How do I design my kitchen lighting, four layers of kitchen lighting?
What kind of lighting do I need for my kitchen? How many lights do I need in my kitchen? How to make kitchen lighting work together? These are very important questions that I hear all the time, and the truth is, it’s not that hard. At the beginning of a renovation, when I’m at a client’s home. I always ask what they don’t like about their current kitchen. I encourage them to move and show me where the problems are and what obstacles they face on a daily basis. People tell me their setup is bad because they don’t have enough space to cook meals. or they don’t have another workstation. Meanwhile, I look at the huge counter area in the corner, covered with appliances. Flour and sugar bins or a decorative fruit bowl. When I ask them about the corner, the answer is always the same. “It’s dark in here” or “I can’t see what I’m doing in that corner because the closet is deeper.” something like that. These are both lighting issues and placement issues. With the right task lighting, we could solve these problems. And give them more usable counter space without. Changing the footprint of the cabinet.
First level: task lighting
Where to start? There are four main lighting layers for finishing the kitchen. We can work from the bottom up or start with the most important, they are the same. Task lighting. After all, the kitchen is a practical. Workplace and above all needs practical lighting. Work lighting consists of lighting under the cabinet. But it is definitely worth lighting the main workplaces. That are not under the wall cabinet, such as an island or a cape. Wherever the work takes place, whether it’s cooking, washing dishes or reading recipes. You need good lighting. Pay special attention to prep stations where. Most of the cutting and chopping takes place. We want a lot of light in these areas.
Second level: ambient light
Next is the surrounding layer. This is the second most important lighting layer in the kitchen. This layer creates the atmosphere of the room. A pleasant warm glow draws people into the kitchen. And creates a cozy atmosphere like no other room in the house. With so many open floor plans these days. The last thing you want is for your kitchen to feel. Commercial with only bright task lighting and no ambiance. , ambient lighting is recesse lighting. But it can also come from lamps or pendants depending on the floor plan of the room. Like any room, lighting can give you a new level of lighting control and allow you to set the mood. And atmosphere in your kitchen for a party or a family dinner.
Third level: spotlight
Now let’s get to accent lighting. The most common accent lighting I see is in cabinet lights. Inside a glass vanity to illuminate pottery, or some collected memorabilia. From past travels but accent lighting isn’t limited. Accent lighting is one of the most underutilized, but it can give you the biggest impact. After you’ve brightened up the room for work and then added another layer. To make the room cozy, you’ll now want to highlight the areas of your kitchen design that you’re most proud of. Cabinet lights are one, some people put lights above their cabinets. Behind the crown molding to stress their high ceilings. Track lighting or eyeball lighting can be use to highlight the hot-style. Hood or the custom treatment of the back of the decorative tile behind the basin. Sometimes the deep, rich colors of a custom cabinet can absorb. The entire room when the light bounces off them. No matter how you use it, it should draw attention and show off your kitchen.
Fourth level: Decorative lighting
Last, but not least, is the decorative layer. Often, this layer is absorb here and there by other layers. Such as decorative pendants above a peninsula or a decorative island. Unit that can be consider both ambient and decorative lighting. But it can also stand on its own, like some decorative lamps on either side of the sink. Or a great chandelier that defines the whole structure of the kitchen. Be careful, the most common mistake people make is not judging the scale . because you like the 48-inch chandelier you see in the store doesn’t. Mean you should hang it over your 60-inch round table. And those big colored glass shades look good, but sometimes under a short. Ceiling they can make the rest of the room look bigger or worse threaten the chef’s head. So use discretion, but have fun – that’s the real point of decorative lighting. so you can customize your tile backsplash behind range hood .
