Think of task lights as “fillers” to address any surfaces that will not be adequately lit by your general lighting. Well-positioned recessed lighting in your kitchen will illuminate worktops, walls, and danger zones in the kitchen for added focus and precision. It works well for any kitchen design from traditional to modern. One of the common ideas to update the kitchen rooms is to replace the old fluorescent light fixtures with modern recessed lights. Switch Circuit Breaker Off. This was built to accommodate fluorescent tube lights which are covered by plastic panels. (I also painted the trim and ceiling, but that’s a whole ‘another post. Also, for a more contemporary kitchen, we stock a variety of steel, black chrome and black finishes. If you are going to update your old kitchen lighting, there are many ideas to get a great appearance and makes your kitchen function well. The standard recessed downlight simply sits flush to the ceiling, making them great for lower ceilings. Depending on the shape of your kitchen, the layout of your general lights may eliminate the need for any additional task lighting. When it comes to brightness, it’s not the size of the recessed light that matters. Yes. >Yes, we have a florescent light in our kitchen too, and although you can't see that it is a fl light from the living room, you can tell from the dining area. Then you’ll know what your options are.Depending on when your home was built, your kitchen ceiling is likely either flat or it has a fluorescent soffit. Remove the old trim from the outer ring of the housing. They make conversion kits, but I couldn't find one large enough to cover the old 14" square fixture. The LED lights are much more inconspicuous than my old, black rimmed fixtures, with giant bulbs that always needed replacing. Lithonia Lighting Kitchen Ceiling. In modern kitchen rooms, recessed lighting is a popular lighting option, they can be used in almost all the lighting layers. So, in the event of a fire, the padding will seal off the hole and slow down the spread of a fire. When determining the number of recessed lights your kitchen needs, think in terms of general lighting and task lighting. Thankfully, LED technology has become exceptional (and affordable), and easily meets the efficiency requirements. Benefits include a significant savings in energy, very long life, and a clean modern look. This past week has been full of showhouse meetings and Children’s Hospital projects, but we also managed to knock three more bullets off our kitchen to-do list. Here is a post plus a calculator that you can use to get an idea of the number of lights you’ll need. Giving your kitchen lighting a makeover is a great investment. Cricket D60 F16 LED – Recessed Lighting from Fabbian This will be the start of the circuit. If you have outdated 6 inch can lights, you’ll be delighted to see how easily you can upgrade them to modern flush-mount recessed lighting! I made my own conversion kit out of a 16" wood circle with a ceiling electrical box mounted in the center. When a hole is cut into a ceiling to mount a recessed downlight, a potential fire hazard is created. If this is your ceiling type, you have two options: Frame the soffit opening and cover it with drywall. And after 16 years of living with an ugly fluorescent light box I now have an open ceiling with a pretty little light to replace it hanging in my kitchen. Depending on where you live, the type of lights you install in your kitchen may be restricted by local energy codes. Depending on the size of the soffit in relation to your kitchen, you may want to add additional task lights around the soffit above the counter tops. You can also pair track lighting with under-cabinet lighting for balance. Besides recessed lighting, under cabinet lighting and pendant lights are a few other options that are excellent for task lighting. The formula for spacing kitchen lights is the same as any other room. We're planning to replace it and reuse the fl light in our laundry room when we finish it, which is a 8×10-12' room lit by a single bulb geniuses, I tell ya I removed the old socket and hardware from the recessed box. Find out how to pick the best recessed lights to replace older kitchen lighting for a new modern look. Jump from this light to the others, one at a time, until you have all the lights attached. Illuminating your kitchen with recessed lighting will give a direct and purposeful sense of light that will immensely prove useful within the home. This website uses cookies to ensure proper functionality of the shopping cart and checkout progress. Please note that this is a rough guide and you should contact a qualified electrician if you want further guidelines in completing the installation. LED can light trim kits that allow you to replace the entire light kit as easily as screwing in a light bulb! Track lighting can be connected to the same wiring used for a fluorescent fixture. One very popular spot for replace recessed lighting is the kitchen. The lights on the track can be positioned and pointed at specific areas in the room. You can unsubscribe at any time. Recessed lights are typically available in sizes ranging from 3 to 6 inches in diameter. The number of task lights needed (if any) will vary based on the layout of the general lights. The size you need depends on how you plan to use the light and where the fixture will be located. Unscrew the old bulb from the recessed lighting housing. This creates a modern flat ceiling for the recessed lights. Why recessed lighting is the best option for your kitchen. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Unless you’re extraordinarily tall, you’ll probably need a step ladder for this project. The first step to replacing these recessed lights is to remove the light bulb by simply unscrewing it from the socket. So when I redid my kitchen, I knew the huge ceiling box had to go. Replace the old fluorescent box with a set of modern track lights. Ones that throw much brighter and whiter light, not the yellow (humming) glow of fluorescent tube bulbs. Remove the old lighting and install recessed lights inside the raised soffit ceiling. Remove the old lighting and install recessed lights inside the raised soffit ceiling. This post was sponsored by Lamps Plus, and contains affiliate links for your convenience. Run NM-B cable from the power source to a switch box and then to the first hole, allowing at least 18-inches of extra cable to make wiring easy. Let’s look at a few options for replacing your old lights with modern recessed lighting. Run the lighting. If you are a fan of clean lines, fuss-free lighting that provide simple yet effective lighting, this is perfect for you. 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