The living room in your home should be one of the most welcoming and comfortable rooms. After all, it’s where you spend the most time hanging out with your family and friends. So, you must make the most of your living room with the proper lighting.
So, when looking to add recessed lighting to your living room, there are a few things you need to keep in mind, like making sure the new lighting doesn’t draw away from the other design elements in the room, like art or decorations, or take away from focal points, like windows or fireplaces.
Don’t be afraid to get creative! But where should you place recessed lighting in your living room? The Living Room is the largest in your house and should contain the most furniture. Lamps and lighting should be placed to provide good light for reading or watching TV, but still not be overpowering.
Where to Place Recessed Lighting in Living Room?
First, consider the size of your living room and the furniture layout. You want to make sure that there is enough space for people to move around without hitting their heads on a light fixture.
Next, think about how you want to use the light. Every room has different lighting needs, and it’s essential to choose the right light for your living room. For example, you might want to use ceiling lights in the living room over a sofa or chair, but use recessed lights in the dining area above the table.
Guide For Small Room
Small rooms are ideal for recessed lighting because they help enlarge a room’s visual impact by adding light that bounces off walls and ceilings. This allows you to turn your attention back toward beautiful architectural details instead of worrying about them getting lost in a sea of darkness.
In general, you want to hang fixtures at least 4 feet away from objects, including window trim and furniture pieces. For example, suppose you were thinking about placing recessed lights under a cabinet built into an adjacent wall. In that case, it might be worthwhile paying for an extra 2 feet of the track so that there is sufficient distance between your lights and cabinets.
Guide For Mid-Size Room
For living rooms between 300-600 square feet, three recessed lights will suffice. Generally speaking, you’ll want to place your first recessed light approximately 15-18 inches from your TV screen. For example, if you have a 65 TV mounted on a wall, you’ll want to place your light about 80 inches away from it.
To figure out where to put your second recessed light, repeat step one; position it another 80 inches away from your TV. Finally, for a third recessed light, you’ll need to repeat step one and place another 80 inches away from the position of your second recessed light. For those with a little more room, you can use four recessed lights instead of three.
Guide For Large Room
Larger rooms can accommodate multiple fixtures and a more generous number of lights than smaller rooms. It is common for a fixture at each end of a room and another on each side of a long wall to be desired with larger rooms. However before deciding on that layout, make sure your circuit breaker can handle that amount of demand or upgrade it if necessary.
When planning your recessed lighting layout for larger rooms, the other consideration is what function you want each fixture to serve. One thing you might do is install two fixtures above eye level on one of these longer walls.
One fixture could be located about 3 feet from one end and 7 feet from the opposite end; 2nd could be installed about 4 feet from either side wall and 8 feet above floor level. While no exact measurement works with every type of ceiling, these measurements will provide adequate space between lights for installing accessories like ceiling fans or curtain rods should that ever become necessary.
It would be best to consider where furnishings would go and windows, doors, and any high-traffic areas. Also, think how many spaces need overhead light sources such as kitchen islands or reading nooks, and don’t forget bathrooms!
Behind Fireplace
Since you have a fireplace, you can use it as the focal point in your room. Consider using a recessed light behind the fireplace to illuminate the space if you have a large space. If you have smaller spaces, consider placing accent lighting around the fireplace.
In Ceiling Fan Lights
There are many ceiling fans in stores that come with a light kit. If you want more lighting, you can add the light to the kit and install it on the ceiling fan. This will give you both task lighting and ambient lighting in your room.
Some Noticeable FAQs Before Placing Recessed Lighting in Living Room
Where should recessed lights be placed in living room?
Recessed lights should be used in areas not visible to the public. This is to reduce the amount of light reflected on the ceiling and walls, which can create glare and make it harder for you to see. Ensure that you don’t place recessed lights in areas where the light will be visible to the public. Recessed lights can be used in hallways, bathrooms, closets, cabinets, and other areas.
How many recessed lights should I put in my living room?
The minimum requirement of recessed lights in a living room is one light. If you have a small living room with a ceiling height of fewer than 8 feet, it’s best to put at least two recessed lights in your area. If you have a living room with a ceiling height of 8 feet or more, it’s best to install at least three recessed lights in your area.
How do you arrange can lights in a living room?
You can arrange your can lights in various ways, depending on the shape and size of your living room. For example, you may want to put a row of lights at the end of the living room, with each lamp perpendicular to the next.
You may want to place a row of lights at the center of the room, where they can illuminate the whole area. You may also like to arrange your can lights in an “X” shape, with two rows of lamps running parallel to each other.
Can you have too many recessed lights in a room?
No, you can’t have too many recessed lights in your living room. The number of recessed lighting fixtures you need depends on the size of your room, its orientation, and other factors.
How far off the wall should recessed lights be?
Generally, it would be best to place can lights at least 10 inches from the wall. This is because the recessed lighting fixtures are usually covered with a clear glass dome and have a plastic reflector that extends above the fixture.
The glass dome and reflector help direct the light downward to shine into your room. The lights are placed very close to the wall because that’s where you want them to be when you turn them on.
How far should recessed lights be from a ceiling fan?
You should allow at least 6 inches between recessed lighting and ceiling fans so that your fan can operate properly. This is because ceiling fans can generate a lot of wind and be noisy. So, you don’t want the fan’s noise to interfere with the operation of your recessed lighting.
Final Words
In conclusion, there are many factors to consider when deciding where to place recessed lighting in a living room. By following the guidelines in this article, you can create a well-lit and inviting space for your home.
The right kinds of recessed lighting can add a sophisticated touch to any room and transform your living space into an inviting place for you and your family. Now you know how to choose the right type of recessed lighting for your home. So, what are you waiting for? Grab those recessed lights and get busy decorating!