Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I just bought my first apartment and looking for advice on how to effectively light our living room.
I'm looking for AMPLE lighting EVERYWHERE and the lack of ceiling fixture is driving me crazy.
Yes, I have multiple floor lamps and table lamps and hate them. I have to switch on and off multiple of them, I have a toddler who is likely to pull them down and they still do NOT light the room enough for my standards. So I guess my questions are:
- how difficult (and costly) it is to install a ceiling fixture? As far as I can say, there is no electrical supply to the ceiling right now.
- how about wall lighting? Will it give me what I'm looking for?
It is not difficult at all to install the ceiling fixture and extend a branch circuit to run electrical to the fixture. If you have an attic space above the area you want the light then it is not very difficult or costly at all. If you have a vaulted ceiling with no crawl space access above then you will have to propably remove a big chunk of drywall to run the electrical, depending on the orientation of the studs in your ceiling. This is still not difficult. Now getting the drywall back up, mudded and patched and textured to look like it was never removed? For that you will need a good drywaller and they do not come cheap. This is all based on what I need to do to my ceiling in order to install a ceiling fan in my living room. Good luck.
Wow, I never even turn on my overhead light in the living room.
I agree with all that davebarnes said, except maybe selling the toddler on eBay. But seriously, replace your lightbulbs in your lamps with clear, bright LEDs. Instant light!
And train that toddler not to pull lamps over. I raised four kids and not a single one of them ever overturned a lamp, so I really can't imagine what's going on in your particular scenario.
I just bought my first apartment and looking for advice on how to effectively light our living room.
I'm looking for AMPLE lighting EVERYWHERE and the lack of ceiling fixture is driving me crazy.
Yes, I have multiple floor lamps and table lamps and hate them. I have to switch on and off multiple of them, I have a toddler who is likely to pull them down and they still do NOT light the room enough for my standards. So I guess my questions are:
- how difficult (and costly) it is to install a ceiling fixture? As far as I can say, there is no electrical supply to the ceiling right now.
- how about wall lighting? Will it give me what I'm looking for?
Thank you!
I don't care for ceiling lights in the living room.
Get brighter bulbs in the lamps you have.
Teach your child to NOT play with lamps - that is a useful life skill.
No way can we know if "wall lighting" (do you mean sconces?) will give you what you are looking for....
Focus on teaching the kids not to pull lamps down or stick their fingers in light sockets, then onto Lighting Design.
An overhead ceiling fixture will only cast shadows downward. Get the LED bulbs and don.t waste your time with overhead lighting IMHO.
I have recessed lighting in my living room because I like a lot of light. I don't know how expensive it is to install, though, because this was new construction and it was built in from the start. Because pricing is going to depend on factors like existing wiring, and what costs are like in your area, I'm not sure anyone here can give you an accurate idea. Ask neighbors and your real estate agent for some references and then call and get a couple of of quotes and go from there.
and if you prefer a lot of light, and want some overhead light, do what you want, and don't skip it just because some people prefer something else.
I have a toddler who is likely to pull them down and they still do NOT light the room enough for my standards.
That's probably because they're broken!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
