Recessed lighting is installed into the ceiling. Hollow openings are created in the ceiling where the metal light housings are installed above the ceiling line. No part of the light hangs down from the ceiling and the only visible parts of the fixture are the trim and part of the inner baffle.
Recessed lights require extensive ceiling wiring and cannot be easily moved after initial placement, but they are often well worth the effort. Recessed lights, also sometimes called can lights or downlights, concentrate light downward. They can be a broad floodlight or a narrow spotlight, which gives you flexibility in how you need to illuminate a room.