Choosing Locations for Recessed Can Lighting

Recessed can lighting can be used to accent certain areas, provide light for workspaces, or simply improve the overall light available in the room. Plan ahead when choosing locations for your recessed can lighting to make sure that you have the right areas covered. Here are a few things to consider when setting up a new overhead lighting system for any room of your house.

Choosing locations for recessed can lighting: Types of lighting

There are three different types of interior lighting to consider: general, accent, and task lighting. General lighting is meant to light up the entire room for day-to-day living, but does not emphasize any one specific part of the room. Accent lighting is used to draw attention to decorative items in the room. Task lighting is focused more specifically in one limited area of the room, such as a desk or reading chair.

Choosing locations for recessed can lighting: Tackle general lighting last

When you are choosing the location of your recessed can lighting, focus on accent and task lighting before you deal with the general lighting for the room. After taking care of those two needs, you may find that the room has enough available light that you do not need to install any general lighting in that area. You will generally need two or three watts of lighting per square foot of living space.

Choosing locations for recessed can lighting: Accent lighting

Look around the room and pick out all of the decor items that you would like to accent with your recessed can lighting. These can be pieces of art or tapestries hung on the walls, photos displayed on a mantel, a curio cabinet full of collectibles, or any other decorative items that you want visitors to your home to notice. For accent lighting, the recessed can lights should be installed about two feet from the item to be highlighted. Select can lights that can be individually rotated and adjusted to focus on a specific place in the room. For larger areas, spread the lights out thirty-six inches apart.

Choosing locations for recessed can lighting: Task lighting

For task lighting with recessed can lights, find all of the sections of your room where people may sit down to read or work. Some typical work areas include a desk, comfortable couch or recliner, kitchen counter, or breakfast table. Look at your work areas to decide if a table lamp or recessed can light would be best. A small desk area might get too bright under a recessed can spotlight, so you may be better off with a desk lamp.