Lighting is an important part of your home and if chosen well, can majorly influence the overall look and vibe of your space. There are numerous lighting fixtures available for you to choose from including recessed lighting, ceiling lighting, LED lighting, wall lighting, and floor lamps in many different designs and styles. Your choice of lighting fixtures ideally should depend on the size of your room and the present design aesthetic you’re trying to maintain. The placement, angle, and even the type of bulb used are all equally important factors to consider when looking at different lighting fixtures for your home. Your choice of lighting fixture also depends on the room. For instance, while ceiling lights work better in big spaces like the living room, they’re not suitable for smaller rooms like a study or bedroom.
Recessed lights and ceiling lights are amongst the two most popular options for people looking for lighting solutions for their homes. If you’re confused between the two, we are here to help. Let’s look at the pros and cons of both ceiling lights and recessed lights and help you come to a decision.
Recessed Lights or Ceiling Lights?
Ceiling Lights
As the name suggests, a ceiling light is a type of light fixture that is hung from or attached to the ceiling. Ceiling lights are available in many different variants including track lighting, semi-flush mounts, pendant lighting, chandeliers, and ceiling fans with a light fixture, among many others. All these different variants of ceiling lights will protrude from the ceiling to varying degrees. There are certain parts of your room where ceiling lights won't work including rooms with low ceilings, basements, narrow hallways, and water-intensive spaces.
Pros:
- Ceiling lights are perfect for large spaces since they cast their light over a wide area and are generally brighter than other lighting fixtures.
- With traditional ceiling lights, you can make a standout statement in your room and add the often missing wow factor.
- Given the intensity of light offered by ceiling lights, you won't need a lot of them for your room. Two decent-sized ceiling lights are more than enough for a wide living room.
- Ceiling lights are ideal for many different rooms in your home including bedrooms, dining rooms, patios, kitchen Islands, and foyers.
- Ceiling lights are easy to install and you'll just need to create a hole big enough to fit the wires.
Cons:
- If you opt for an elaborately designed ceiling light, it can overshadow the rest of your room and make the light the focal point which is something you generally shouldn't want.
- If you don't add enough lights according to the size of the room, parts of the space can be underlit.
- For homes with low ceilings, hanging ceiling lights can be a hazard, especially for guests who are taller than average.
Recessed Light
Best described as metal light housings that are installed in ceilings for a sleek and modern look, recessed lights are amongst the most popular lighting fixtures. Due to their non-invasive structure, your ceilings will look much cleaner and clutter-free with recessed lighting.
Pros:
- Unlike ceiling lights, recessed lights don’t take up too up much space, are sleek, and are not visible to the naked eye. They also don’t protrude from the ceiling.
- With your ceiling freed up with recessed lighting, your space looks much bigger as a result and can be painted in attractive colors that highlight the ceiling.
- Recessed lights are perfect if there are specific elements you want to showcase like beautiful artwork or pictures of your loved ones.
- Recessed lighting is the only type of light that can be used in water-intensive environments.
- If you arrange them properly, recessed lights can light up your whole room and not just a confined section.
- You can use recessed lighting in many different rooms including basements, kitchens, shower stalls, hallways, and any other room with a low ceiling.
Cons:
- Recessed lights offer lighting in a single direction. If you're using them for a big room, you'll need quite a few to illuminate the entire space. This can stack up against your electricity bill considerably.
- The installation of recessed lighting requires a large hole in your ceiling to fit the metal housing. This can potentially lead to air leaks through any gap between the light fixture and the wallboard. If this happens, you’ll need the support of a professional to make the fixes.
- Recessed lights are visually pretty basic and don't add much visual appeal to your room. If the rest of your room is simple, recessed lighting might not be the best option.
With this detailed breakdown, you’ll be at a much better place in terms of choosing the right kind of light for your home. Read up more, check out both types of lights physically, and get expert advice if needed, the choices are endless. CasaOne offers beautiful wall lights and other lighting from some of the most renowned brands in the business. Our rental plans are affordable and designed for your convenience. You can choose your rental duration, return or replace your rented lighting fixture, and opt for our rent-to-own feature.
GOT QUESTIONs?
- What type of light bounces off the wall or ceiling?
Bouncing light involves redirecting a main source of light onto a reflective surface and effectively converting harsh and spotted light into an area light. You have many options to bounce light off of including a drop ceiling, a piece of white beadboard, and a white wall.
- What types of light are ideal for the bedroom?
Some of the best lighting for your bedroom includes recessed lighting, LED lighting, sconces, table lamps, rope lighting, portable reading lights, bedside lamps, and many others. Your eventual choice should boil down to the space available in your bedroom and the design aesthetic you’re following.
- Which lights are cheaper: wall or ceiling?
On average, both wall and ceiling lights will cost you the same if both have the same wattage. For instance, a 100-watt bulb uses more electricity than a ceiling light that only uses 25 watts but a 100-watt bulb will use less electricity than a set of 4 ceiling lights that each consume 50 watts. The eventual cost boils down to the lighting fixture you choose and typically, ceiling light fixtures are more expensive than wall light fixtures.