Recessed lighting is a great way to open up your home and add light and life. Instead of lamps, these are brighter, easier to maintain, and space savers. They can make a room feel entirely different and even look larger. In addition, they can be dimmable to increase the intensity of light, letting you have control of the ambiance.
Recessed lighting in kitchens brings in a whole new variety of ideas, from place to type to color and layout. If you are considering recessed lighting, you need to research examples.
We've pulled together a great list of recessed lighting kitchens. So whether building a new home or considering sprucing up your kitchen, this list is for you!
What is Recessed Lighting?
Recessed lighting is also referred to as a downlight and is installed through an opening in a ceiling. When installed, it appears there is a light shining down from the ceiling. This is because it concentrates the light in a downward direction as a floodlight or narrow spotlight.
Advantages of Recessed Lighting
Recessed lights add a much more open feeling to the ceiling, leading to a more open feel of the whole room. They give the illusion of higher ceilings and can add space to smaller areas. Adding space may not seem like a good enough reason, but it allows for more room in closets, hallways, kitchens, or bathrooms. Every inch counts!
Another positive of these lights is they can be used to highlight specific objects or areas. An example of this would be a family photo over the fireplace. A recessed light directed to this picture brings attention to it. This can also be achieved for paintings, sculptures, or other pieces of art.
Disadvantages of Recessed Lighting
Recessed lighting can create dark ceilings. When light is shining down from the ceiling and not on the ceiling itself, it is less illuminating. These lights also create large holes in the ceiling and are a big process to install, making them more expensive than a simple lamp or two. The large holes can lead to potential leaky space, letting out heat in the winter or cool air in the summer.
Challenges of Recessed Lighting
1. Cost
The cost of recessed lighting can be really expensive. This is due mainly to the cost of the bulbs and the installation. For example, for bulb installation, it's about $150, while a recessed light can go up to $780.
2. Permanent
Once that lighting is in, forget about moving it. Keep in mind you may want to change the room decor or function one day, and light is a big part of that. However, if you love to renovate, these lights are not for you.
3. Installation
Installation is not easy. This adds to the cost. A lot of time, skill, and patience is needed to install these special lights. Installing these lights requires the drilling of large holes in the ceiling. You also want to make sure the lights fit snugly in the holes, or you will have heat loss/cooling loss. It is a long process and takes time.
4. Mess
The drilling of the holes for these lights creates quite a dusty mess. There can be large pieces of sheetrock from the ceiling falling all over the place. The dust can take multiple attempts to clean as it settles.
5. Troubleshooting
While troubleshooting a regular bulb, it can be easy to fix. Just change the bulb. But if a recessed light is not working, there are multiple possible issues. These include dimmer, damaged bulb, blown light socket, or incorrect wattage. It can also be an expensive fix compared to changing a lightbulb yourself.
Now, without further ado, let's get into these 11 fantastic recessed lighting ideas!
Kitchen Recessed Lighting Ideas
1. Multiple Recessed Lights
This is a beautiful, bright, airy kitchen. If you are having a glass of wine with friends or even just cleaning up at the end of the day, this kitchen is given a unique aspect with the lighting that a simple lamp ceiling fixture would not do.
2. Small Kitchen
Although this kitchen is smaller/medium size, the recessed lighting adds to the feeling of the open space. This is a good option for smaller homes, making the best of your small space with simple lighting.
3. Recessed Lighting with Fixture
Although one of the purposes of recessed lighting is to save space, the fixtures in this kitchen add to the beauty. The kitchen feels quite large with the lighting, but the hanging fixtures over the counter add to the beauty.
4. Sloped Ceiling Recessed Lighting
This kitchen has a sloped ceiling, and although a unique feature, it can make the room feel like it's falling in. The lighting opens up space, adding to the beauty of the ceiling.
5. Farmhouse Recessed Lighting
The recessed lighting in this beautiful piece of wood is unique and adds to the farmhouse feel.
6. Hallway Recessed Lighting
This single beam of light brings attention to the mirrored area, showing off the hallway and a way in and out.
7. Dramatic Recessed Lighting
This example brings out the drama of the kitchen, showing off the many features such as the cabinetry and island.
8. White Room Recessed Lighting
The recessed lighting in this room adds the white color making it extra bright and open.
9. Boxed Recessed Lighting
This beautiful and unique ceiling is given an added effect with recessed light in each box.
10. Red Recessed Lighting Kitchen
The red adds to the impressiveness of this extraordinary kitchen. While red is not a color for everyone, someone is bound to appreciate this kitchen.
11. Downlighting Recessed Lighting
While most of the examples in this post have been bright, white lighting, this kitchen offers a more downlight recessed lighting feel. This makes the room feel more relaxing.
In Closing
Recessed lighting can be a great option for your kitchen, but do your research before committing to determine if it is right for you or not!
Check out our post for more examples of differences in lighting for the kitchen color.
Since recessed lighting is an excellent option for kitchen islands, look here for some great examples of kitchen islands.