lighting Q

Many (most?) buildings will not permit you to drill into the slab in order to recess the lights, or hide the wiring, thus everything will have to be surface mounted, which may not be an aesthetic you want. It may be possible to add a layer of sheetrock to the ceiling, so the lights could be mostly recessed, and the wiring completely hidden, although code requirements for the wiring may make this a non-starter. You should check with the building management about what your options are.

I considered this problem when I renovated my post-war apt (8-6' ceilings), and opted for surface mounted track lights, connected to an existing ceiling box.

Aaron, Did you consider soffits?

Kiss,

I am sure I will get some negative feedback from this one but.... Lighting has come a long way recently and they make their lights very thin. We have been dropping ceilings 2" and then you can put lighting anywhere you want. People will say 2"? I cant lose 2" but I promise you that you will never know

Here are 2 examples:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiW6zQWDd7_/?taken-by=primerenovations
https://www.instagram.com/p/BL00OVCBWio/?taken-by=primerenovations

Jeff, Which brand of lights do you use for low profile? Pictures look very nice indeed.

We like Contrast ultra thin

Jeff, those look very nice, are they dimmable and is the color "warm"?

300: I didn't consider soffits, as I needed to get the lights a ways away from the wall in order to effectively light artworks. The soffits would have protruded into the room more than I wished.

Nice to see the advances in lighting: I need some very thin recessed lights for an upcoming remodel (very low ceiling in a very old house), and will consider the Contrasts. Thanks!

Primer, thats a great solution. I have always thought "track" lighting would go out of fashion soon enough as I think it looks cheap (I know it isn't) and detracts from a smooth ceiling line which makes the ceiling look shorter and the apt. look smaller.

PW,

These lights are dimmable. They come in several different temperatures. You have to be very careful when it comes to any Led light as far as dimming. The dimmer switch that you are using might not go with the light.

A-Aron, that's called a dropped ceiling where I come from. Are you for real?

Yes, the answer is a dropped ceiling. Hiding that fact is beyond the beyond and will be sussed out within 5 minutes by any potential buyers. So the real answer is not to do that and just find a light fixture that is as close to the ceiling as possible without trying to hide it. For now, that tends to mean a swervy S-shaped, quasi light fixture.

Or, upon re-reading your post, you can go the 80s route and install essentially dropped crown moulding and tuck some lights in there. Note that this will surely date the style but I'm still seeing this eons later so enough people must like it or are willing to tolerate it.