How Many Recessed Lights Do You Need? A Room-by-Room Guide for Pittsburgh Homes

By pwsadmin | May 8, 2026

Homeowners who call about recessed lighting usually start with one of two lines: “I think I need a few cans in the kitchen” or “put some recessed in the living room.” Both are reasonable starts, and both almost always underestimate the count. Under-lighting a room is the single most common mistake we see in DIY and builder-grade recessed jobs.

Here is the room-by-room count we actually use when we walk through a Pittsburgh home.

The Simple Rule: Spacing Equals Half the Ceiling Height

For general ambient lighting with standard 4-inch or 6-inch recessed cans at 2700K to 3000K:

Divide the ceiling height (in feet) by 2 to get spacing between cans (in feet).
Keep cans 2 to 3 feet from the nearest wall so you are not scalloping light down the drywall.

An 8-foot ceiling gets cans roughly 4 feet apart. A 9-foot ceiling gets them about 4.5 feet apart. A 10-foot ceiling (not common in Pittsburgh but we see it) gets them 5 feet apart.

That rule gets you close. Then we adjust for the room.

Kitchen

Kitchens are where under-lighting hurts the most. You are prepping food, reading recipes, and working at a counter, you need real light, and you need it on the counter, not in the middle of the floor.

Our defaults for a Pittsburgh kitchen with 8-foot or 9-foot ceilings:

One can centered over each section of counter run, roughly 2 feet out from the cabinets (so the can lights the counter, not the cabinet face).
Cans around the perimeter of the island if wider than 3 feet, or a pendant trio plus two perimeter cans. We do not put recessed cans in the island; the light ends up glaring off the stone.
A can over the sink (a little off-center from the window if there is one).
Fill cans in any remaining area to maintain the half-ceiling-height spacing rule.

A typical 180-square-foot kitchen ends up with 8 to 12 cans plus pendants. That sounds like a lot. It is not. Open that lighting plan up in person and it is right.

Living Room / Family Room

Living rooms are more about ambient layering. Recessed cans provide general light, then table lamps, floor lamps, and accent fixtures fill in the character.

For a typical 14′ x 18′ Pittsburgh living room with 8-foot ceilings:

6 to 8 cans on a 4-foot spacing grid.
All on dimmers, Lutron Caseta, Diva LED+, or similar.
2700K bulbs. 3000K feels slightly clinical in a living room.

If there is a fireplace or a specific feature wall, we sometimes add one or two directional cans (wall-wash or eyeball trim) aimed at the feature. That one change does more for the room than adding three extra downlights.

Bedrooms

Bedrooms are the one place where recessed lighting can actually feel like too much. People want soft, layered light in a bedroom, not a ceiling full of downlights.

Our defaults:

4 to 6 cans in a primary bedroom, on a dimmer.
Plus a central fixture (ceiling fan with light, or a decorative flushmount).
Or, and this is often better, a ceiling fan with light kit plus two reading cans over each side of the bed.

Guest bedrooms and kids’ rooms often do fine with 2 to 4 cans plus the existing central fixture.

Bathrooms

Bathrooms follow different rules.

Primary bath: 2 to 4 damp-rated cans for general light, plus task lighting at the vanity (bar fixture, pendants, or vanity-top wall sconces). The cans should never be the only light at the mirror, overhead-only lighting throws every shadow on your face.
Shower: One wet-rated can directly above the shower, minimum. Two if the shower is larger than 4′ x 4′. Check your local code, some jurisdictions require GFCI on shower cans.
Half bath: 1 to 2 cans plus a vanity fixture.

Hallways and Stairs

Hallways get a can every 6 to 8 feet, centered in the hall width. Stairwells get cans that actually light the stairs, not the top landing, which usually means one centered over the middle of the run.

Three-way switching at both ends of hallways and stairs is non-negotiable.

Basements

Finished basements take more light than a room the same size on the first floor because there are usually no windows. Plan for cans on a 4-foot spacing and bump the bulb output up by one step.

For an unfinished basement that just needs working light, 6-inch utility cans on 6-foot spacing with 800 lumen bulbs are plenty.

Color Temperature: 2700K Is the Right Answer Most of the Time

Color temperature is the single thing clients change their mind about most often after the job. To save a return visit, here is what we spec by default:

2700K (warm white, incandescent-like), living spaces, bedrooms, bathrooms.
3000K (soft white, slightly cooler), kitchens, sometimes mudrooms.
4000K (neutral white), garages, workshops, utility areas.
5000K or higher, almost never residential.

If you are unsure, ask for color-selectable cans. Most good LED wafers have a switch on the back that lets you pick 2700, 3000, 3500, 4000, or 5000K at installation. Try one, decide, and flip the others to match.

Quick Sanity Check

If the plan calls for 4 cans in a 15′ x 20′ living room, the room is going to feel dim. If the plan calls for 12 cans in a 10′ x 12′ bedroom, someone is overdoing it. Somewhere between the two is almost always the right answer.

Want a real lighting plan for your specific room? Request a walkthrough and we will draw it up, how many cans, where, and what the finished room will look like before we cut a single hole.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many recessed lights do I need in a kitchen?

Plan one 6-inch recessed light per 16 square feet of kitchen floor space, or every 4–5 feet along the ceiling in a grid. A typical 12×14 kitchen takes 10–12 cans for even general lighting, supplemented by under-cabinet and pendant task lighting.

What’s the right spacing for recessed lights?

Divide your ceiling height by two to get the center-to-center spacing: 8-foot ceilings take 4-foot spacing, 10-foot ceilings take 5-foot spacing. Stay 24–36 inches from the wall to avoid shadows on artwork or cabinetry.

Should every room have recessed lighting?

Not necessarily. Bedrooms and dining rooms often work better with a central fixture plus lamps for warmth; recessed lights shine (literally) in kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and hallways where even, shadow-free coverage matters more than mood.

Need a Licensed Pittsburgh Electrician?

Renaissance Electric & Power Systems has been serving Pittsburgh homeowners since 2008 with licensed, insured work backed by our PA contractor registration (PA-032900). Whether you need a panel upgrade, EV charger installation, recessed lighting, or whole-home surge protection, we handle it start-to-finish.

Call 1-888-681-WIRE (9473) or request a free estimate.

Service areas: Pittsburgh, Mt. Lebanon, Upper St. Clair, Bethel Park, Peters Township, Fox Chapel, Sewickley, Robinson Township, McCandless, Franklin Park, Hampton Township, O’Hara Township, Edgeworth, Sewickley Hills, and Bell Acres.

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