How Many Recessed Lights Do You Need? A Room-by-Room Layout Guide
Recessed lighting is the most requested lighting upgrade we install, and the most common mistake is too few lights placed in a grid that ignores how the room is used. These rules will get the layout right the first time.
The spacing rule
Divide ceiling height by two for the distance between lights, and use half that distance from the walls. In an 8-foot room that is 4 feet apart and 2 feet from the walls.
Room-by-room counts
A 12 by 14 living room usually takes six lights. A 10 by 12 kitchen takes six plus under-cabinet lighting. A hallway takes one every 6 to 8 feet. Our recessed lighting installation team can sketch a layout on the first visit.
Color temperature
2700K for bedrooms and living rooms, 3000K for kitchens and baths, 3500K to 4000K for garages and offices. Most modern wafers let you select this with a switch on the fixture.
Always add a dimmer
Recessed lighting is bright by design. A compatible LED dimmer lets one layout serve cooking, cleaning and movie night. See switch & dimmer installation.
Kitchens and basements
Kitchens should layer recessed with under-cabinet and pendants; see our kitchen electrical upgrade page. Basements with low ceilings are ideal for slim LED wafers, covered under basement electrical.
Bottom line
We install recessed lighting across Colorado, including recessed lighting installation in Denver, recessed lighting installation in Littleton, recessed lighting installation in Castle Rock, recessed lighting installation in Loveland and recessed lighting installation in Grand Junction.