Recessed lights change a room more than almost any other electrical job, and they are cheap to run once they are LED. AAA Electric installs recessed lighting in Scranton, NC in finished ceilings using remodel housings and thin wafer lights, so there is no drywall demolition and no attic access needed in most rooms.
We lay out spacing based on ceiling height and what the room is used for, use IC rated fixtures where there is insulation above, and put everything on a compatible dimmer so it does not flicker at low levels.