Expert: Richard Taylor, AIA - 6/27/2009

Question
Flush mounted lights versus recessed
I am evaluating my lighting options and their associated costs as part of an addition to my home.  For walk in closets and the guest bedroom I think flush mounted light fixtures will be cheaper to install when compared to recessed lighting.  Those areas will have new framing for ceilings and walls.  Is there a rough calculation for the cost of installing flush mounted fixtures versus recessed lighting?


Answer
Mr. Boylen - thanks for your question!

The installation cost of flush vs. recessed isn't much different, it's the fixture cost that can be.  For a flush fixture the juntion box (in the ceiling) and the fixture are separate; you can install any surface fixture once you've installed the box.

For a recessed fixture, the junction box and fixture are integral; once it's installed the only thing you can change is the trim ring.

So you can easily purchase several different flush fixtures at different price points, but once the recessed is installed, that's it.  Cost control is in the fixture more than the installation.

More important however is the appropriateness of the lighting fixture for the use.  Recessed lights are terrible for a walk-in closet; they look nice but don't throw anywhere near enough light where you need it.  Walk-in closets need general lighting, not the down lighting that recessed fixtures provide.  Recessed lights are designed to put a relatively small pool of light on the floor or countertop.  They shouldn't be used in an area that needs a lot of widely-dispersed light like a closet.

A similar mistake is often made in baths over the sink.  Recessed downlights are sometimes put over the sink in a soffit where they look nice, but cast shadows on your face that make shaving and makeup almost impossible to do.  Sink/mirror areas should have wall-mounted fixtures.

In the guest bedroom, you should have a combination of both lighting types.  For the same reasons as in the closet, you should have general lighting (you can't even do a decent job vacuuming the carpet with recessed lights alone).  And you can add a few well-placed downlights for accent lighting or to create a cozy, private feeling when you don't need the bright general lighting.

Or you can install the general lighting overhead, then install a couple of lamps connected to switched outlets.  That really gives you flexiblity!

Hope this helps,

Richard Taylor, AIA
www.rtastudio.com
www.rtastudio.blogspot.com