How to Design Recessed Lighting

Recessed lights shining on art.

Recessed lighting can add value to your home, as well as provide widespread or tightly focused light around an entire room without being obtrusive. This lighting choice will work with any décor as it tends to become invisible. Directional recessed lighting can be used to highlight art, plants, draperies or other architectural features. Fixed recessed lighting is often used to provide the primary light source in a room. This allows lamps and other lighting types to be selected for ambiance and décor, and not essentially for the light they produce. This flexibility increases décor potentials, making recessed lighting a favorite for both designers and homeowners.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• ¼-inch scale graph paper
• Notepaper
• Mechanical pencil
• Construction ruler with ¼-inch scale
• List of lighting problems in the room
• List of lighting features
• Information about the new fixtures
• Budget

Instructions

Designing Recessed Lighting

1. Measure the dimensions of the room, and draw those dimensions to scale on the graph paper. The scale is ¼-inch per 1 foot. Note any existing ceiling light fixtures and their position. On the side of the paper note if these fixtures will be staying in the revised design. Measure along the walls and include each outlet and walls sconce, and note in the margin if any of the outlets or lights don't work. Again, include if the fixture on the wall is going to remain or be removed. Mark the position of the current switch plate and make a note of what type of plate it is and what lights or outlets the switch or switches operate.

2. List the lighting problems in the existing room. Transfer the margin notes so the list is combined. Installation of new recessed lights should also correct any known electrical problems in the room. In addition, adding more fixtures to a room may increase the load size for the circuit breakers for that area, and that cost needs to be factored in with the design. If the home's wiring is substandard, the electrician is required to notify the homeowner, and the inspector for the work will not approve new work with inadequate or poor wiring.

3. 

   Read the information provided by the manufacturer for the fixtures that are to be used in the installation. Each lamp has a radius of light and an optimal distance for placement to provide the best cohesive light. If the lamps are being used individually to highlight a feature then it becomes easy to position the fixture on the graph paper near the object. Directional lamps may pivot to the sides, as well as back and forth. The angle of light on the display object will inform the placement of the lamp. In general, recessed lights feel more correct when placed symmetrically in a room. If the objects being lit are of differing heights there will be an average distance from the wall where the fixture will produce the effect (for all of the fixtures).

4. 

   Design the fixture arrangement based on the function of the fixture and symmetry. With rooms combining different recessed lamp styles try for a consistent arrangement that produces a balanced effect. If three large lamps line one wall, then line the opposite wall with matching lamps. For rooms that are L-shaped or some other shape, arrange the lamps so that they visually make sense. This simply means that areas of that shape can be organized to the function of that portion of the room. For example, with an L-shaped room one section of the L may be a dining room. It can be treated as a complete room and the other section as a complete room. Or, the two rooms can have similar light design so that they are seamless to the eye.

5. Calculate the cost of installing the lighting plan on your graph paper. Consider lamp fixtures, switches, permits, electricians and the possibility of removing and repairing unwanted fixtures and replacing old wiring. Also consider that it may be appropriate to increase the number of outlets in the room if significant electrical work is necessary. This cost analysis may inform how many fixtures will be installed and this will affect the finished design. Once the analysis is complete, redraw your room reflecting your final choices on lamp placement, number of lamps and type of lamps.

Tips & Warnings

• For kitchen designs with central ceiling space lighting an island, keep in mind that upper cabinets or decorative hanging elements will interrupt light dispersal and should be considered in the design. Match strong architectural features such as a curved bar with evenly spaced recessed lights aligned in a matching curve over the bar top.

• Lights produce heat. Make sure your light fixtures are necessary and not excessive in your design plan.

References

• Ask The Builder
• Online Tips
• Lightology