If you’ve ever walked into a kitchen and marvelled at every unique inch of it, you know what a well-balanced and contemporary-to-its-core kitchen looks like. Its pristine flooring, extraordinary decor, spacious cabinets, and clean countertops are spectacular enough to engrave in your memory. Would you believe someone if they told you that the lighting of this place is what makes it memorable?
There is nothing wrong with wanting the dream kitchen for yourself. The amazing news is that it is quite possible and affordable. All you need is a reputable designer to tell you which specific light goes where. This article highlights various aspects of kitchen lighting to have comprehensive knowledge of the subject. Read on to ace your kitchen lighting and build an exceptional kitchen for your home.
Why is the lighting in the kitchen important?
Lighting in the kitchen is essential for different reasons. Let’s tackle the core reasons to understand it better.
- Art
The colours and lighting create the atmosphere of the place. By way of illustration, even though your blue kitchen will seem cheerful throughout the day, it can appear too dismal while you’re making one of your midnight snacks. Installing warm lighting would be a quick fix for this.
This is how light affects the mood of a space. The right choice of lighting can create a welcoming and pleasant atmosphere, but the improper one will have the opposite effect.
- Science
The light’s warmth is classified in Kelvins. Where calm and friendly whites are at 1800K, vibrant blues are at 8000K. Now, warm lights emit a yellowish glow, the ideal ambience for trusted intimacy in a seating area lit just enough to execute simple tasks seamlessly.
Another active factor in this is the Color Rendering Index of a light. It refers to the light source’s ability to uncover the truest colours of objects compared to natural light sources. This is of utmost importance in the kitchen to reveal the authentic undertones of food and drinks.
Types of lighting
The next important thing to keep in mind is the type of lighting that one can install in their home:
- Task lighting
Task lighting refers to lighting right below the cabinets to illuminate the primary countertop where most kitchen activities are carried out. Generally, people opt for low-voltage LED lights, puck lights, or ceiling lights for this purpose. Whichever you pick, ensure it syncs with your counter space and doesn’t look out of place.
For instance, a glossy countertop will blend well with evenly spread-out lights. Consult your electrician for a professional opinion on which lights you should deploy and what the width of the beam should be.
- Accent lighting
Accent lighting is also an important factor in your kitchen that defines the ambience of your space. It is a quick and affordable life hack to make the accessories and fancy add-ons in your kitchen pop. Draw attention to elements that add personality to your kitchen.
High ceilings, paintings, wine racks, architectural elements, or any such art pieces fall under this category. They speak volumes of the owner’s distinct style. Accent lights are most efficient when they are thrice brighter than the other lights installed in your kitchen.
- General lighting
General lighting points toward the relatively dark places in your kitchen. Pendant lights and chandelier lights fall under popular examples of recessed lighting. General lighting refers to a cluster of different lights hanging together.
How to create the perfect lighting-infused ambiance?
Here are some tips for creating the perfect light-infused ambiance:
- Ambient light fixtures
Ambient light fixtures should shed light evenly across the kitchen floor. Place the light as directed below:
- If you’re installing a flush-mount or semi-flush-mount fixture, like a chandelier, install it right above the island or at the epicentre of the ceiling if there is no island.
- While installing recessed lights, place each light half the height of the ceiling apart. Fix the lights overhead the countertop to prevent casting shadows on the counter space. Always keep it a few inches from the countertop’s front edge.
- Task lighting
Task lighting should drive focus to the work surface, so do this:
- Generally, pendant lighting goes over sinks, dining tables, chopping stations, baking areas, and other places of regular activity. However, you don’t want to place them over appliances with built-in light fixtures, such as the refrigerator, microwave, and stove. Place the pendant 2.5 feet away to avoid light glare.
- LED tape or strip lights are best used on the upper or underside of the cabinets to cast a clear glow over their contents. Proceed to fix it on the backside of the cabinets and pantries, inside drawers, and base of the cabinets. Place it 1 to 3 inches apart from the front side of the cabinets to minimize glare.
- Accent lighting
Accent lighting highlights the pieces of decor in the kitchen, so follow this:
- Position cove lights in the ceiling ledges to tune into contemporary ceiling lights.
- Install puck lights under the upper cabinets with vases, crockery, or wine. Place them an inch away from the backside of the shelves to make your best crockery and plants pop gracefully.
How does lighting in the kitchen help?
The kitchen’s lighting serves several crucial functions that improve functionality, safety, and aesthetics. The following are some benefits of lighting in the kitchen:
- Secures cooking
A well-lit kitchen boosts your family’s safety. Installing bright lights in the kitchen is crucial to avoid running into someone cooking at the stove and harming yourself while in the kitchen. Plus, the better you can see, the better food you will cook. Place efficient lights in the kitchen to stay safe and make scrumptious meals.
- Increases value
Here’s a thought: Think about what makes a house worth more in monetary terms. Well-developed flooring, huge kitchens equipped with the latest appliances, and the interior design of a place. All of this combined raises the value of your home.
Make sure every proud part of your kitchen is well-lit to draw attention to its best features. This will make your kitchen look modern without having to redo anything.
- Illuminate your kitchen
When you remake a kitchen, the lighting of the place is as important as the layout and the theme. Ensure that your kitchen has a balanced mix of lights to see everything. This will make your kitchen convenient to use and save you lots of time trying to find things.
Why choose us?
At Impressions Kitchen, our designers aim to materialize the kitchen and baths of your imagination. Our expertise in these specific interior design niches enables us to guide your designs in the right direction. Apart from the lighting of your kitchen, you can trust our team to pick aesthetic and high-quality cabinets for you. Our styles cover exclusive designs of contemporary and condominium kitchen and vanity renovations.
The decades worth of experience renders us with a reliable command over this job. Besides baths and kitchens, we undertake hallways, mudrooms, offices, and laundry room contracts. We will make every cent you spend worth it. Allow us to take over your kitchen’s basic ideas and transform them beyond your expectations. There is never a better time than the present to renovate your space.
