested that we re-lamp the can lights in our kitchen with GE Reveal flood lights. We passively said something like “sure†and conveniently “forgot†about it. After a few months & just before Christmas, I purchased several bulbs (somewhat pricey) and did half the kitchen while my wife was at work. I immediately noticed the reds in our oak cabinets & flooring on the side where the Reveal lamps were lit, while the wood under the regular incandescent lighting appeared more yellowish. When my wife came home, she asked if I had started cleaning the cabinets for our Christmas party. I said not yet but that I had changed the lighting. She admitted too the re-lamped side of the kitchen felt “warmerâ€. The next day I went out and bought more floods to re-lamp the rest of the kitchen. Several guests to our Xmas party commented on how warm the stained (oak) woodwork in our home felt (by this time I had taken the lamp replacing to the rest of our house). We’re not sure whether this did the “trickâ€, but the third couple after the re-lamping project made us an offer that we accepted. I’ve since experimented with stained popular, but the difference wasn’t that significant.
jimz
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The "reveal" lights give off a wider spectrum of light than incandescents. They make a lot of things look better including people. They are more expensive and don't last that long but they do make things look more natural.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
The effect is called "metamirism." Different lighting has different spectra wavelengths. That's why flourescent makes everything look washed out.
I'd imagine the typical MR16 halogen would have the same or better effect...Jake Gulick
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CarriageHouse Design
Black Rock, CT