Retro lighting: Square recessed can lights - reproductions
Mid Mod Pam on Jul 31 2008 at 8:00 am | Filed under: lighting
The recessed lights throughout my 1951 colonial-traditional ranch are all in square housings. I also have two recessed lights on the stairs to the basement that are longer rectangles. From my trips to estate sales, I think that square lighting was much more common than round cans in the postwar era, although round was used.
I have searched high and low for replicas of the squares, and the best that I have found so far are the Halo lights in the drawing above. There are several other makers that have similar designs - but this company seems to have the most choices when it comes to lenses, including the cool “Glass Drop Opal Splay,” which is directionally similar to the lenses in the lights in each of my three bathrooms. I also am showing photos of the Nora lights, with both “albanite” (appears to be what we’d call “frosted”) and “fresnel” (or “pressed glass”) lenses. These are also directionally similar to historic lights, which at minimum were frosted, and often included frosted patterns, or a decorative pressed glass shade kind of ‘dropped down’ from within the housing. In terms of overall dimensions, the 8″ square is right on with the Nora - same as mine. The Halo’s are slightly bigger, at just over 9″.
I do have one key issue relative to authenticity: The visible housing for these are all metal (I presume) painted white. As far as I’ve been able to determine - from extensive, obsessive online searching — nobody has them in chrome, which is absolutely positively preferable. If any readers know otherwise, please share!
In case you want more options: Thomas Lighting also offers an 8″ square with what appears to be a frosted shade. And, Progress Lighting has two choices, in 9.5″ and 11.5″ squares (see very last page of their Recessed housings page). I would check with a lighting authority - but I presume you could buy and cut patterned glass to fit, just be sure of fire safety.
These lights are great in hallways, small bathrooms, mudrooms — anywhere, really, with a low ceiling and compact volume. And, they are absolutely classic above a kitchen sink, tucked into the bottom of the soffit. Watch on your travels into midcentury homes - there are some great ones!
I do caution, however, about using them in a larger space in multiples. There is something about a square that stops your eye, compared to a circle. In my kitchen, for example, round cans were a much better choice - actually providing a nice counterpoint to the square room, square cabinets, square floor tiles…and repeating the round exhaust fan, table, and retractable light.
The “right” choice - comes from “eyeballing” the situation. But a starting rule: Small room, one light, go square. Larger room, multiple lights, go round.
Thanks for this post. The cover is missing for the square recessed light over our kitchen sink, and I’ve been looking around town for a replacement. I will check out these products.
Hi Pam,
We have these square recessed lights in several spots in our new mid-century home. The frames appear to have been painted with the ceiling. And there is one directly over the sink, in the soffitt - -just as you describe! I’m not crazy about them because they just don’t give off enough light, but for now, they are the least of our projects so they stay. Were tract lights or cable lights around in mid-century decorating?
Hi Sleepingbee, sorry, no tract lights or cable lights in mid-century design. If you want more light above the kitchen sink - a desire I totally understand - you might consider removing the square light, with its bulb concealed and dimmed by the glass shade, and replacing it with a round can light with no shade. I have a long expanse of soffit over my sink - and actually put three small-scale round cans there - works and looks great.
Sumac Sue, how wide is the square light missing its chrome housing? I have picked up a few of these housings in my travels and would be happy to send you one if I have one in the right size.
What about spraying the housing with a nice chrome spray paint or having them chrome dipped? Does this mean I can’t use my pink glass globes that hang by three chains?
Karmi, I think spray painting is a very viable option, can’t hurt. Regarding re-chroming, very expensive. Did I ever run the post about that? I have to check. And of course you can use your pink glass globes that hang by three chains! This post is simply identifying an option. In fact, I had readers ask me about square recessed lighting - which led me to this hunt.
I agree, a chrome option would be nice. I’m installing two 6″ can lights in my hallway to replace an original rectangular recessed light fixture. Two will give me better light distribution and they will be more airtight than the original fixture (which does has a chrome frame). I chose to use the “shower” bezel which comes with a frosted lens for a softer lighting effect. Seeing the square options gives me pause to think they would be a more appropriate option in keeping with the age of my 1958 home. I just installed four 4″ round halagen recessed lights in my livingroom (brushed nickle finish) - great light effect with a dimmer. When redoing anything in my midcentury home, I try to keep the new elements appropriate to the style of the house.
Chrome is tough stuff to paint so if you’re one of the unfortunate victims of an over-zealous ceiling painter, try soaking the trim in the sink for an hour or so, then using something soft like a label scraper or your thumb nail, start working at the old paint. You’ll be surprised at how it’ll come off, especially if it’s latex based.
