How to Choose the Right Kitchen Light for Your Home

Your kitchen requires the right balance of lighting to get you on the right track, just like a healthy balanced breakfast does. The kitchen tends to be a veritable workhorse in the home, from homework to list-making, to actual cooking. Having the proper kitchen lighting will ensure it is fit for all these uses. To help you, there are some tips you should consider when choosing the right light for your kitchen.

Choosing the Right Kitchen Light

There are three types of lights you should familiarize yourself with: ambient, task, and accent.

Ambient

This is considered your main source of light, whether it is an addition to natural light or used to fill in for a lack of it. You want to use as much of it as evenly as possible from your ceiling. You do this with a combination of pendant lights, recessed lighting, chandeliers, and flush mounts.

Task

Ambient lighting is used to enable you to walk throughout your kitchen, but many times it leaves shadows in areas where you could use more focus. This is where task lighting comes in. Now cabinetry and work surfaces can be illuminated properly so you can prepare your meals safely, read recipes, and spot ingredients easily on a shelf. Common task lighting options include puck and strip lights.

Illuminate Key Lighting Areas

There are many ways to illuminate key lighting areas, such as over your island, under your cabinets, and other ways.

Over Your Island

You can use task or ambient lighting over your island if you have one. However, it depends on whether your island has a workspace/cooktop or is used for hanging out more. You can use this to help you decide how to light this area.

For islands that are task-oriented, you can try mixing recessed downlighting and hanging lights. If your island is used more for hanging out, such as counter seating, mini pendants will do just fine. Pendants should always be placed 30-32 inches apart and 30-36 inches above the island, with at least six inches from the edge.

Under-Cabinet Lighting

You can use accents or task lighting underneath your cabinets. Ambient lighting is used to help you navigate throughout your kitchen, but it can result in shadows under your cabinets where you need more focus. The solution to this problem is to install under cabinet task lighting so you can prepare meals safely, etc.

Accent

These are considered the cherry on top of a kitchen that is well-designed and can be used on cabinet lights, toe kick lights, and other lighting that may accentuate your favorite elements. Additionally, they may cross over into task and ambient lighting.

Adding Accent Lighting to Improve the Design of Your Kitchen Lighting

Did you know that placing accent lights in the right place can really help you emphasize your favorite elements? Some of the most common kitchen accent lights are:

  • Recessed- This is a type of refined, out-of-the-way lighting that can be installed almost anywhere. However, it is essential to illuminate areas that you need more focus on, such as glass cabinets and open shelves.
  • Over cabinet- These are typically installed between the ceiling and cabinet and can add a dramatic touch to your kitchen. They are designed similarly to undercabinet lighting and can provide illumination to architecture and accent décor.
  • Toekick lights- Another way to distinguish kitchens and light up a pathway is by using lighting. Toekick lights are made with rope lights or LED tape.

Remember, focusing on the right layers will help you make the most of the space in your kitchen and allow you to enjoy all meals, including your midnight snacks.

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