Recessed lighting fixtures are relatively cheap compared to the most popular decorative fixtures and therefore I believe contractors and amateur designers have come to rely on them for general illumination in addition to task and accent lighting. I think this is a mistake but this is the first decision you need to make before getting wound up in the layout. I like to first locate the task lights at counters, etc. and use 4" line voltage PAR 20 halogens where possible because they are the least expensive. They should be spaced between 32" and 48" apart. Some of these fixtures might need to be a "wall washer", a "35 degree adjustable", or a "pin-hole" type, depending on your personal tolerance for light scallops on kitchen cabinets above work counters, tables not centered under a downlight, and the amount of a lamp visible when seated at a dining table. Some of the special types mentioned above are only available in low-voltage models, especially if the fixture must be rated for direct contact with insulation or air-sealed when below an unheated space. Complicated; you bet! After the task lights are located I like to light the walls where owners will most likely put artwork and photographs. This is more important to some owners than to others. But I believe rooms appear larger and more interesting when the walls are well lighted rather than the floors. This is even true in hallways. Some owners prefer decorative wall sconces as a way to light some walls and hanging lights over dining tables or islands. The size and power of the sconce should be carefully selected for the room and you need to be careful about blocking views with hanging lights. If you are tall you get tired of moving your head to see other people but if you raise the fixture the light source can become too visible. After locating the task and wall lighting, I try to fill in where there might be a dark area or where a decorative carpet or floor area needs emphasis. I try very hard to avoid a downlight over people's faces, especially in front of a mirror. Electricians will often tell an owner that only fluorescent lights are allowed in a closet but recessed incandescent lights are allowed if the fixture is 6" or more from the "storage" area defined by the NEC and there is a lens on the light. This basically means that the closet must be deeper than 24". (Surface incandescent lights are allowed in a closet if the fixture is 12" or more from the "storage" area. This basically means that the closet must be deeper than 28".) I have had some clients (especially those who entertained a lot) who loved recessed general lighting so much that in addition to task and wall accent lighting, I put line voltage PAR 20 downlights on a 4 ft grid throughout a living room or a family room. This requires a lot of heavy duty dimmer switches. I've never had two owners who had the same taste in lighting or anything else for that matter. You can only hope that one spouse takes the lead in this matter.

thank you. that's more helpful than you imagine. you had 8 different bids and every single one of them told you that you needed recessed lighting? And they knew you were using two triple lights?? seriously? never heard of that. Have never even seen it. your two vanity lights have 3 lights each. that's probably 360 watts of light when using 60w bulbs. (is there a window in the room?) while at the vanity, 360 watts is a lot. you could do 75w bulbs for even more lighting. If you need a light overhead, why not do one flush mount, or semi flush light, dead center? you could do a 2 or 3 bulb, like pictured below. that's another 200-300 watts of light. make the one in the shower a 6", LED waterproof, at 100w. so this bathroom may be larger than yours, but it has everything I've mentionedthe recessed is in the back over the toilet, and over the shower. there are no vanity lights, just the sconces. If you're doing makeup in here, sconces are usually a better choice. no recessed light, just a center light and four sconces. both of these rooms are wider than 5'. this room is a 5' or so. All they have is the two triple vanity lights. So to sum it up, your bathroom is only 5 ft wide. You don't see recessed lights in narrow bath when there are already vanity lights over the mirror. In fact, I looked at over 200 pics. Would you believe this is the only one I saw w/recessed lights, with over the mirror vanity lighting in your size bathroom? I saw many more with sconces, but none of the triple light over-the-mirror- vanity lights had recessed lighting. Your vanity lights will put off plenty of light. If your bathroom was 10 feet wide, then you could do the recessed. But putting them at the 2' 1/2' middle mark would make them too close to you at the vanity. It's redundant. So no. The only recessed light I would use is over the shower. If you feel you need more light, do a small flush mount in the middle of the room. If you have a fan vent like this pic, then you can't. For over the shower, you could do a large one or two 4" recessed lights. Forget the ones down the middle. my .02. hope it helps.

They should be pushed in more over the counter rather than the edge? No My lighting designer advised me to put my 6" disc LEDs centered over the edge of the counter. That way there are not shadows either on the counter as you work, or being cast onto the fronts of the lowers. Mine are spaced just about 4ft apart (center-center) and that was based on the specs for my particular lights (obtained from the manufacturer's website) and 8' ceiling, so that the "cone" or diameter of the light on the work surfaces overlapped just a bit - for even lighting. My kitchen is small, no island, so it only needed lights on two sides - the second side (with the frig and pantry, and a small cabinet with top for landing space and phone) I placed the lights away a tad more, to illuminate the cabinet interiors and center of the room more, as there isn't really a work surface on that side. I also have a small pendant over the sink, which is set in farther because I lean in farther when washing things. She also said to pay attention to whether an open cabinet upper door will block a light from illuminating the inside of the cabinet - you may have to adjust placement for that. Please do not worry about symmetry in your lighting layout! You won't be looking up at the lights to admire their symmetry, but you will notice uneven lighting!

Just place them where you need them to provide needed lighting, i,e. shower, vanity, near the laundry, over toilet, and general area.