Lighting changes how a room feels more than paint does, and it is one of the few upgrades you notice every single evening. Here is how we plan a lighting installation.
How many cans?
A rough starting point: space 4-inch or 6-inch cans about half the ceiling height apart, and keep them 24 to 30 inches off the walls so the light washes down rather than scalloping. A 12x14 living room usually takes six. Do not light a room with cans alone - mix in lamps, sconces or a pendant so it does not read like an office.
Colour temperature
- 2700K - warm, like an old incandescent. Living rooms, bedrooms.
- 3000K - slightly crisper. Kitchens, baths, the most popular all-round pick.
- 4000K - neutral white. Garages, workshops, laundry.
- 5000K - daylight. Great in a shop, harsh in a den.
Pick one temperature per open sightline. Mixed temperatures in one space is the single most common DIY lighting mistake.
Dimmers are not universal
LED plus the wrong dimmer means flicker, buzz and a bottom end that drops out. Match the dimmer to the driver, and if you want smart control, check whether the switch box has a neutral - many older Maryland homes do not. That is a smart home wiring conversation.
Outdoors
Soffit downlights beat floodlights for looks. Motion sensors at doors and driveways, photocells so nothing gets left on, and low-voltage landscape lighting on a transformer with a timer.
Costs
- Recessed can, installed: $150 to $300 each, less per unit on bigger jobs
- Fixture swap on existing wiring: $120 to $250
- Under-cabinet lighting run: $400 to $900 per kitchen
- Commercial high-bay LED retrofit: quoted per fixture, usually pays back in 2 to 3 years
Book lighting work in electrician in Silver Spring, electrician in Towson, electrician in Gaithersburg or call (888) 592-6466.