The kitchen is often one of the main hubs of a home for the entire family. With open floor plans all the rage these days, the kitchen is often
open to both the dining and main living areas. With so much family interaction, along with food preparation and entertaining guests during special occasions, it is important to select the right lighting features for all these various functions. Ambiance is important, but so is safety, as well as showing off the features of a beautifully decorated kitchen area. In this post, we’ll discuss some of the key factors that come into play when designing the perfect lighting system for the kitchen.
Safety First
The kitchen is not a good place for setting a cozy mood through the use of low lighting. However, that doesn’t mean a homeowner must resign themselves to unattractive fluorescent lighting either. Consider the areas where food preparation will typically occur and make sure these areas are well-lit in order to dispel any shadowy areas. LED strip lighting underneath cabinets helps to illuminate these common prep areas, along with track lighting over a kitchen island.
Add a Layer of Ambiance
While safety is critical when it comes to kitchen lighting, it is also important to add some lighting features to create just the right sense of ambiance throughout the kitchen. Creating a warm and inviting environment for the kitchen area helps a house feel like a home. Consider adding downlights around the perimeter of the kitchen and/or pendant lighting above eating areas, whether it is a more formal area such as a kitchen table, or a countertop with bar stools.
Use Accent Lighting
Many homeowners have open shelving or glass cabinets for displaying favorite dishes or a beautiful piece of sculpture or artwork. Others have a unique backsplash or some other area in the kitchen they would like to highlight. Adding another layer of lighting to specifically showcase these areas, allows homeowners to add focused style to an otherwise utilitarian space.
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is no room in the house that is as dependent on good lighting and probably has the least of it as the bathroom. The interesting thing about bathrooms is more often than not, they are in a part of the house that gets the least amount of natural lighting. This is due in part because it is easier to run plumbing through the center of a structure and maintain the integrity of the pipes (due to temperature fluctuation, or just efficiency in getting water from a central location to all the rooms that need it). Bathrooms really only require a small window or a fan for airflow, by building code standards, meaning that natural light might be hard to come by in some bathrooms. In some ways, natural light isn’t even as desired as artificial light, especially for applying makeup, since it is inconsistent and might not give you a good idea of how things will look in artificial light.
electrician) to choose the right ones. Smaller kitchens benefit from clear the can have a larger and more solid looking fixtures. Make sure they hang higher and then eye level so they do not block anyone’s view.
nt a modern, refreshing look, install recessed lighting in the corners of a room.
orative wall sconces, and lamps on countertops are the new way. There are so many ways to transform your bathroom. Make a bold statement with art deco or retro lighting. Turn it into a sanctuary of comfort with candlestick sconces and chandeliers. Here are more ideas to inspire the designer within you.
their time, and where the core of any party is going to be. It’s where your true style will be on display, and a big part of illuminating that style will be picking the right lamp for your room. There are just 2 things you will need to think about when you get to this last piece of interior decoration.
and enjoy a meal. Since a kitchen has so many different practical uses on a daily basis, it can also be a complicated room to keep properly lit. When you are looking to improve the lighting in your kitchen, there are a variety of different tips that should be followed.