I don't need to get remodel housings since we're pulling down the existing ceiling to expose the joists. No insulation but I got the IC rated ones since they are Al not steel so won't rust. They are also sealed so bugs can't get up inside the can (we'll have to caulk around). So is there any other reason I would want/need a lens? Electric guy at Home Dept said don't need a lens for covered porch, though I could use "shower trim" if I wanted. Since there's no way for rain to get on the ceiling (even though the floor gets soaked) I think outdoor bulbs will be enough. Lenses diffuse the light (something I like in the shower where the light is just a foot over my head, but I don't think I would like it on an 8ft porch ceiling). I can always add lenses later, it's just the "shower trim" alone costs $15-$19.

We don't turn the coach lights on much now, and when we want the porch lights on I don't think 2 more bulbs will add that much more, but we'll see what the installation entails. If it's relatively easy to fish through fiberglas batt insulation then I'd rather have the separate switch too. It's rare we turn the garage lights on from the front door (we forget) so it probably doesn't matter if we have a single switch in the mudroom or a 3-way in the mudroom and one by the front door. I just need to get the hole drilled in the mudroom floor to fish through from the switch to the basement. Or easiest thing of all (though not convenient) is to put a single switch *in* the garage for the exterior garage lights.

I live in a newer neighborhood and all the houses here have been built with them. I love them. Not only is the light nice for us, the houses are all really pretty at night. They cast a nice light.

Actually, I'm reconsidering. Last night I went out at 2am to get a young dogwood (still in pot) out of the torrential rain, turned on coach lights and they light pretty much all but the corners of the porch. So do you think it's worth it to add cans (esp. 6 of them?!)? The 6 lights in a contractor pack were just $60, then say another $40 in labor (and that's overestimating it, won't take 2 hrs for my cousin to put them up and fish wire). So it's not the $100, it's just I don't want to be overkill on the lights. If we put them in - I think only 2 in the corners would look strange so I'd do the 6 - I'd definitely put them on separate switch and dimmer.

Sorry I didn't think to take a night pic LOL. Maybe the next night (tomorrow?) that it's not raining. I'm wondering if it's better (though more expensive) to get outdoor lamps for the corners.

Frankly, I just can't wrap my mind around canned lights on a New England farmhouse porch. True, I haven't seen any actual porches with them, but I just can't picture it.

Canned lights in kitchen to light work areas, canned lights in ceilings to highlight artwork or stonework or something yes, but canned lights on porch where the living is supposed to be easy and soft with quiet murmurs of conversation, I just can't see it in my mind.

I got an outdoor floor lamp for my porch. It is weighted with sunbrella fabric for the shade. Has two switches for a higher reading light or a softer light. LOVE IT!!

If the coach lights work well in lighting up the porch, I wouldn't add the canned lighting. Now if you all hang out on the porch in the summer, maybe put one canned light at each end of the porch.

I loved can lights for a porch or overhang. The light is soft, illuminates the home beautifully, and doesn't shine in your eyes at night like coach lights can. When I visit homes at night with coach lights blazing, I feel like I'm squinting when the owner opens the door. The light's too harsh.

Anyway, one thing to consider, ajm: with can lights on a separate switch, you can use them for reasons that aren't so strictly utilitarian, such as lighting the house just to make it pretty & welcoming, highlighting holiday decorations, having a softer light for evenings out on the porch.

I have two cans in my overhang with eyeball diffusers. They're just to make the house look pretty at night and to highlight the address numbers or a holiday wreath. Outdoor can lights aren't that uncommon here in New England.

I have friends that have recessed lighting on their porches and back porches, it gives a certain ambience to the house, in the P.M.

Maybe 4 cans, we'll see if we can center them b/t the columns? Just think that having one 3ft away from either side of front door may be too much?

I'll have to look at my neighbors' some night, one guy always leaves his on, though they are shorter houses/porches I can get an idea of spacing.

No address numbers on the house - with an 800-ft long driveway, if you don't see the numbers on the mailbox it's not going to help to have them on the house LOL! Though I really have to get my slate with the name and number back up (been off nearly a year waiting for DH to go out and put a backer board up).

Oops, barb, missed your post. Yes, I never thought of it when we were building either but the neighbors (those with porches) all have them and then I thought it was a good idea. I see what you're saying, and I'd definitely want these on a dimmer if we do them. Only thing about outdoor lamps (esp. on the railing end) is that the wind is so wicked here I'm afraid it would knock a lamp over. Not to mention the $100 (each) price tag.

Maybe eyeball baffles (I guess that's more correct than diffusers) for the ones by the door? That way you can direct the light on address numbers or a wreath or use them to even out the lighting with the coach lights.

Here is a link that might be useful: $16 at Lowes

awm, even though Lowes is calling that trim an eyeball, it looks more like a wall washer. IMO an eyeball would be more useful because you could adjust the beam in multiple directions to exactly where you want it but the angle of a wall washer is usually stationary (at least, that's how mine are).

Be sure to pick out the trim type you want before installing the cans because wall washer (& sometimes eyeball) trims take different cans (& bulb sizes) than ordinary recessed lights. I haven't bought any for a few years so maybe this has changed, but mixing the wrong types can be a fire hazard.

Thanks for clarifying, antiquesilver.

We have cans on our porch...on a dimmer switch. We use them more for when we're not home than when we are. They attract a lot of bugs. Also be careful how you place them if you have fans...since if the fan blades overlap the cans, you can get a strobe light effect.

Here's our porch. We have 4 cans...2 on front side, one in corner, and one on the wrap around side.

Have you considered installing electrical outlets for ceiling fans on the porch?

DH doesn't want lamps on the porch. We had decided on 5 cans, separate switch (dimmer). But if the cans attract bugs that defeats the purpose, we'd want them on for a little light in the evenings while we're out there. Maybe just citronella candles? DH wants to put Moquito Magnet out by the railing end (near basement door, plugged in behind the white table, which is b/t the wooden rockers).

Don't want/need fans on the porch - would do that if enclosed but since the floor is what gets hot (plenty of wind around here) it wouldn't help much. When it's really hot we go inside where we have AC. Never seen fans on a NE front porch ;-) - looking for unobtrusive.

We live across the street from the woods and a river. The fans help to keep bugs away, but with the lights on, it's just defeating. We do not have any sort of lens on the cans...the bulb screws right in and it's exposed. They are rated for outdoor use. I was wondering if they make bug bulbs for the can lights. The dimmer is nice because at night, we dim it for when one of us is not home yet instead of using the pendant and garage lights, which also attract bugs.

Lowe's sells a compact fluorescent bug light bulb that we use in our exterior recessed lights. Dh also found yellow LED bulbs that he put in the wall fixtures by the lower level garages (those may be too dim though.)

How is the light with the yellow bulbs? Does it make everything/one look jaundiced?

I was going to stay away from CFLs b/c

1) they don't seem to last long outside - too cold?

2) We won't have these lights on much

3) dimmable CFLs are very $$$