Choosing the right lighting for your kitchen remodel is a crucial aspect of the overall design. Effective kitchen lighting not only enhances the room’s functionality for cooking and meal prep but also plays a significant role in creating a comfortable space for dining and daily living. Without proper lighting, even the most well-designed kitchen can fall short of its potential.
Just like cabinetry, countertops, wall décor, and flooring, your kitchen lighting should contribute to the room’s aesthetic appeal while serving its practical purposes. Factors like materials, finishes, colors, shapes, and styles are all essential considerations when selecting the perfect lighting.
Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to choose the best kitchen lighting, featuring expert advice.
Essential Steps to Choosing Kitchen Lighting
Lighting is a critical element in any successful kitchen design. It’s important to prioritize your kitchen lighting choices early in the planning process, rather than leaving them as an afterthought. Before focusing on the aesthetics, ensure that your kitchen will have adequate lighting. Consulting with a lighting engineer can help you determine the precise amount of light your kitchen needs.
Tom Howley, Design Director at a renowned kitchen company, emphasizes the importance of a well-planned lighting scheme: “The most effective lighting solution includes bright task lighting over countertops for food preparation, combined with warm, low lighting to create a relaxing atmosphere for guests.”
Planning your kitchen lighting involves incorporating task lighting, ambient lighting, and accent lighting to ensure the space fulfills all its functions effectively.
Planning Task Lighting
Task lighting is essential for areas like countertops, the stove, cooktop, and sink, where clear visibility is crucial for safe and efficient food preparation. It’s important to consider task lighting early in the design process. Kitchen wall lighting, for instance, can effectively illuminate these critical areas.
“Lighting schemes are a fundamental part of kitchen planning. Poorly lit work areas can be a major drawback,” says Melissa Klink, Head of Design at Harvey Jones. “Position spotlights directly above key areas to avoid casting shadows while you work at the sink, stove, or countertop. Under-cabinet lighting can also be highly effective, and a lit hood provides necessary light for cooking.”
The key to effective task lighting is to minimize shadows. Piero De Marchis, Director at Detail Lighting, advises: “Position lights to reduce shadows on work areas. Linear LED lighting above or below cabinets, or in ceiling trim, is an excellent solution.”
Incorporate wall lights in areas without upper cabinets, and consider ceiling lights that direct light onto work areas. For kitchen islands, pendant lights can serve dual purposes, functioning as task lighting during food preparation and as ambient lighting once cooking is done. David Amos, CEO of Amos Lighting + Home, recommends using dimmable pendant lights to transition from a bright work environment to a more relaxed atmosphere for socializing.
Introducing Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting provides the general illumination in the kitchen and should be designed with natural light in mind. It should offer a comfortable, uniform light level throughout the space, regardless of the time of day.
Ambient lighting can come from recessed or surface ceiling lights, pendants, or chandeliers. Karan Main, Director of The Main Company, highlights the benefits of bulkhead lighting: “Bulkhead lighting, which lowers the ceiling level around the room’s perimeter, can effectively direct light onto countertops and make bulb changes easier.”
Adding Accent Lighting
Accent lighting adds visual interest and enhances the atmosphere of your kitchen. It can highlight specific features of the room and create a warm, inviting environment.
Accent lighting can take various forms. Alex Main, Director of The Main Company, suggests using glazed cupboard lights to create a “warm glow” by illuminating glass shelves. Shane Hilton, Designer at Harvey Jones, recommends colored LED lights for adding an ambient touch. “LEDs can create various moods, from a modern, cool look to a warm, cozy glow, all controlled remotely.”
Pendant lights can also serve as accent lighting. Helena Myers, Director of The Myers Touch Kitchen Design Studio, suggests hanging pendant lights over breakfast bars or seating areas to create a more intimate atmosphere.
Combining Different Lighting Types
When selecting kitchen lighting, ensure that the task, ambient, and accent lights can be operated independently. Alex Main advises, “Being able to switch lights on and off individually allows the kitchen to transition smoothly from a cooking area to a dining and relaxation space.”
Dimmable lights are also highly recommended. Melissa Klink adds, “Using dimmer switches on your main lights helps create a cozy glow in the evening, perfect for entertaining.”
Choosing the Right Light Color for Your Kitchen
For kitchen spaces, opt for cool white light with a Kelvin rating between 3,000 and 4,500. Warmer, yellowish light with a lower Kelvin rating is more suitable for living areas. However, it’s essential to have the flexibility to adjust the mood in the kitchen. Karan Main advises, “Kitchen lighting must be functional, but it’s equally important to create soft accent areas for a more ambient, social atmosphere.”
Matching Kitchen Light Fixtures
While kitchen light fixtures don’t need to match perfectly, the overall effect should be cohesive. Karan Main suggests, “For an eclectic look, ensure the tones complement each other, like aged brass with bronze or pewter with aged zinc finishes. For a more symmetrical design, use the same finish across all fixtures, sockets, and cabinet hardware.”
Conclusion
Selecting the best lighting for your kitchen remodel is about more than just aesthetics—it’s about creating a space that’s both functional and inviting. By carefully planning and combining task, ambient, and accent lighting, you can ensure your kitchen is well-lit for every activity, from cooking to entertaining. Remember to consider the color and style of your light fixtures to maintain a cohesive design throughout the room. Proper lighting not only enhances the functionality of your kitchen but also transforms it into a warm, welcoming space where family and friends can gather.
