Lighting is a vital part of the kitchen design that can make the space even more functional when done right, or lead to frustration when done wrong. When I plan the lighting in a Kitchen, I divide this into 3 layers: general lights, lights for cooking/cleaning and lights for relaxing. In this blog post I will go through what these mean and how to use them:
1 | General lighting
This is the main lighting in the space, that you would have on most of the time. It is likely the only light you need if you're just preparing a quick lunch or making a tea - things that don't take too long or require too much concentration. These are generally ceiling mounted lights, like LED downlights or track lighting, that provide an overall even light over the whole space.
2 | Light for cooking/cleaning
This is a more focused light over the benches to use when you are cooking or cleaning - usually referred to as task lighting. If you have overhead cupboards, your general lighting is likely to be above the walkways instead of right over the bench - which may cause shadows onto the bench when you stand at it. We therefore like to add LED strips integrated to the underside of the overheads. This ensures there is no shadows over your bench and can provide the light you need for cooking and cleaning. It is also important to light the island bench. Whether you have a pendant or LED downlights, you need to ensure there is even light with no shadows onto the bench. Lastly, depending on your layout, you may want to add a wall or ceiling light over sink for when you are washing dishes.
2 | Light for relaxing
The last type of light is for when no one is really using the kitchen but you don't want the kitchen to be completely dark. A lot of homes have a combined kitchen/dining/living area, so if you are relaxing on the couch, you probably don't want the general lights on in the kitchen. We prefer to add a small light that provides enough lighting for refilling a drink or grabbing a snack instead. This also helps with your circadian rhythm, so you can avoid bright overhead lights before bed. Some people are happy to just use their LED strips as their relaxing light, but I prefer to add a lovely wall light where possible. There are so many wonderful wall lights available that are like adding a piece of art to your wall!
I hope these tips have been helpful! If you want to find out more about how we can help you with your project, get in contact with us below:
Have a wonderful week!
Nina xx
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