We recently had some work done—not cosmetic surgery, but close: we installed can lights (recessed lighting) and added a pendant while we were at it. Preparing the room was a bit chaotic: we shifted half of the sectional across the room, rolled back the rug, and covered the floor with drop cloths beneath each work area.
Believe it or not, we’d lived here nearly three years without overhead lighting in the living room—only a small, off-center fixture in the corner. We love lamps for ambiance, but overhead lights are invaluable when you need more illumination (like hunting down a rogue doll shoe that Clara needs immediately). Good lighting layering—some recessed lights, a pendant, and a few table or floor lamps—really transforms a space.
We already had two large ceiling fans up there previously—big brown fixtures without lights—and those left two existing ceiling boxes we could tap into for recessed fixtures. The installation itself was fast and the result is fantastic.
We considered adding more can lights (four, six, eight?), but decided to start with the two existing boxes rather than cutting new holes in the ceiling and investing in more materials right away. It’s reassuring to know we can add more later since the wiring is now in place.
Because electrical work in the attic looked unsafe and wasn’t up to code, we hired our trusted local electrician, Sean from S.J. Ryan Electric. We don’t mess with potentially dangerous wiring ourselves; relying on an expert for anything that could cause a fire is worth the peace of mind. That said, we were happy to tackle what we could: once the electrician centered the fixture box, we installed the pendant ourselves.
Sometimes we’ve moved fixture boxes on our own in other projects, but in this case there wasn’t slack in the wiring and the bundle of cables was confusing. We had the pros get everything up to code and shift the box so the pendant would be properly centered over the table.
We usually split work with contractors when it makes sense—hire someone for the structural or code-sensitive parts, then do the drywall, trim, and finishing ourselves to save money. For this job we handled the pendant installation and patched the ceiling hole after the electricians finished the heavy lifting. Since most electricians charge by the hour, doing the prep and finish work yourself saves cash.
Speaking of saving time and money, prep the room before professionals arrive. For this project we:
- moved the sofa
- rolled back the rug
- laid down drop cloths
- measured and marked the ceiling for fixture placement
Marking the ceiling ahead of time was crucial: by deciding and marking the pendant location beforehand we avoided debating placement while the electrician was on the clock.
After the electricians left we:
- hung the pendant light
- patched the ceiling hole
- caught our breath
- returned the room to its normal arrangement
The large window makes the pendant less visible in photos than it is in person, but the change from zero overhead lighting to two recessed lights plus a pendant is dramatic. Good lighting truly changes a room.
Here are a few tips from our hole-patching process:
Tip 1: Use hole-patching mesh with a quality spackle for quick and reliable coverage. Apply with a spackle knife for the best results.
Tip 2: Don’t expect perfection in one pass. Apply 2–3 thin layers of spackle, sanding between applications if needed, until all low spots are filled.
Tip 3: Magic Erasers can be a helpful alternative to aggressive sanding. Once spackle is dry, gently buff the surface with a slightly damp Magic Eraser to smooth high points with less dust.
Tip 4: When painting over patched areas, ensure the surface is completely smooth. Paint tends to emphasize imperfections, so feather the paint about 12 inches beyond the repair and apply two thin, even coats.
The pendant we chose pairs nicely with the room. Its white wire and canopy make it appear almost to float, like a little sun. We’d purchased it earlier along with two other fixtures; one of those now brightens a small desk nearby. That colorful shade adds a playful accent and complements other decorative elements on the desk while balancing the room’s neutral palette.
As for cost, materials for the two can lights, trim, wiring supplies, and junction fixes were about $72. Labor ran about $200. We often estimate roughly $100 to add an overhead light, so getting two recessed lights installed, centering a fixture box, and straightening unsafe attic wiring for $200 felt like a fair deal. Looking back at older photos, the transformation is clear.
We wondered, after sitting on the sofa and enjoying the new lighting, why we hadn’t done it sooner. But now we can enjoy the improved function and mood—plus make jokes about “seeing the light” every time we enter the room.
How do you approach lighting projects—hire out the tricky parts and do the rest yourself, or hand everything to a pro? We think doing what you can saves money while still getting expert help where it matters most.