Lighting is an often overlooked area of home renovation that can make a big difference. The proper lighting can make rooms appear bigger and brighter. But does one particular style, recessed lighting, add value to your home? We've done the research to answer this question.
Recessed lighting can add value to your home, especially if you choose the proper placement and light temperature. This type of lighting also works well in any room in your home.
But how should you use recessed lighting in your home to add value? How much value does it add? Is the amount of value that it adds worth the cost? For the answers to these questions and more, please continue reading.
What Exactly Is Recessed Lighting?
Recessed lighting is installed directly into the ceiling or wall instead of being suspended from it. A recessed lighting kit consists of three different parts: housing, trim, and bulb.
The housing is the part of the light fixture mounted and hidden within the ceiling and contains all of the electrical components. The trim is the visible portion of the lighting that comes in different styles and finishes. Lastly, the bulb provides the actual light and ambiance to the room.
How Does Recessed Lighting Add Value To A Home?
Recessed lighting can add value to your home by increasing the ambiance of rooms where the lighting is installed. With recessed lighting, you have more control over the light that is produced. For example, you can dim the lights or adjust the direction that the light flows.
Recessed lights are also great for lighting smaller spaces that don't receive a lot of light otherwise. Having well-lit and ambient rooms but being able to adjust the lighting is appealing to many home buyers. The more appealing your home will be to buyers, the greater your home's value will be.
How To Choose Recessed Lighting
There are many different types and styles of recessed lighting, not to mention all of the different types of bulbs you can choose from. If installing recessed lighting sounds like something you might want to do to add value to your home, here is some information that you might find helpful.
1. Choose The Right Housing
There are two main types of recessed lighting fixtures: new construction and remodel. If you're building a home and want to add value to it before it's finished, you will want to use new construction fixtures because they can be installed in unfinished ceilings. But if you're remodeling a home that is already built, you will need to use remodel fixtures.
Remodel recessed lighting fixtures can be installed in already finished walls and ceilings. But if there's insulation present in the wall, you will need to use an IC-rated recessed light. "IC" stands for insulation contact, which means that particular lighting can be installed and come into contact with insulation without overheating.
The type of wall or ceiling that you're installing the lighting in may also affect the type of fixture you use. For example, if you have a thin wall, choose a fixture with shallow housing. Some fixtures are angled and work well for walls and ceilings that are angled as well.
See More: 10 Best Sloped Ceiling Recessed Lighting Fixtures
2. Decide On The Trim
The ideal fixture should complement the rest of the room. Trims come in different metal finishes that can be plain or decorated. The type of finish that you choose is ultimately your preference, but adding finishes that match the style of your home adds more value to the home.
If your home is more modern, adding recessed lighting with brushed nickel or matte finish adds more value to your home because these styles are popular in contemporary houses. For older or classic-looking homes, oil-rubbed bronze or antique silver trim fits with the style of the house and therefore adds more value.
Consider the color of your ceiling as well as other hardware in the room. For example, if your ceiling is painted a light color, choose a lighter trim color. If using recessed lighting in the kitchen, consider choosing a trim finish that matches your sink or cabinet hardware.
But trims also come in different styles that affect the amount of light produced by the fixture. It's essential to think about the room's purpose the lighting will be installed in and what effect you want the light to have.
Baffle
A baffle trim is excellent for living rooms or other rooms commonly used for watching TV or working on the computer. Baffle trims allow the fixture to produce softer light and reduce the amount of glare. Having lighting that doesn't produce a glare can add value to your living room and make it more appealing to potential homebuyers.
Eyeball
This style of trim is sometimes called an adjustable trim. They make great accent lights because they allow you to adjust the direction of the light produced. An example of when to use this type of trim would be over a smaller workspace part of a larger room. Or, you could use this type of trim under cabinets in the kitchen to illuminate darker areas. Having a well-lit kitchen adds value to your home.
Lensed
This type of trim has a cover over it to protect the bulb, wiring, and other electrical components from water damage. Recessed lighting with lensed trims is often wet-rated, meaning that they can be used outdoors, in bathrooms, or in other areas that produce a lot of moisture.
Outdoor areas are often overlooked when renovating a home, but the outdoor area is one of the first things people notice. Installing recessed lighting outdoors to brighten them up at night increases both curb appeal and safety, adding more value to your home.
Reflector
A reflector trim will help to reflect light, maximizing it and directing it downward. This type of recessed lighting trim is ideal if you have high ceilings or need room to be brightly lit, such as a kitchen. You may not want to use this type of lighting in a room that you want to be darker, like a bedroom. But large rooms need adequate lighting to be functional, so adding this type of lighting to rooms with tall ceilings can add value.
Wall Wash
Wall wash trims have a piece of plastic or other material attached to them that directs light to the side. They can also be used as accent lights for drawing attention to certain artistic or architectural features of your home, which adds value.
3. Choose The Right Bulb
The type of lightbulb you choose for your lighting fixture makes a difference. Light bulbs have different types of light and temperature that they produce. Here is an overview of common types of light bulbs:
- Halogen- produces a bright, white, and warm light
- Incandescent- produces a bright, white, and warm light
- Fluorescent- energy efficient and produce little heat
- LED- energy-efficient, long-lasting, and produces cool light
In most cases, LED lights are the best type of light to use for recessed lighting. This is due to both the kind of light they produce and the fact that they last a long time.
Click here to see these LED recessed lighting bulbs on Amazon.
How Much Does Recessed Lighting Add To Home Value?
It can't be determined how much value recessed lighting adds to a home. However, a home's lighting is often one of the first things that potential homebuyers notice about a house so that lighting can influence their overall first impression.
Although it's hard to determine an actual dollar amount, adding recessed lighting to a few common areas of the house is a small investment that could have a big payoff. Just make sure to choose the right type of lighting for the space.
Is Recessed Lighting Outdated?
Recessed lighting is still very popular in homes today and can help give your home a modern look. This type of lighting can not only distribute light evenly throughout the room, but it saves space as well since the lighting is built into the ceiling and not suspended from it.
If you get tired of the particular style of recessed lighting you have, you can easily change the trim or finish to give your light fixtures an updated look. You can also switch between different types of light bulbs to provide a room a whole new look.
Are Recessed Lights Worth It?
If lighting that can be efficient and space-saving, and stylish is important to you, recessed lighting is well worth it. In addition to adding value to your home, recessed lighting can also make specific spaces more functional if used strategically. Installing one or two recessed lights in areas that need improved lighting isn't super expensive either.
Do I Need An Electrician To Install Recessed Lighting?
It's a good idea to hire an electrician to install recessed lighting unless you have plenty of experience working with electrical components. Installing recessed lighting in an already built house involves cutting into the ceiling and working around insulation, as well as installing the actual lights. Electricians will have the knowledge and tools necessary to do this safely.
Should You Put Recessed Lighting In Bedrooms?
It is okay to put recessed lighting in a bedroom. They can improve both the lighting and overall appeal of the space. You can add light to certain areas or even install a dimmer switch to easily change the amount of light in the room.
See More: Can You Put Recessed Lighting In A Garage?
Parting Thoughts
We hope this guide to recessed lighting provided you with helpful information. When choosing the right kind of recessed lighting and using it strategically, you can add a lot of value and appeal to your home. Thanks for reading!