# Living room layout for a fan possibly lights



## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

First off, do you have access to the vault in the ceiling? If not it will be tricky and a ton of work to run wiring.


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## EWC88 (Jul 8, 2017)

Yes have access to my whole ceiling from above, it’s actually how they have most of the electric ran so it’ll be even easy to fish new wire.


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## chandler48 (Jun 5, 2017)

Wow, I was expecting a "doom" answer, which would be normal with a vaulted ceiling. Others may chime in with better answers, so here goes my opinion. I would think you could use 6 each 6" can lights, or even better canless lights. With the canless you can cut your holes, fish your wire from below or above, wire them and fasten them to the ceiling via their clips. A ceiling fan in the middle would be advisable, maybe a 52" one. 

Your challenge will be fishing the wiring down a wall to a switch location. If you run your power to the lights first, you will need to run 14-3 from the first light location to your switch to allow for a neutral. Your dimmer may or may not require it, but it is current code. If not used it is capped off. Same thing with your fan, depending on whether you run power to the switch first or to the fan first.


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## EWC88 (Jul 8, 2017)

Is one preferred or recommended over the other in regards of canned or canned less lights?
Also for ceiling fan are you saying in middle of whole floor area (so on the peak) or just in the middle of the living room?


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

Fans look nice, and and can provide a cooling breeze, but the lights on a fan don't normally provide much light, so don't be figuring the fan as a primary light source.

How high is the peak of your ceiling ?

Not sure if I have the whole picture of what that area looks like, but I would be inclined to put the fan at the peak of the ceiling. 

I am not a fan of can-lights. They are like spotlights onto your feet. Light should wash the ceiling so that it acts like the sky. I would suggest at least one chandelier or semi-flush mount fixture also on the peak. Better yet, one on either side of the fan, if you have the room. And I would suggest specifically looking for fixtures that direct the light up/sideways. Two 4-bulb (or more) fixtures would be nice. Make sure your fixtures have replaceable screw-in bulbs. Some people like the "warm" color temperatures, but I like at least 4500K bulbs so that it feels more like the natural outdoors.


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## Domo (Nov 9, 2018)

Make sure the lights will not shine down through the spinning fan blades or you will end up with a strobe effect...
"Washing" the walls or ceiling often gives a fuller lighting than shining recessed lights towards the floor. Consider wall sconces that aim up to wash the walls and reflect off the ceiling...


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

At my last house, I had a bunch of track lighting around the periphery of a cathedral ceiling. Heads could be aimed anywhere, and I had them washing the ceiling. That worked out well.


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## Domo (Nov 9, 2018)

SPS-1 said:


> At my last house, I had a bunch of track lighting around the periphery of a cathedral ceiling. Heads could be aimed anywhere, and I had them washing the ceiling. That worked out well.


Good move! I had the same arrangement with track lighting once. The original owner had them all pointing down into the room and it was similar to being grilled by the detectives under a spot light. Turned them up to bounce off the blond T&G ceilings and it lit all the areas without glaring into your eyes...


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## EWC88 (Jul 8, 2017)

So the peak is 11.5’ and then it slants down to the lowest part which is 8’.
I always thought about fan there for aspect of getting air movement in both areas, which would be nice. Now I thought of the recessed lighting mainly because the other half is the one who asked for it, not sure if she’ll like the look of track lightening or anything, but worth to ask and find out lol.


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## SPS-1 (Oct 21, 2008)

You need the right layout for track lighting to look right. Not sure you have that --- but of course, if the other half says you do, then you do have the right layout for track lighting.


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

EWC88 said:


> Is one preferred or recommended over the other in regards of canned or canned less lights?
> Also for ceiling fan are you saying in middle of whole floor area (so on the peak) or just in the middle of the living room?


 I'd go centered to LR.....Besides some breeze/ventilation, the fan helps to subtly define a living area in an open decore.


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## MTN REMODEL LLC (Sep 11, 2010)

As to extra lighting, indirect would be great....but I don't see that option available... I guess whatever is over on the left does not provide/offer getting more natural light.

I like Larry's thought of dropping in 4-6 cans....on a dimmer. I guess I'd use cans , as I think they provide more options as to bulbs in regard to degree of floods and color of light.


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## Domo (Nov 9, 2018)

EWC88 said:


> So the peak is 11.5’ and then it slants down to the lowest part which is 8’.
> I always thought about fan there for aspect of getting air movement in both areas, which would be nice. Now I thought of the recessed lighting mainly because the other half is the one who asked for it, not sure if she’ll like the look of track lightening or anything, but worth to ask and find out lol.


You can also install an inverted soffit (tray) around the ceiling/wall similar to crown molding - but leave the upper open so you can install LED or (ugh) fluorescent tubes to do the uplighting that would be shielded by the "crown."

If you use LED rope and it's not bright enough simply add another rope!

Search for "Crown Lighting" you can do it by making a box, using foam, etc.

Here's and artsy-fartsy example.


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## EWC88 (Jul 8, 2017)

I do like that crown lighting! Should other half some track lighting options and she instantly said no lol. She likes more of the sleek recessed lighting in ceiling.


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## 3onthetree (Dec 7, 2018)

If you want a fan, change the dining fixture to one. As Mountain said, it will define the space, so it would be very odd to have one hanging from the peak in what acts as open circulation space, with a chandelier next to it hanging lower over the table. If you have cooling problems with an 11.5' peak, look at your HVAC system as a ceiling fan is limited in what it will actually fix (psychologically it does a lot though). The cans I would avoid a grid in the living room. What happens is some will light up bald heads directly over the couch or light up the floor in front of the couch so your attention is on a bright spot on the floor rather than the tv. A couple accenting the wall would be better. As far as flush (LED canless) vs deep inset baffle (Edison housing) you will get more glare from the LED flush, even more so on a sloped ceiling. There are LED retrofits that have a small recess in between flush and Edison though (maybe 1" instead of 2"?). You can also use gimbals to point straight down for a sloped ceiling, but yours is not too steep so it's not critical.


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## Ronnie833 (Jan 9, 2021)

I'm not keen on the look of ceiling fans. They never make a room look more spectacular, right? I suggest a couple of decorative chandeliers which would add both character and light to that very nice room.

Like this as an example:

https://madebymood.com/wp-content/u...ete-floor-contemporary-decorative-pillows.jpg


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