My husband did this exact thing just this year. I was scared about the same stuff you were but it turned out to be reasonably easy.

The holes were small and easy to patch and my husband used some spray on texture to match the ceiling texture. To match the color he cut a very small piece out of the ceiling where the new light fixture was going.

I got it matched at Sherwin Williams. It took me about 10 minutes to paint and that includes dragging the ladder from the garage and back.

He put a new light fixture up using the same wires that the box used.It looks much better though the light in the room seemed strange for a few days. I'm used to it now.

we did the same when we moved into our home. 2 small holes- not the big mess we expected. Patched and painted the ceiling in no time!

Happyladi, do you have any pictures of the new light on the ceiling since I also want to remove the outdated large Fluorescent light on my kitchen ceiling and I also have a textured ceiling. I do not like the yellow light it gives and I want to update my kitchen. What type of light bulbs are you using now.

I don't have any photos but my friend's parents did this. They had a funky light above the middle of the room and then added and island, replaced the light with one of those Tiffany looking, 3 bulb chandeliers. At the ceiling where the backplate is they added the same wood as their cabinets in a rectangle section. The light is hooked into that. It looks intentional. I was thinking it was because of the old light.

When I removed mine, I was also worried. No need! The fixture was hooked up to a regular ceiling junction box. The new fixture is wired into that, and then covers it. There were two additional screw holes further out, that held the old box to the ceiling. My ceiling had been painted fairly recently before this, so I spackled/sanded the screw holes, and painted the area that had been under the box light. Really was a quick afternoon project that I did myself.

The only issues I might worry about are if you have a textured or tiled cieling that was done after the light was installed, or if the junction box in the ceiling is not where you want the new fixture. Mine was right in the center of the room, so that worked out well for me.

Thanks everyone! I'm super excited now. First thing tomorrow, we're takin' that sucker down!! :)
Then heading to Lowes to find a replacement. Oh...more decisions. I'm sure to be back asking for opinions, lol.
Spendo, your kitchen is beautiful!!! I like that I can see everything with that bright light. But, hate that I can see everything with that bright light, lol :) I never turn on the over head lights anywhere else in the house. Always lamps. In the living room, and our bedroom. Even the kid's room usually have lamps on, instead of the over head. So, I much prefer a cozy, warm lighting that maybe won't make my appliances look blue at night?!? :)

Thanks again!!!!!

We replaced our flourescent light box as well.

I sooo wanted to hang a a bowl pendant or chandelier, and recessed lighting, but the way our ceiling joists ran for the upstairs it would have been a real pain to put lots of holes and drill through joists going in the opposite direction from the main light box.

So we did the bendable track lighting with the positional lights. It's okay. I don't love it. But we needed light and didn't want to mess with the textured ceiling I hate until we can do the entire house one room at a time. uggg..maybe that will come next year when everything else is finished. I conceded with the lighting, but only after not having a functional kitchen for 3-6 months and washing the bigger dishes in the bath tub.

I'll post you some pics of my white cabs with white subway tile tomorrow when there's light along with in -progress. I didn't get home until late tonight!

Ours was a minimal and DIY remodel except for the granite and new cabinet doors, and I think everything including appliances, sink, lighting, paint, tile, etc came to around 4000-5000, so not the 20k kitchen of my absolute dreams but home-like and loveable for me!

dana - do you have a picture? I have been thinking of doing the same thing. The bendable track lighting to replace the light box we have. I just can't picture it, maybe because we have some pot lights too.

I have replace them in three different houses! Because I hate them... and they are hideous!
Like the others have said, they leave suprisingly small holes in the ceiling! I really only had to use touch up paint where I had to patch the ceiling holes, the rest was painted to match already, BONUS!
As far as the light "box"(or whatever its really called) already being in place, once yes, two times no. The first time there was just a wire hanging out of the ceiling, I called an electrician who just used toggle bolts to secure the little silver-hanging-bar-bracket-thing directly into the drywall of the ceiling and wired it all together. The next time that happened I did it myself and chose to spend the $150.00 I had paid him on something pretty for me!
My most useful tip is just to have help getting the light box itself down from the ceiling, they are crazy heavy and very awkward!
Good luck! It's a great and easy project!
Here are some pics of one of the ones I did.

Before

After

Thank you! It is good to hear that it wasn't a nightmare. The kitchen is room #3 on my list of rooms I'm trying to work on one at a time, so hopefully by the time I'm ready to remove the fluorescent box, I'll have chosen a new fixture!

Thank you everyone for giving me hope that after my busy season, that ugly fluorescent light box will be gone off of my kitchen ceiling. I will then have to decide if I am doing recessed lighting or a new fixture since there is really not room for both in my small kitchen.

Has anyone replaced the type that are recessed more than a foot up into the ceiling, so that you end up with a raised ceiling in the middle of the kitchen? And have you installed solatubes or other skylights in this area? That's what I would like to do but DH thinks it would be too much trouble for too little light in the kitchen.

Red

Helpful discussion. We were told the box couldn't be removed because of the danger from the exposed wiring.

Agreed, definitely a helpful discussion. If anyone else has that problem, what you can do instead of having huge holes on your ceiling is get decorative light panels. The fluorescent lights get diffused with these kinds of panels too. I would suggest looking into Skypanels. :)

wanting to remove my 2 light huge fluorescent box and add 6 can lights and 2 pendant lights above my bar....estimate was 3k. Seems really high to me just for changing out my kitchen lighting. Advice?

The ballast is going out on mine in the kitchen. As soon as it is out completely, that box is outta there! I love the amount of light, but florescent lights are just too much fuss.

I replaced my 2 light huge fluorescent box...while my DH was watching football. I could see him the entire time I was working on this; I had to hold one end up with my head while reaching over to take down the old then put up the new. Could have used some help but this is has a lot of leverage when I want to remind him of his lack of domestic skills or interest in "my house".

The new fixture is oval and larger than it looks in this picture.

LOL. But well worth the (your) effort. It looks great!