People spend a lot of time in the kitchen early in the morning and late in the evening. At this time, there is little daylight, and choosing the ideal kitchen lighting is essential. For a modern person, the kitchen is sometimes a place to eat. Here you can spend time with friends, work at a computer, cook food, eat, and enjoy a cup of coffee with a book. Creating good lights for a kitchen purpose while you spend time in the kitchen is crucial. In this article, you will learn about the features and ideas for kitchen lighting design.
Divide the Kitchen Space Into Zones.
The light in the kitchen should be functional, emphasize the dignity of the interior and make the cooked dishes tastier. When planning kitchen lighting, remember that the light should not hit the eyes of the person in the room. There must be no dark areas on the work surface. All food and kitchen utensils must be in excellent visibility. You can hang the lamps directly above the work area to do this. As the best lighting in the kitchen, there can be spotlights that will be mounted on the upper shelves. Also, a great option would be lamps on a thread. This type of lighting looks very stylish and will suit any kitchen interior. Points of light above work areas in the kitchen can be classic, compact fluorescent lamps or halogen lamps with a warm color and a high color rendering index, thanks to which dishes will retain a natural and delicious look.
Types of Kitchen Lighting for Ceiling:
General lighting is essential in any space, and the kitchen is no exception. Such lighting should not be too bright. Kitchen overhead lighting should be diffused or bounce off the ceiling and then fall onto kitchen utensils or appliances without causing shadows. For general kitchen lighting, you can choose the following types of lighting:
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Traditional ceiling lights with diffusers.
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Oblong fluorescent lamps.
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LED lamp.
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Luminaires mounted in the false ceiling.
The latter option will make the interior of your kitchen taller and more spacious. Its excellent and stylish lighting can give the room a pleasant and cozy atmosphere. It emphasizes the decor and character of the room.
The Best Type of Lighting for Kitchens is Above the Table and Countertop.
Above, you have already been able to familiarize yourself with the recommendations regarding lighting above the work surface. However, what light is best for the kitchen? A separate light source should be installed above the table. The light should fall on the entire countertop, but at the same time, it should not dazzle the people sitting around. Essential in the kitchen is good workspace lighting: countertops, stoves, and sinks. The light sources installed here should glow with a bright, focused light, on the underside of kitchen cabinets or in holes cut in them. According to the recommendations, the distance between individual light points should be 40-60 cm.
Additional Decorative Light to Create Coziness in the Kitchen.
When creating a lighting design for the kitchen, it is worth considering the presence of additional light sources. Such accents will help emphasize the creation of the kitchen, add comfort or focus on unique interior elements. A different decorative effect in the kitchen layout will be achieved by illuminating the shelves inside and outside. To do this, you can use light bulbs or LED strips, which consume much less energy than traditional lighting. If the kitchen has an island, it can be illuminated by a point light source installed in a range hood or false ceiling. You can make a shelf with halogen lighting. Selecting several lighting circuits in the kitchen will allow you to turn on the lamps depending on your needs gradually.
How to Choose Lighting in the Kitchen-Living Room?
Connecting the kitchen and living room into a single space is a great idea to expand the area. In this case, the room will be divided into zones. Depending on the size of the room, there should be one or two primary light sources. For a room over 20 square meters, two primary light sources of the same brightness should be used. You can get pleasant lighting in the standard room by installing a unique rail with lamps or a screen with built-in light points on the ceiling. In small kitchens, it is recommended to install side lighting (sconces, spotlights) on the walls facing the top. For kitchen zoning, all of the above tips should be taken into account, which involves additional lighting of such areas:
- working area;
- dining area;
- areas for storing food and kitchen utensils.
Different lights in the living room will serve as an element of decor. This mood can be emphasized using illuminated drawers with transparent fronts and illuminated showcases.
Conclusion
When choosing the proper lighting for your kitchen, it is vital to consider many parameters, such as design, kitchen size, zoning, amount of daylight, and personal preference. Fortunately, a wide range of lamps, sconces, spotlights, and other light sources will help you realize your plans for your interior.