Being an important room in the house, any kitchen should have the proper lighting to ensure that those who use it can see everything clearly even at night. There are tricks in lighting a kitchen and it’s not actually enough that only a single light is installed on the ceiling.
Having only one ceiling-mounted lighting fixture creates a glaring effect and causes shadows which is a no-no in the kitchen, according to interior designers. To create a well-lit room, blending and layering four types of light is most ideal. Depending on what you want to achieve in your kitchen, all four should be taken into consideration but you can also choose to use only two of them if you’re after practicality.
Task lighting is the most important of all and this is one placed above a person’s head and the countertop (work surface). This provides sufficient illumination when preparing ingredients and reading recipes whether from a book, magazine or an iPad. Ideally, this kind of light should be installed below the overhead cabinets.
Ambient lighting is the second important aspect. This provides a warm glow to the room and soften shadows. The best place to install this is above the overhead cabinet especially those that do not reach the ceiling.
Accent lighting is meant to put focus on items, artworks or silverware collection displayed in cabinets with glass front. The light fixtures are normally installed inside the cabinets or they can be the recessed and adjustable low-voltage fixtures.
Decorative lighting is the fourth type which adds a unique perspective to the room. This is optional, though.
Keep these things in mind so that the next time you renovate your kitchen, it will have the right lights at the right places.
Image via irepairhome
Originally posted on May 11, 2013 @ 1:09 pm
