s Updating Recessed Lighting (or How to Keep Bugs out of your Can!) - The Kim Six Fix
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Updating Recessed Lighting (or How to Keep Bugs out of your Can!)

Posted by The Kim Six Fix on 11:24 PM in
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I am not quite sure why, when our house was built, they decided to use  "shower style" trim on EVERY.SINGLE.RECESSED.LIGHT in our house, but they did.  If you don't know what a recessed shower light looks like, let me show you:


Not only is it a strange choice to use in a non bathroom, but it also looks very dated. Here is what mine looks like actually installed in the ceiling:
 The worst part is that because there is frosted glass in front of the bulb it blocks out a lot of light.  

Hard to tell in this photo, but even with the light on, it is very dim in the hallway
 Because we have a textured ceiling a lot of the fixtures have a light leak around the edge of the trim which gives a tacky UFO look to the light:

Well, now that I think about it, the lack of light isn't the absolute worst part.  The worst part is what falls on your head when you go to change the lightbulbs:


In case you can't see it clearly.. THIS is what I'm talking about:

AHHH! Nasty dead bugs! 
So I decided I had enough of the dark bug filled lights and tore out all the shower style trim.  It was a total of 8 lights.  I decided to upgrade them to a more open recessed baffle style trim.  
The baffle is shaped like a hat with the top cut out and has two springs which hold it up inside the recessed can:
To replace the old trim the process was simple: 
1. Remove the old trim by pulling it down and pinching the clips that hold it in place
2. Remove the bulb 
3. Insert the new baffle into the recessed light housing  
4. Hook the springs from the baffle onto any hole in the can 
5. Reinstall the bulb.  
 The big test is when you turn on the light.  It is at least 30% brighter and no more extra halo of leaking light!

Total cost: $70
No bugs falling on my head when I change the bulbs: PRICELESS

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5 comments :

  1. Patricia PurcellMay 19, 2012 at 3:45 AM

    Our house was built in the sixties, and we've got plenty of old fixtures that need updating - including recessed ones. I'll have to show my husband this post.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Laura @ cookiecrumbsandsawdust.blogspotMay 19, 2012 at 3:33 PM

    Kim,

    I love the update! So simple, yet much better. We've been working on our own money pit, and just installed recessed lighting. There wasn't any overhead lighting in the whole room -very dark, especially in combonation with 70's wood paneling.

    I followed you over from the 30 handmade day linky party. I would love if you stopped by my blog.

    Thanks for sharing,
    Laura

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lisa ~ The SweetTalk ShopMay 20, 2012 at 5:34 PM

    Thanks for sharing on SweetTalkin' Sunday! I have recessed lights with the directional bulb. So dated looking and really we never use since we placed our TV in place of where a huge picture would hang over the fireplace.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kayla's CreationsMay 20, 2012 at 8:41 PM

    Awesome job! Thanks for the tips & thanks for sharing at Sunday Round Up!
    -kayla :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. The House at Bluebird LaneMay 23, 2012 at 9:44 AM

    Thanks for sharing your tips! Your new lighting looks great! I have seventy special semi-recessed lighting where the bulb sticks partly out from the ceiling and swivels (reminds me of an alien space ship). Wonder how easy it would be to replace those. :-)

    ReplyDelete

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