Recessed lights are one of many tools that you have in your electrical toolbelt to reach the desired lighting result for your residential or commercial space. With that being said, they have pros and cons, and are not a one size fits all solution.

First of all, they need to be placed in the optimal locations to ensure that their purpose is fulfilled in the best way possible; otherwise, there’s no reason to even use them. Recessed lights have a very specific purpose, unlike lights used for ambiance or accent. Planning out the installation of recessed lights with your electrician in your central Florida home is essential in ensuring the best placement and radius of light coverage. We’ve listed some tips below on the best placements to install recessed lighting.

In Front, Not Behind

One common usage of recessed lighting is to highlight or showcase an item such as a painting, display cabinet, or picture. The gallery can be located in any room of the house or business. This includes office space, bedrooms, living rooms, or even just a hallway. When having the light installed by your electrician, make sure to put it at least 12 – 18 inches in front of the subject. This will allow it to become perfectly illuminated in a beam of soft light and eliminate any unnecessary shadows. A common error that new interior designers make is placing the lights behind the subject when the correct placement should be in front.

Lighting for 3D Objects

If you’re trying to light up a three-dimensional object such as a flower vase, a plant, or a stand-alone display case, one light alone isn’t going to cut it. Even one light placed directly above the subject will cast a shadow on the ground, especially if it’s not perfectly smooth-shaped.

The solution? Use multiple lights angled towards the center subject to create a more dramatic light effect. You’ll need to have adjustable multi-directional lights installed by your electrician in order to pull this off. There are also a variety of LED-type lights that would be perfectly suited for 3D objects.

Task Lights

You can have recessed lighting installed as task lights in key areas. Most commonly, Florida homeowner’s task lights are installed in the kitchen and bathroom as permanent fixtures. Having them installed in these areas is beneficial because recessed lighting requires permanent fixtures and you’re not likely to change the lighting structure in these rooms often. The vanity dresser and kitchen countertop are some noteworthy locations for recessed lights. Just be careful not to place them too close together.

Overhead

Recessed lighting can also be used as overhead lights for offices, libraries, or reading areas. These should be carefully placed directly in the center of the area in which it is being used. For example, a coffee table should have overhead recessed lights in the middle to provide optimal lighting.

A bookshelf or library can make good use of overhead recessed lighting to provide a warm glow to bask in while doing some light reading. Similarly, libraries are excellent spots to showcase book collections.

Multi-Directional Lights

Some recessed light fixtures have the capability to be adjusted and point focused shafts of light in any direction within a certain radius. Use this to your advantage in the bedroom by creating a focal point on certain pieces that you want to highlight such as a desk, wardrobe, or backdrop. Multi-directional lights can be used in hallways, bathrooms, rec rooms, and living rooms.

As you can see, there are many different options for illuminating your home. Recessed lights help make a statement and can highlight and brighten any room.

At Volt Electrical Services, we are a Central Florida-based firm specializing in electrical design and installation. We are committed to innovative designs, sustainable solutions, and high-quality services. Our experience presents a company that is highly qualified to complete projects varying in scope, size, and complexity. To ensure the highest level of quality and reliability, we focus our services on core market areas that reflect our strengths and talent.

If you are looking for a dependable commercial electrician, please feel free to contact us today. We would love the opportunity to speak with you further, answer any questions you may have.