Update: Very old story; all the links now broken. If you are looking for this lighting, you’ll need to google the companies mentioned.
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.
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.
dcgrl says
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…
Retro Jen says
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.
karmi_woolfe says
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?
cadman says
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.
MidCent Keith says
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.
50sPam says
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.
50sPam says
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.
50sPam says
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.
sleepingbee says
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?
Sumac Sue says
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.