# Lighting above Fireplace causes Excess Shadows



## TxHomeowner (Aug 17, 2016)

The eyeball recessed light above our fireplace is not centered and too close to the fireplace wall. There is a ceiling fan in the middle of ceiling. Currently, without the ceiling fan light ON there is extreme shadowing on and below the fireplace mantel. There is little problem with only the ceiling fan light ON but having this light on at night is not always desirable. We hope to correct the recessed lighting problem with better positioned recessed lights or some other solution. What do you think?


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## bud16415 (Aug 17, 2016)

I would put a pinpoint light in to just illuminate the art. The flood light is not cutting it.


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## beachguy005 (Aug 17, 2016)

Lower the wattage of the bulb in the fixture.  While it won't eliminate the shadow, it will make it appear a lot less harsh.


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## TxHomeowner (Aug 17, 2016)

beachguy005 said:


> Lower the wattage of the bulb in the fixture.  While it won't eliminate the shadow, it will make it appear a lot less harsh.


The light is on a dimmer switch.  We do dim the light but the shadow effect still ruins the hoped for look.  Thanks anyway.


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## TxHomeowner (Aug 17, 2016)

bud16415 said:


> I would put a pinpoint light in to just illuminate the art. The flood light is not cutting it.


Your idea is well received.  I wish I could find a site with true lighting experts.


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## nealtw (Aug 17, 2016)

Any light will look wrong, it is the amount the mantle sticks out.


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## nealtw (Aug 18, 2016)

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Commerci...erated-Puck-Light-3-Pack-1001217766/205703255


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## Sparky617 (Aug 18, 2016)

I would definitely try a pinpoint light if you just illuminated the picture the shadows would be largely gone.


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## beachguy005 (Aug 18, 2016)

TxHomeowner said:


> Your idea is well received.  I wish I could find a site with true lighting experts.




Take the picture on your cell phone and bring it to your local lighting showroom.  Maybe their "experts" would have better ideas.


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## TxHomeowner (Aug 18, 2016)

beachguy005 said:


> Take the picture on your cell phone and bring it to your local lighting showroom.  Maybe their "experts" would have better ideas.



Your comment is well received.  I provided the closest showroom, Lamps Plus, with the same exact information as posted here.  Their showroom staff was stumped.  We did not qualify to consult with their lighting placement reps since we are not buying a whole house worth of lights nor building a new house.  Basically, we are not worthy. They were snobs.


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## nealtw (Aug 18, 2016)

Find the small independent store, owner operated, most are good at what they do.


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## TxHomeowner (Aug 19, 2016)

Thank you Neal.


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## TxHomeowner (Aug 19, 2016)

So let me go at this in a different why.  Say, I had no light above the fireplace.  What specific light or light should be put up and how should it or they be positioned?

Thank you for your continued help.


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## beachguy005 (Aug 19, 2016)

You have to first decide what you're looking to accomplish.  What exactly you want to light up or highlight.


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## slownsteady (Aug 19, 2016)

It might be as simple as changing the light bulb to one that has a diffusion lens. Although that still might not be enough help, I would try that first. And also try redirecting the light down instead of directly at the wall.
It's actually a two-part question. What style of light fixture would you prefer, and where should it/they be located to accomplish what you want. If you don't want to rip into your ceiling to change the fixture, then the fixes are limited.


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## bud16415 (Aug 20, 2016)

The light was put there for one purpose only. It was to illuminate the area above the mantel. Lighting technology has changed a lot from when that was installed and I would look for the smallest new version of what that fixture was in its day. Some lighting fixtures are to be seen some are to only illuminate. I would say this one is the second type. Now that LED is king sizes can be a lot smaller.


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## slownsteady (Aug 20, 2016)

The size of the light has less to do with the shadows than the type of light. That's the basic difference between a spot light and a flood light (for instance). The previous owners must've been going for dramatic effect by placing a single light there. Two lights, if separated far enough, tend to wash out each other's shadow. More lights, the more the shadows get washed out.


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## beachguy005 (Aug 20, 2016)

Adding more light isn't the best solution.  Shadows are created mostly from direct lighting and some from indirect or reflected lighting.  The eyeball trim used just spreads direct light around regardless of using a flood or spot. The best solution would be to change the fixture to a cutoff wall washer trim. You may find that the recessed housing that's existing may have a compatible trim.  
What the trim will do is cutoff any light from going below a horizontal point on the wall.  It looks like a recessed trim that's half covered. The issue with them is the photometrics are such that they need to be mounted a certain distance from the wall to get a proper layout.  In your photo I would think that lighting would be wanted from the mantle up to the ceiling. Given that and the design of the fixture use it would need to be a measured distance from the wall.
Another approach would be a piece of track light or a single monopoint track fixture with a barn door trim, which you adjust and would also block light from creating shadows.  
Doing either will effectively prevent any light from creating and shadows.  No light = no shadows.


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## slownsteady (Aug 20, 2016)

I don't think  - from your pic - that you are close enough to the wall to get a true wall-wash effect from that fixture.  Beachguy is right that you could block the shadow by masking the light that reaches below the mantel. But while "no light=no shadows", remember also that no light=no light. You should do a little experimenting. Add a table lamp or a floor lamp in the area, and see how it effects the shadow. Change the lumens (wattage rating) of the bulb to a smaller light and see if the glare above the mantel is more balanced to the shadow below (that's also where the diffusion comes in). Etc..... 
Take a look at a page like this and see if something strikes your fancy; https://duckduckgo.com/?q=wall+wash+lighting&t=ffsb&iax=1&ia=images  and then decide how much you want to do to make it happen.


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## TxHomeowner (Aug 21, 2016)

Saturday we discovered the 23 year old rececessed fixture has a dangerous electrical short.  Continue use could/would start a fire.  We turned off the power switch to the fixture then removed the bulb.  Both components of the fixture must be remove with only wires remaining.  Each individual wire is to be capped off using wire nuts. A lighting consultant is scheduled to come evaluate the situation.

Thank you all for your help.  Once this dilemma is resolved I will post the successful result.


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## TxHomeowner (Nov 2, 2016)

Thanks for all your help.  Turned out the fixture was not defective.  We have tried several ideas but still have not found a solution.


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