Recessed Lighting Trims & Retrofits

The first consideration with recessed lighting is what type you should get, sometimes referred to as the panel style. You have several main options, each with their own advantages:

• Baffle cladding: This type of recessed luminaire has grooves made to block excess light. This reduces glare and shadows. Choose this type for pure and soft ambient light. Black baffles can further reduce glare. However, choose white if you want the luminaire to match a light-colored ceiling.

• Reflector cladding: These are provided with additional shine that surrounds the light bulb so that the luminaire itself reflects more light into the room. If you want a brighter light, reflector bezels are a good choice.

• Adjustable trim: If you want to customize recessed lighting and retrofits to create accent lighting or spotlights, you need an adjustable bezel. Terms to look for in adjustable lighting include eyelid, gimbal, adjustable cone, eyeball, and wall wash.

• Wet place or lens: This type of recessed luminaire protects the light bulb and light housing from moisture and wetness. This can be a must have when placing your recessed lights in damp areas like a bathroom. It is common to see the terms “damp” or “wet” to indicate how much moisture the luminaire is protected from.