Kitchen lighting options are plentiful. Knowing how to use each one is oftentimes tricky. Should you use track lighting or recessed? Should you choose a chandelier or single-bulb fixture in the center of the room? Know your options before you get started. Let’s go over some dos and don’ts where kitchen lighting is concerned.
Kitchen Lighting Dos
Recessed can lights evenly spaced along the ceiling offer general overall lighting for the kitchen. Task lights placed in strategic places increase the functionality of the kitchen. We’ll discuss that more in a moment.
Incorporate your personal design tastes into your new kitchen’s lighting. Consider functional metal sculptures that hang from the ceiling using standoffs and allow a variety of lighting options on a single artistic track.
Under-cabinet lighting is extremely useful for kitchens with a lot of hanging cabinet space. Hanging cabinets often get in the way of ceiling-mounted lights, creating more shadow. Under-cabinet lighting isn’t seen unless it is turned on, leaving a very clean look with no clutter.
Over-cabinet lighting creates a sense of spaciousness over top of cabinets that don’t reach the ceiling. Many people choose to use crown molding for that area, but over-cabinet lighting is a lovely way to address that space.
In-cabinet lighting brightens spaces with glass doors, creating a lovely, warm atmosphere in the kitchen. Showcase your favorite dishes, vases, bottles, or other special decor behind the glass doors to really personalize the look.
Lighted range hoods provide great task lighting over the stove. This is one of the most important places for task lighting because you always need to see what you’re cooking.
A decorative chandelier over the island provides just the right amount of task lighting for that area. If you use recessed lighting as we mentioned above, you still need better lighting over the island; especially if that area is used for food preparation or cleanup.
Kitchen Lighting Don’ts
Don’t rely on a single light installed in the center of your kitchen. Lighting is meant to illuminate the task at hand, not have you trying to dodge your own shadow while cutting up veggies for dinner. Even small kitchens need more than a single light source.
Don’t clutter your kitchen with small lamps that struggle to provide the right amount of lighting. Preparing food, then cleaning the surfaces of your kitchen requires good light sources so you can make sure foods are cooked well and surfaces are cleaned properly.Most importantly of all, don’t let your beautiful new kitchen suffer from lack of proper lighting. Don’t spend thousands building the kitchen you’ve always wanted, only to mar its beauty with inadequate lighting.
Our expert design build team will work with you to create your dream kitchen with the perfect amount of lighting. We invite you to view our kitchen remodeling portfolio, or to give us a call to discuss your ideas.
