I know exactly what you mean! I hate those things! I'm redoing my mothers kitchen and she hated those too so originally wanted to replace 2 of the 3 existing ceiling fixtures with a ceiling hugging pendant type with a longer pendant over the table. I explained that all those hanging in her small kitchen would be too busy and the other 2 would be competing with the pendant that will go over the table so talked her into letting me install 2 recessed potlights for the other 2. One over the back door entry and one in the work area...That left a clean ceiling so the only thing that will catch the eye is the pendant over the table and the one over the sink! I'm going to start a post of the kitchen update since the potlights are only thing installed so far...if I can figure out how! (kinda new here)

Thanks for all the feedback. You have given me a lot to think about. Interesting idea to move the light but I'm not sure it would work - it would have to be moved through a joist which probably means expensive and the bathroom has me pretty well tapped out. Plus right now it lines up with the door and the center cabinet -- I think it would bug me to have it off center.I guess I could move it back closer to the cabinets but I really just want to be done with the home renovations, LOL! However, in the process of googling about for pictures of schoolhouse lights, I found a very similar looking lamp at Home Depot for $40 -- it's 12" diameter and takes a 100w bulb so I'd get the brightness I want in a slightly smaller fixture for 1/3 the price. (If you're curious, you can see it here: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-Esdale-1-Light-Ceiling-Oil-Rubbed-Bronze-Semi-Flush-Mount-Light-SF230/203194915) The glass and metal look cheaper and thinner but it's just the laundry room so I'm not too worried. So I think I'll go buy it -- that way, if it looks awful or the laundry gets stuck up there, I can return it. I think it should be ok though -- the light will be close enough to the ceiling and the chute far enough away that I think it would be hard for laundry to catch. And I suppose if it does, I could always build the chute lower as in the picture Oly posted. Thanks again! (And feel free to keep offering opinions -- it's not a done deal yet and I'd rather make sure I think about all the options now vs. wishing I had done something differently later.)

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It's not a simple answer. If keeping those locations and removing the fan, 6" would serve better for lighting, but I don't think you will be switching to 6" because: - if you have existing 4" new construction housings (Edison), it is too much trouble just to bump up to 6" integral LED fixtures as you are tearing out the ceiling to remove the housings. Really not even a reason to install 4" retrofit LED fixtures into the existing 4" new construction housings, unless you like the flush lens look. So if you are tearing out, go with a new layout and 4". - If you have existing 4" remodel housings or 4" integral LED's, then you can easily remove them and bump up to 6". But, in this scenario, because they are so easy to remove, adding in a couple more fixtures in between the existing would be easy too, which then should all be 4" fixtures. - If you are saying you will put a recessed light at the fan, I wouldn't. - The first assumption is they are 4" from estimating size from the pictures, and when lit you can't tell if they are old Edison trims or new integral LEDs. ______________ If this is swahili to you, look up about what the differences are between: - recessed new construction housings - recessed remodel housings - integral LED recessed lights - integral LED retrofit recessed lights