In order to best light your kitchen, you need to make a plan. Lighting can be used to create ambiance. The key to good kitchen lighting is to use different types of lighting such as overall lighting to light the room, task lighting for a specific area you’re working in, and accent lighting to bring focus to a certain place in the room. It is also important to layer your lights. How you light your kitchen depends on a number of things. Here’s a few tips on how to do it:

Color Matters

Something that should be considered when lighting your kitchen is the color of your kitchen. White reflects light and bounces it back to the room making the space feel bigger and brighter. If there are a lot of white surfaces in your kitchen you could lower the wattage of your light bulbs or even cut back the number of fixtures and still have a well lit kitchen. Another thing to consider is what color lighting your are using. Incandescent lighting gives off a warm, yellowish color, so if you have light colored cabinets, you may want to go with a natural white light so your cabinets don’t have a yellow glow to them. Warm light will look better with a darker kitchen because the yellow effect will be toned down.

Kitchen Size

The number of fixtures and placement of fixtures greatly depends on the size and layout of your kitchen. Taller ceilings and darker finishes call for more light, while smaller kitchens and lighter finishes don’t need as much light. It helps to see what you’re doing in the places you’re working.

Task Lighting

Task lighting is a must in large kitchens. It is generally used over the stove, the sink, and over the counters, and over any table or island.

Accent Lighting

Accent lighting is a way to get creative with your lighting. It can be used to bring a wall of cabinetry to life by accenting collectibles in glass covered cabinets. There are also a variety of styles, shapes and sizes of pendant lights that could add some decor to your kitchen. Pendants can also help with layering your lighting above tables and islands. Changing pendant lighting is cheaper than changing your counter tops so if you’re getting tired of your color scheme, you can switch it up for not too much money.

Under Cabinet Lighting

Fluorescent lighting sheds an even light on counter tops, making a well-lit work area. Choosing the color of this light is important since some lights can make food look unappealing. To find the best light visit a lighting store, look at a piece of fruit under different lights, and choose the one that looks the most natural.

 
These guidelines are a good start on how to light your kitchen. If you’re looking to remodel your kitchen, Sound Finish can do it right!

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