Where to Place Recessed Lighting in a Living Room

Sarah Lyon is a freelance writer and home decor enthusiast, who enjoys sharing good finds on home items. Since 2018, she has contributed to a variety of lifestyle publications, including Apartment Therapy and Architectural Digest.

Recessed lighting in the living room can brighten your space with a functional and modern design. This type of ceiling lighting has a streamlined look and doesn't take up space. If you're wondering where recessed lighting belongs in your living room, we're here to share key tips from designers regarding everything from placement to customization options.

Meet the Expert

• Catherine Staples is the principal designer at Aspen & Ivy.
• Beth Dotolo is the co-founder of Pulp Design Studios.
• Rosanna Bassford is the founder and principal of Memmo Interiors.
  

Think About Other Forms of Lighting

Designer Catherine Staples notes that you shouldn't rely too heavily on recessed lighting as the only illumination in the living room because the space will be overlit and feel harsh, cold, and unwelcome. Modern recessed lighting layered with other forms of lighting, such as wall or floor lamps, creates a much warmer, softer atmosphere.

"We recommend also putting in dimmer switches to help you control the amount of lighting needed for all the different uses of the space," she explains.

Designer Beth Dotolo echoes this sentiment, adding that recessed lighting alone does not always create the best ambiance, 'We always suggest pairing recessed lighting with a decorative pendant or chandelier, for style and variation in the types of lighting in your space," she says.

Consider Spacing Between Lights

How many recessed lights do you need and how should they be divided on the ceiling? Staples suggests keeping consistent spacing between recessed lights to create clean lines. She explains, "A good rule of thumb is to divide your ceiling's height in half, and that gives you the spacing between each recessed light."

"It’s important to create a pattern on your ceiling plane that is evenly spaced and review the 'light spread' of the fixture you are specifying to make sure it has ample coverage, so you aren’t left with lighting gaps," Dotolo says, additionally stressing the benefits of hiring a lighting design professional to determine the correct spacing for recessed lights.

"Spacing is very important," notes designer Kaitlyn Murphy of Marguerite Rodgers Interior Design, especially when it comes to lighting layouts near a wall. "If the lights are too close to the walls, they will create scalloping or shadows against the walls. Spacing should also be consistent throughout so the lighting is even—you don’t want dark spots and light spots." In general, place recessed lighting 3 feet away from the wall.

Determine Lighting Layout

Consider other important factors when planning your living room lighting layout, like the amount of natural lighting present in a room and what the space will be used for. "Workspaces like a kitchen need more light than a family room where you will be watching TV," Staples says.

Installing recessed lighting around the perimeter of a room is key, recommends designer Rosanna Bassford. "But avoid placing canned light right above the seating," she warns. "It can create an uncomfortable feeling and gives terrible shadows."

Instead, a recessed lighting layout is best when it's focused on illuminating doorways, highlighting pathways in the room, on task areas such as over a piano, and aimed at the walls to create focal points with art or architectural elements.

Consider zones when creating layouts for recessed lights in a living room. For example, if you're installing six lights in your living room, put three near the TV area and three near the seating area but wire them for separate zones so you can dim or turn each set on or off when necessary, or to reduce glare. Or put three recessed lights on a separate zone aimed at your fireplace mantel for accent lighting.

Tip

When determining a recessed lighting layout in a room with a ceiling fan, plan accordingly to avoid the strobe effect. Make sure the fan blades don't interfere with the lights. Place recessed lights at least 2 to 3 inches away from the ends of the fan blades.

Get Custom

When it comes to recessed lighting, there are many different types and styles. "Recessed lighting comes in various sizes of round and square shapes, and you can get trim in white, black, or chrome," Staples notes. "You can also get trimless recessed lights, linear recessed lights, and multiple-light housings—there are an endless number of options for all styles and sizes of homes."

Finish off the look with a wide variety of bulbs, too, explains designer Alison Knizek at Alison Knizek Design. "I prefer to use recessed lighting in general in a living room," she says, adding that modern LED-style recessed lights are on-trend thanks to newer can LED bulbs that can be adjusted for color temperature.