How to Choose Recessed Lighting for Your Space

Are you overwhelmed by all the options available when shopping for lighting?

Recessed lighting, also called “cans”, “high hats”, or “spotlights” can be used for down lighting or wall lighting, and can provide ambient light in residential and commercial spaces.

This type of lighting is perfect for:

Increasing the amount of lighting in a room
Acting as an accent to draw attention to artwork
Opening up spaces so they feel bigger
Getting rid of bulky, traditional light fixtures

There are so many applications and looks that it can be hard to know where to start.

The most common use of recessed lighting is downlighting from the ceiling. According to designers, “though recessed fixtures are most easily installed between ceiling joists of new building or major remodeling projects, some recessed fixtures are designed specifically for retrofit applications and can slip into an existing ceiling space through holes made to accommodate wiring.”

Lighting Applications

Recessed lighting is used in a variety of ways for both residential and commercial buildings. This type of lighting can be used for ambient or general lighting, and there are several types of fixtures that are available for specific needs:

Incandescent options are inexpensive and are good for wall washing with the use of reflectors
LED options are energy efficient, have a very long life, and can be installed in a smaller diameter aperture
Fixtures also employ different shaped lamps to change the direction the light is emitted, which can affect the overall design.

A Note on Voltage and Ratings…

According to the National Electric Code (NEC), “housings must be IC (insulation contact) rated if the housing is installed less than 3” from the location’s insulation. Non IC-rated housings are acceptable when they’re installed 3” or more away from the insulation.”

It’s also important to get the correct voltage for your housing. For residential spaces, the most common voltage in America is 120V, but some commercial spaces use 277V.

Still Have Questions about Recessed Lighting for Your Application?

RP Lighting + Fans is here to help! Our Recessed Luminaire category has a complete offering of incandescent, fluorescent, and LED recessed lighting options, and we can help you determine which product is best for your space. We can answer all your technical questions, too!