How To Create A Recessed Lighting Plan
Want to make your friends ooh and ahh over your beautiful living room? Don’t forget the recessed lighting. A good plan for recessed lighting is they key to creating a room that perfectly lights the room and adds some drama and romance. Take a look at a quick recessed lighting plan I designed.
The grey dots represents the recessed lights, or “downlighting” as we sometimes call then in the interior design trade. The first thing that might strike you is that they’re not placed in a grid pattern. You don’t need one because you want to highlight different areas of the room.
First, you must have proper ambient light. That means enough light so you can see. I’ve accomplished that pretty much with the lamps (in blue). Recessed lighting, set to their own switch, can add more if you need it.
Now for the most important part of your overall design of the room – the placement of your recessed lighting. You want to create drama! You may want brighter light on a rainy day. But you definitely want a romantic feel for parties and… well, use your imagination. Do this by putting you recessed lights on dimmers. This is essential! It might be the art, or it might be the seating.
Next, spot different areas you want to highlight. These can be things like artwork and separate seating areas, as I’ve done here. Set your switches so you can control what you want to highlight. Let’s take a look a few essentials.
On the left, I’ve installed three adjustable recessed lights to frame a large piece of art (in green). Lighting art obviously, brings more attention to it. The same goes for another adjustable recessed light over the mantle. By adjustable, I mean you can aim the lens at whatever you want. They’re not facing straight down.
Now, think of walking into a gently lit room for a party. The recessed lighting is focused on the seating and, therefore, highlights the people. There, again, is focus. That’s really important to creating a romantic and dramatic feeling. (Please note that the placement of my recessed lights aren’t perfect. Have your interior designer or a lighting expert plan the placement)
Here are a few tips to think about
Don’t place the recessed lighting directly over your guests’ heads or they’ll look like Frankenstein. Use a professional to help with the placement.
Step away from the grid! I promise you, no one will notice the recessed lights. They’ll be looking at that hot guy sitting on the love seat.
Use small, 4-inch recessed lights. The giant 6-inch “cans” are so last century.
Note that there a variety of adjustable recessed lights. You want the ones that don’t fall below the ceiling height. Halo makes a good product.
Don’t buy your recessed lights from the big box stores. They’re not the quality you want and a few dollars more will be money well spent. Go to a local electrical supply house. Or have your electrician buy them for you.
Have any questions, comments, photos you’d like to share? Ask away, comment away, and email your photos to me at designholeonline [at] gmail..com. Caio for now!
7 Responses to “How To Create A Recessed Lighting Plan”
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Posted by Jennifer on July 27th, 2011 at 12:06 pm
You make an excellent point. Depending on the budget, designing lighting that can be moved would be important. But lighting can always be reconfigured – especially if it goes to the new owner.
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Posted by Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio on July 28th, 2011 at 2:18 pm
In the past, I used to object to having recessed lighting as a lighting source in my kitchen because of the heat output and energy consumption. Track lighting would’ve been worse for the same reasons. However, I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and I really want to be able to see and to see the true colors of the food I am preparing. For years, I lived with the typical fluorescent fixture (ugh). When we remodeled the kitchen, Mr. Scott convinced me that 6″ inch recessed was the way to go with the LED retrofits (to save on energy and heat). 6″ inch because if we changed our minds on the LED, we would be able to exercise other light options in the fixture. The LED was a big investment, but I LOVE the light in my kitchen now and leave them on guilt free. And, the walls are full of artwork too. It’s quite the happy space.
I love the things you put out there to consider, but I am glad we went with the 6″in the kitchen for the very reason of flexibility in light options with the fixture. If I were to do the living room, I would most likely lean towards the 4″ fixtures as you’ve suggested.
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Posted by Jennifer on August 1st, 2011 at 7:14 pm
I agree. The kitchen is where you do need to see exactly what you’re doing. You wouldn’t want to cut off any fingers while filleting your flounder. The option of being able to switch from LEDs to incandescent is a great idea. But you’ll see that the LED lighting will last for years. I think that before they burn out you’ll be ready to sell (keeping fingers crossed). :-)
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Posted by Carpet UK on August 2nd, 2011 at 8:21 am
The aesthetic use of lighting to brighten a room is so necessary for interior design to shimmer.
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Posted by Mark Scott on August 5th, 2011 at 4:24 pm
Mr. Carpet UK is so correct. It is important to also plan for areas of both light and shadow to add the drama needed. Overall flat light is so boring like a bank of fluorescents. You need areas of bright full color rendering light as well as areas of shadow to add interest into any room.
Mark Scott
Lead Lighting Designer
Total Lighting Supply.
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Posted by Mark Scott on January 31st, 2013 at 1:00 pm
We have posted a very detailed blog posting regarding a Kitchen remodel and comments on the lighting plan as well as LED lighting for kitchens. Photos and details. Please see the following link. http://totallightingsupply.com/blog/category/recessed-lighting/
“designholeonline” made some excellent recommendations. I spend most of my day with recessed lighting issues and designs. However I am learning all the time and always open to new ideas and concepts. I take a little different approach to recessed lighting in a home. Each room in a house has a different purpose. The lighting has to be sensitive to this. Also you have to consider the long term. I would never light an element in a room that can be moved. If you light over a chair or table, and it moves then you have an awkward light in the ceiling. Consider your permeant lighting carefully. Always try for more than one level of light in each space including the kitchen and bathrooms. Take a look at the CFL and LED options, they offer great light with little heat.
Mark Scott
Lead Lighting Designer
http://www.TotalLightingSupply.com