Ok, so we recently had some work done. Nope, not calf implants, but you’re close…
How about can implants? Also known as recessed lighting. We also went for a pendant while we were at it. The wide shot shows more of the chaos that ensued just to get the room ready for its close-up: we moved half of Karl the Sectional, rolled back the rug, and covered the floor with drop cloths under each work area.
Can you believe we’re well into year three of living here and we’ve never had proper overhead lights in the living room (there was one small light that used to hang off-center in the corner)? We love lamps for ambiance, but overhead lights are useful when you need more illumination—like finding that rogue doll shoe Clara needs right this second. Candice Olson is right about layering light: a few recessed lights plus a pendant and some table or floor lamps (and occasionally a sconce) is often the sweet spot.
We used to have two large ceiling fans—big, brown, hulking things without lights—and since this part of the house stays cool and has plenty of sliders for a breeze, we never used them. The good news: those fans already left two fixture boxes in the ceiling, which made it easier to tap into for recessed lights.
And with a bit of expert work, they were done. They’re glorious.
We considered adding more recessed lights—four, six, or eight—but decided to start with the two existing fixture boxes and live with that for now rather than cutting more holes and buying more materials. It’s comforting to know we can add more later now that these are wired up.
For the recessed light conversions we hired our local electrician, Sean from S.J. Ryan Electric, because attic wiring felt beyond our comfort level. The cords up there were not up to code and it’s not worth risking a fire for the sake of DIY pride. That said, we like to do everything we safely can on our own to save money. Once Sean’s team centered the fixture box near the window (it used to be about a foot too far to the left and made the old pendant look off), we installed the pendant ourselves.
Sometimes we’ve moved fixture boxes on our own, like in a past bathroom project, but this time there wasn’t any slack in the conductors and multiple wires were running to the box, so it made sense to have the pros handle it and bring things up to code.
It’s the same strategy we use for larger jobs: hire a contractor for the major, specialized work (for instance, opening up a wall) and then do drywall, trim, and finishing ourselves. Electricians typically bill by the hour, so the more you can prepare and handle yourself, the more you save.
To save time and money we prepped the room before the electricians arrived. We:
- moved the sofa
- rolled back the rug
- laid down drop cloths
- measured and marked the ceiling for the pendant placement
Marking the ceiling was especially helpful. Measuring and drawing an X for the pendant kept us from wasting the electrician’s time debating placement while they were here.
After the electricians left, we:
- hung the pendant light
- patched the ceiling hole
- caught our breath
- put the room back together
Going from almost zero overhead lighting to two recessed cans and a pendant over the table is a dramatic improvement. Natural light from the big window makes the pendant appear more subtle in photos than it is in person, but the difference in the room is noticeable. Good lighting really does transform a space.
When it comes to patching holes in the ceiling, here are a few practical tips that worked for us:
Patch tip 1: Use mesh patches with a quality spackle applied smoothly with a putty knife for quick, durable coverage.
Patch tip 2: Don’t stop at one pass. Apply 2–3 thin coats of spackle, filling low spots each time. You can sand between coats or build up and sand once you have a consistent surface.
Patch tip 3: For less dust, try lightly buffing dry spackle with a slightly damp Magic Eraser instead of aggressive sanding. It helps level high points without making a big mess—particularly if you avoid mounding the spackle in the first place.
Patch tip 4: Before painting, make sure the patched area is completely smooth. Paint emphasizes imperfections, so feather the paint out about 12 inches beyond the spackled area and apply two thin, even coats with long, feathering brush strokes for the best blend.
The pendant we chose was part of a small lighting collection we’d purchased earlier, and it was satisfying to finally install it—especially now that it’s centered over the table and in front of the window. I love that the wire and canopy are a crisp white; the fixture almost looks like it’s floating, like a sun in the sky.
We also found a home for a colorful shade from that same collection on our little stationery desk (also known as Burger’s treat desk). It brings in color that ties to the green and blue lanterns nearby and complements the neutral pieces around it—walls, desk, chair, ottoman, and curtains. We tried the shade on a few other lamps during a little in-house “fashion show,” but for now it’s happily settled in the living room.
As for cost: materials for the two recessed cans, trims, some wiring, and junction boxes were about $72. Labor, including cleaning up unsafe attic wiring and moving a fixture box, came to roughly $200. We often advise budgeting around $100 per overhead light, so converting two cans, centering a pendant box, and fixing hazardous wiring for $200 felt like a great value.
Looking back at the before photos, it’s amazing how far this room has come. We sat on the sofa this weekend and asked each other why we’d waited so long to do this. At least now we can enjoy the improved lighting—and make terrible puns like “I see the light!” every time we walk in.
What about you—do you hire out the specialized work and do the rest yourself? For us, prepping the room and handling the pendant and patching likely saved around $100. Everyday I’m spackling…