The kitchen is the hub of the home, where meals are prepared, friends and family gather and life in general takes place. With all of that activity – from chopping and dicing veggies to doing algebra homework – today’s kitchen demands a thoughtful lighting plan to illuminate your space and create a pleasant, welcoming atmosphere.
Whether you’re knee-deep in a total kitchen renovation or just making a few improvements, here are a few tips for getting remarkable lighting results in the kitchen:
Start with Ambient: The first step to an effective lighting plan is to start with good base lighting. Ambient is the general lighting that illuminates a room, and can be accomplished with a ceiling mount fixture, chandelier or other types of lighting.
Add in Task Lighting: Pendants over the island or under-cabinet low voltage lighting for food prep. A recessed can light over the sink for easier dishwashing. Wherever work takes place, add task lighting.
Sprinkle in Some Accent: To bring extra warmth and drama into the kitchen, try low-voltage or LED accent lighting inside the cabinets to illuminate your favorite china or glassware, or add above cabinet up-lighting to open up the space and make it feel larger. A little accent lighting goes a long way in giving your kitchen a designer look.
Bring on the Dimmers: Easy-to-install and great for saving energy, dimmers allow you to adjust your lighting level to fit the mood or time of day. You can install dimmers individually or invest in a whole house dimmer system to control lighting output in every room from one centralized location.
Ready for some kitchen lighting inspiration? Stop by one of Yale Lighting Concepts & Design’s seven showrooms throughout Central and Southeastern PA, Northern DE, and Southern New Jersey or browse our huge selection of kitchen lighting online.