After having only one dimmer switch in our current home (family room) and loving it, we will be putting a dimmer on most all switches in the new home.

I know we will NOT be putting one in the pantry and probably not in the bathrooms.

DH installed dimmers in our bathrooms & we love them. He is very sensitive to lights, so he uses lower light levels if he is showering, etc. & only puts them up to full brightness when he needs to shave. The ones that DH installed look like on ON/OFF light switch so they aren't clunky like some dimmers can be.

We have dimmers in the dining room, over the breakfast table, controlling a couple different banks of can lights in the kitchen, the overhead lighting in the family room and in a foyer & hallway so we could leave a low level of light on when DD was out on a date and came back after we went to bed.

They are easy to install, so put them in the most obvious places, live with it for a while & then come back and put in more where you think you want them.

Jo Ann

Thank you both. Sounds like you can't have too many. Nice to know that they are easy to install too.:-)

I have a dimmer on all my ceiling fans, and I have a ceiling fan in most every room.

I have a dimmer on my chandelier and sconces in the foyer.

Quite a number of the sconces have a dimmer, if not all.

My bar lights and island lights dim.

The laundry room does not dim. The Vanities dont dim, the closets don't dim but I do have a door switch for those. Doors open, light comes on. Close the door, light goes off.

I also have a number of LED night lights built into the wall.

I figure we will find we have favorites but I do like low lights in the evening and we usually have something on all night long somewhere so the nightlights will be nice.

I think that is it.

We're putting them just about everywher- all bathrooms and bedrooms, living room, office, kitchen, dining room. No dimmer in closets (used fluorescents) or laundry. If you have 3-way or 4-way switches, you'll only be able to dim from one location unless you get "smart dimmers".

I love dimmers in a bathroom. . . definitely in the powder room (good for parties to add a little ambiance and more flattering light) and the master bath (good for a long soak in the tub at night). Also over the dining areas for sure. I have one on the chandelier in my bedroom also because there are times I want it bright and times that I do not :)

Another vote for bathroom.

We did one in the master closet. At evening we don't want the bright light but you need it sometimes. It is a large closet but I'm still not sure we would meet code....

We put dimmers everywhere except the pantry, coat closets, and the step lights, which are on dusk/dawn sensors. We also have dimmers for the outside lights.

I love them, but I can't get DH to stop making everything "romantic" all the time. LOL

I LOVE dimmers, but be aware there are some limitations. Regular dimmers don't work with compact flourescent bulbs, and if you want to dim from 2 locations on a 3-way, you need to go to a VERY expensive dimmer set. Also, if you're doing the wiring yourself, be aware that it can be really hard to stuff all those wires in a box with multiple dimmers -- I nearly tore my hair out wiring one box with three dimmers in the 3-gang box!

However, I have dimmers in my kitchen (over the island and over the sink), dining room (everywhere -- the ambient light is perfect for eating), Hallway, Living room can lights, Master bathroom (all lights except shower -- dimming the light over the toilet really, really low at night works well for a nightlight), Master bedroom (all lights except closet) and guest bedroom (track lights).

I didn't put dimmers on the entry hall lights, laundry room light, guest bath light or stairway lights.

We use nearly all the dimmers we installed, except the one over the tub (since it's such a dim light to start with) and the bedroom lights we never turn on!

Plus, it's so easy to replace a "normal" switch with a dimmer (even I can do it!) that you're never stuck with your initial decision.

Hi,

One tip, if at all posible arrange to have a LIVE wire and NEUTRAL and EARTH wire go to all you light switch boxes. It is slighlty more expensive to have these extra wires put in.

The advantage is later if you want to install Z-wave and more complicated lighting controls you can easily yourself.

best, Mike.

We're currently stressing over this one. We have a lot of recessed cans in our house plans and wanted to be able to use dimmers in every room/area. However, we know for sure that we want to use CFL's. It sounds like it could get very expensive to set it up this way. Are you planning to use CFLs?

Dim everything!

I have dimmers everywhere except for my outside lights, basement lights, and pantry.

I even have a dimmer on my shower light! In general, bathroom is key, getting up in the middle of the night, I don't want to have it lit to the hilt.

dimmer on the shower was for when my wife would get up at 5, she couldn't deal with full on light first thing in the morning.

on the "new" house we are going to dim most things, but probably using CFL cans outside not on dimmers.