Just about anything.

I redid a house that was originally a carpet factory. There were outlets in the ceiling because that was the original lighting: fluorescent "shop lights" on chains plugged into the ceiling outlets.

In two adjacent rooms we chose NOT to tear the ceilings apart, but to reuse the wiring that was up there (20-foot ceilings. I'm all set). I took the runs from the original ceiling outlets, tied them to a seperate switch, and plugged night lights into them. Nice dim glow through the whole place at night.

Also did a VERY-custom room, same house, had ceiling outlets for strobe lights and blacklights.

Some sort of plug-in accent lighting...

all kinds of ideas.

Most likely they had some sort of plug in light, like a beer sign over a pool table.

This is a brand new house. Custom home that the original buyer defaulted on before completion. I was just curious what these outlets may have been intended for. Definitely not the type of home for a beer sign outlet (although thats a good idea....the wife may not like it.) And the location of the outlet is all the way against the entry wall certered left to right. I can't imagine a light that would work in that location.

Home theater projector? Hanging flat screen?

My first thoughts were a screen or projector, but the location doesn't make sense. The "game room" is really 3 rooms separated by a large archway on both ends of the middle room. The outlets in question are in both of the end rooms. The middle room has the theater wiring.
Also, in each of these rooms, there are recessed lights with a dedicated switch, a ceiling fan location in the center with a dedicated switch, and this mystery outlet with a dedicated switch. There is so much lighting already available in each room, that I have a hard time believing the intention was for another light source.....I am baffled.

I think it is pointless to try and figure out what THEY intended these receptacles for. You should figure out what YOU can use them for.

Take this as an opportunity to do something cool.

I agree, but the curiosity of what these were for got the best of me.

Movie screen? The kind that retracks?

I know that while a projection screen that retracts seems like it might be an obvious thought, how is it going to retract with the power shut off? Screens use a low voltage 12 volt trigger signal, available via a std. 1/8 inch mini jack on the back of the projector to lower or raise the the screen which has a constant 120vac supplied.

I know this still doesn't answer the OP's question but then maybe it was just for "mood lighting"...

Maybe for holiday decorations or auxillary Christmas trees?

Possibly for track lighting.

Disco balls or smoke generators?

Could this have been an area where the homeowner was planning on putting cabinetry? Over and undercabinet
lighting can be run this way... I am installing 3 ceiling
mounted outlets in my kitchen above the cabinets for the
over/under cab lighting controlled by 1 switch.

Mike

ionized hit on the general type of application we installed them for :)

plug -in clock? Accent lighting for artwork?

i dont think they would be for a plug-in clock because the outlets are switched. maybe for some type of accent lighting like Schreibdave said though

We are in the same boat - -bought a foreclosure and the house was not finished yet - - We just discovered a plug box in the bathroom about a foot from the lighting wire - just happened to look up :). The box is one of the kind that is added later - after sheetrock. We know it is not for an exhaust fan one is already installed. Sorry to hijack - - but maybe someone can shed some light??

It def. could be for a Sonos Wireless Sound System. Super easy to setup, great sound, but requires the speakers to have a power source...

Did you ever figure out the purpose for the electrical sockets in the ceiling? I have them, and their placement doesn't make any sense.

I bought older house , built 1949. Well i have an outlet just below my ceiling in a bedroom.

I don't think I've ever seen a clock receptacle in a bedroom, but it could be that. Battery powered clocks arrived much later than 1949.

Just looked at a house where there were outlets in the ceiling corners of almost every room in the house. The house was built in 1979, but has been heavily remodeled. Some of the outlets were in the new rooms, but many of the original rooms also had the plugs. It was a mystery to me, as well. I thought about Christmas or decorative lighting of some type, but it just doesn't make sense that they would be in EVERY corner of almost every room. I also wondered about some type of speaker system, but it didn't seem appropriate to have speakers in ALL those rooms and there were no other panels for speaker wires. Has anybody figured out what somebody would want to have those ceiling plugs for?

Rope lighting to be strung around the ceiling? Your guess is as good as mine.

Swag cord and plug hanging fixtures?

Ceiling outlets are so you can do self-install of a ceiling fan, track light, chandelier, security camera, emergency lighting, without having to hard wire the device yourself or hire an electrician. Normally a ceiling outlet will be tied into a switch to turn it on and off. Just don't be drilling and installing between the outlet and the wall.

Xmas tree, vacuuming the entree way...wall mount fan....for venting... people would put ceiling receptacles in a place were i cord to the wall would be a tripping hazered...fyi

I've got a couple installed in coves near the ceiling to accommodate rope/track lighting in the cove.