Lighting makes a huge difference when it comes to the way your home’s interior looks. It makes it more appealing, enhances certain visual points, warms up the space and makes it more open. Lighting fixtures often serve as beautiful and outstanding decorative elements as well. Apart from contributing to the overall design of the room, making it more personal and changing the way it feels, kitchen lighting must be really functional in the first place. Interior designers, while employing lighting to add a certain hint to their design solutions and create a special atmosphere in the kitchen, concentrate on utilitarian features and purposes of lighting.
Acknowledging the fact that the layout of kitchen furniture and appliances create a number of obstacles, which make the ordinary lighting scenario (a big lighting fixture in the center of a room) impossible and far from being enough, designers try their best to address all the places and blind spots the homeowners might want to have extra lighting in to be able to use their kitchen and perform their daily tasks without feeling uncomfortable due the lack of light.
These kitchen lighting ideas and tips will inspire you to pump up your lighting game and install the lights to meet the functional requirements and reach an appealing effect.
Kitchen lighting ideas and tips
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Don’t rely on ceiling lighting, especially on a single central light.
Overhead kitchen lighting is crucial when it comes to covering the whole room, generating an overall lighting pattern and providing a backdrop for additional lights. But, don’t feel limited to ceiling lighting only, as it doesn’t serve all the purposes of kitchen lighting. Don’t opt for a single powerful ceiling lighting fixture either, as it will overpower the space, create a lot of blind spots and shadows. Go for an accent decorative ceiling-mounted lighting fixture and complement it with recessed spotlights instead.
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Layer the lights.
As we’ve already determined, a single source of light won’t be able to provide enough lighting for the kitchen area. Thus, it’s necessary to combine various kinds and levels of functional kitchen lighting to achieve a well-lit room. Task lights, ambient lights, accent and decorative fixtures will create different dimensions of light and leave the room for multiple lighting options.
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Install undercabinet lights.
Let’s face it, those are the lights you need the most while cooking and washing up – dealing with the tasks that keep us in kitchens the most. With no additional spotlights underneath the overhead cabinets, you’ll be deprived of proper lighting when preparing food, as in most cases, your body blocks the light from ceiling fixtures, not allowing them to reach the countertop area. Undercabinet lights will illuminate the working area and prevent you from chopping and cooking in dim shadows.
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T-5 fluorescent or LED lights, which some in different wattages and provide natural cool light, work for the undercabinet area the best.
Install them closer to the front edge of the cabinets, rather than in the center or further to the room’s wall, so that they cast the light on the entire countertop, but not the backsplash. Hire an electrician from HireRush.com to get them installed properly to ensure electric safety, which is especially important around the areas, exposed to water and located close to the oven. Leave your request here
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Consider mismatched kitchen lighting fixtures.
Play with different shades and textures to create an odd-fashioned feel and divide the lights according to their purposes and task areas. They’ll make your kitchen more personal and unique.
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Install ambient lighting above the kitchen aisle.
Pendant lights are among the latest home improvement trends, as they provide a sleek chic feel to the area while ensuring concentrated light to the worktop. They’ll make your kitchen more inviting, romantic and intimate, especially when they’re the only lights kept on during the dinner.
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Add soft shine.
If you feel like adding a bit of extra light above the dining area, delicate warm-toned dropped lights similar to pedants will set up the mood and appetizing atmosphere.
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Use accent lights to draw attention to decorative elements.
Accent lights aren’t that common, but they become more and more popular among the modern homeowners who like to spend more time in their kitchens with their friends and family, as well as accentuate decorative elements like a piece of artwork, a fancy set of China in a cabinet with glass doors or floating shelves with dish- and glassware.
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Industrial or chic?
While brass and steel pendant lights with glass elements complement the industrial style and most traditional kitchens, lantern fixtures and statement chandeliers will suit large rooms and joint kitchen living room areas, providing a luxurious feel and contributing to the unique design.
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Don’t forget about the pantry.
Dark and gloomy pantry you can’t find anything is completely functional. Change that by adding just a few spotlights to it.