For fans of the pressed glass circular pattern in the square housing, there is a complementing trim equivalent for 6″ recessed can lights. I bought a whole box recently off eb*y. Watch out, some are white plastic with the glass insert while others are painted aluminum with glass. Only you’ll know once it’s on the ceiling, however.
Timely post for me, as I was just wondering about my recessed lights the other day. They too are square, and are currently painted beige. If I could find replacement housings in chrome, I would snap them up in a heartbeat! I love the look of the lights, though.
Does it make me a bad person that I hate my square recessed light? It’s bizarre. I have a 1957 brick ranch, and this light is at one end of my living room. It’s adjacent to our kitchen, so perhaps it was originally a dining area, and the light was above a dining table? In any case, it casts barely any light at all…
Maybe if I had one of those nifty embossed glass shades I’d like it better…
Hey dcgrl, thanks for commenting, I think this is your first? NO of course you are not a bad person for not liking your light. It sounds like it is in a bad place. A light first and foremost should fulfill its function. So…what do you have under it right now? Is the room arrangement such that you really could use a chandelier? What do you think of the groovy light up in the Last Days Ebay section - it has 4 bulbs!
Readers, I have checked my stash. I have 3 Moe recessed lamp housings. Just the outside part that holds the glass (and gets painted) - not the whole installation. (Although I have two of those sitting in my attic, ahem.) Satin aluminum finish. MIB. The part that holds the glass appears is 7″ wide, the overall housing box it fits into looks like 7.5, overall exterior dimension 9″. For “R4 housings.” This whole area sounds like a danger zone if you don’t get your measurements right, but hey, I picked them up for a song at a Restore visit. Some people rescue puppies and kittens, I rescue vintage hardware.
Pam, you’re so nice for noticing my first post!
There is nothing but floor underneath my square recessed light. Eventually, I plan to put my round dining table under it, and fully expect to use some kind of pendant or chandelier. I’m loving the pendants at Satellite…
But the Ebay light looks like it might be a fit for my modest 5X6 foyer. The previous owners installed an atrocious 80s amber glass fixture–yuk. Any other suggestions for entry lights for a traditional brick ranch, (not eichler-esque in the slightest) I’d be very grateful. I was thinking something like: http://www.hudsonvalleylighting.com/lighting/detail/1709
dcgrl, can you send me an email with photos of your house? honestly, I think that hudson valley lighting fixture is too “schoolhouse”. Also if your ceilings are not real tall, you don’t want a drop-down that’s too deep. Better to look for a “ceiling fixture” and if you are wanting light, at least 2 fullsized bulbs, better 3. I am trying to get satellite to advertise on my site, they would be such a great fit, but they are not responding, alas!
In copper no less! Here’s the 6″ Fresnel for traditional recessed lighting.
http://www.electricsuppliesonline.com/eleshtrwifrl1.html
Oops, my light isn’t square — it’s 6.5″ by 9.5.” The inside of the fixture is white, so, I am figuring the outside covering was white too. It has two sets of wires coming down that must have held the covering on.
Hello! I have original square lights in my home–brass with dropped frosted glass inserts. They do not give off a lot of light, and was thinking of changing them out for something modern (GASP!!), but after visiting this site, I realize what a treasure I have in my wonderful home! MY QUESTION IS THIS: How can I still use these lights and make the light brighter?
Thanks!
Hi MaryJo - Sorry, I have no good answer to your question. I do not know that these were designed to throw off a light. And, I’d be careful about overloading them with wattage. In my house, my plan is to: Find more square recessed lights like the ones I have and install more. I have a hallway with just one light, and it’s not enough - so I will add two more. At some point.
One thought, though - maybe nix the frosted glass and see if a reeded, fluted or mottled CLEAR glass gives you more light? With this solution, at least you’d keep the square recess. And it likely wouldn’t be a big investment.
I also had one in each bathroom (centered) supplementing vanity lights. I kept all as is - but added a shower/tub fan with a light as well — the bathrooms also needed ventilation. Now, if you are in the bathrooms and all three sets of lights are on - it’s like a Hollywood stage set.
Denny and Barb - No selling please on the main site. You can list your item for sale on the Forum. Thank you!
I have a square recessed light cover that I want to replace as well - I bought a 9 3/8 cover from Home Depot, and I’m not sure how to put it on! The opening is about 8 5/8. I’ve tried every way I can think of - do the covers require additional hardware to install?
Ok, I figured it out.. the old housing is 9 3/4.. oops.