Do’s And Don’ts When Planning Kitchen Lighting

Kitchen lighting is a critical thing to get right. Being such a task-heavy area, you need to be able to see what you are doing clearly in order to avoid mistakes or injury.

In this article, we’ll explore the dos and don’ts of incorporating kitchen lights into your home.

 

DO: Layer The Lighting in The Kitchen. 

Layered lighting is an important element in any room, but this is especially true in the kitchen. The kitchen is a task-heavy space, where you prepare and cook food, entertain guests and more.

Layering lighting ensures that you have ample illumination for any such activity, and it includes three layers: ambient, task and accent lighting. Ambient lighting provides the main source of illumination, while task lighting provides focused illumination in certain areas. Finally, accent lighting provides the mood lighting and draws focus to certain areas in the space.

 

Ambient Light

Ambient lights for kitchen spaces come in the form of ceiling lights. Recessed lights, surface mounted lights, kitchen spotlights, and pendant lights for kitchen spaces all work well to create ambient light. You can either install a central, singular light in the kitchen, or you can spread kitchen ceiling lights throughout, depending on the size of the space.

 

Task Light

Installing kitchen lamps over areas where you perform the bulk of the activities will be beneficial. Kitchen island lights and lights under kitchen cabinets are the most common types of lighting in this room. Basically, provide bright kitchen lighting in any area where you will be cooking, preparing food, or eating. Spotlights and pendant lamps are a good choice here.

 

Accent Light

Adding decorative lights to your kitchen can help give it the flair it needs to really pop. Kitchens provide a unique opportunity for accent lighting by way of kitchen plinth lights. Plinth lights, or kickboard lights, go around the borders of your island or cabinetry, providing a nice low level glow. You can also enhance built-in shelves, base cabinets or the interior of glass door cabinets.

DO: Make Sure You Have Good Task Lighting. 

Kitchen task lighting is perhaps the most important layer in the kitchen. In order to prevent accidentally injuring yourself when preparing food, or to avoid falling on spilled water by the sink, for example, you need focused lighting in these areas.

Kitchen light fittings can be placed over the following areas to create ample task lighting:

 

• SINK AREAS benefit from pendant lights, track lights and recessed ceiling lights above them.
• STOVE TOPS work well with puck lights or pendant lights hanging above them.
• COUNTERTOPS can be well-lit by puck lights or other LED strip lights sitting under the cabinets.
• UNDER CABINETS can play host to a number of light styles, including LED strip lights, puck lights, or long kitchen light fixtures, such as bar lights.
• KITCHEN ISLAND spaces should have pendant lights hanging just above eye level, providing close and focused lighting without creating a glare.
• BREAKFAST BARS look best with pendant lights as well, especially when you group them into odd numbers–usually three or five, depending on the size of your island.

 

DO: Use Dimmable Lighting. 

Dimmable LED kitchen light fixtures can enhance both the functionality and the ambiance of the kitchen. With adjustable kitchen lighting, you stay in control over the brightness of a given area at any time. It’s worth it to avoid buying cheap kitchen lights and instead looking for well made fixtures that are capable of being dimmed to ensure no flickering.

Dimmable kitchen lights will allow you to turn up the brightness when performing tasks that require precision, such as reading recipes, preparing ingredients and actively cooking. Turn down the brightness to create a moodier look, perfect for entertaining.

The ability to adjust the brightness helps keep the lighting consistent throughout the day as the natural light wanes. It eases the transition between night and day, making for an overall more pleasant kitchen experience by reducing eye strain. Similarly, staying in control of the light levels may help regulate your circadian rhythm, letting you get better sleep at night.

 

DO: Consider The Colour Temperature of The Lighting To Be Used. 

Colour correlated temperature, also known simply as colour temperature or abbreviated as CCT, is a way to indicate how cool or warm a light is. The colour temperatures are expressed on a spectrum of kelvin units ranging from 1,000K to 10,000K. The higher the number, the cooler the light. Conversely, the lower the number, the warmer the light.

It is recommended that you choose one colour temperature range and stick to it to avoid unsightly clashing. This means choosing either warm or cool lights, but not both. In domestic settings, especially in a kitchen where visibility is important, warm white lights are recommended.

Lights between 3000K and 3300K are recommended for ambient, task and accent lighting. You can play with the different temperatures in this range to add a little variety. You may choose to make task lighting a little brighter, extending up to 4,000K, but try not to go any higher to avoid clashes of colour temperatures.

DO: Consider Using LED Lighting For Energy Efficiency.  

LED kitchen light fixtures bring with them many benefits that make them the prime choice for your kitchen. Benefits of LED lights include:

 

• ENERGY EFFICIENCY. LED lights use 80 percent less energy than traditional bulbs. Since they don’t have to generate heat to create light, their energy consumption is significantly lessened.

• ECO-FRIENDLY. Since LED bulbs use less energy, they are easier on the environment. Using LED bulbs can therefore help reduce your carbon footprint.

• COST-EFFECTIVE. Due to the lessened energy consumption, they put a smaller strain on your electrical system. This can reduce the amount you spend on energy each month.

• LONG LIFE. LED bulbs are rated to outlast tens of thousands of hours of use, as opposed to the 1,000 hours or so of a halogen bulb. A longer life means having to replace them with less frequency, which can also contribute to their cost-saving benefits.

• LED bulbs come in a variety of colour temperatures and lumen counts. This will allow you to dictate precisely how your lights look in your space. You can mix and match certain brightnesses to create depth and dimension.

 

DO: Make The Most Of Any Natural Light. 

Natural light can significantly enhance the appearance and functionality of your kitchen during the day. The best kitchen lighting setup you can have is one that maximises natural light and can be supplemented with additional lights as needed during the day.

Natural light will not only help you save on your light bill; it can also improve your overall wellbeing. Natural lighting helps regulate your circadian rhythm, which may help you get better sleep. Beyond that, it could improve your mood and make you feel more alert, which is important in task-heavy spaces like kitchens.

Increasing natural light doesn’t require you to add in any extra windows. Work with what you already have by making a few changes to the kitchen itself. Painting the walls in light colours, for example, may help the light bounce around the room more. This is especially true if you use glossy paints.

The same can be said for reflective surfaces on your appliances; they can reflect the natural light that falls on them and move it throughout the room. The floors the appliances rest on can also play a role. Choose polished floors with a little shine for best results.

Installing glass paneling on walls between the living room and the outside can promote a greater flood of natural light. This will allow your kitchen greater exposure to natural light without having to completely remodel.

 

DON’T: Ignore Under Cabinet Lighting. 

As discussed, when it comes to light fittings, kitchen task lights are paramount. Under cabinet lighting is an important task light source that you should take advantage of.

Puck lights, string lights and similarly surface mounted lights work well here. Shining light closely onto the countertops can provide you with more focused lighting to help you prepare and cook food.

Some popular styles of under cabinet lighting include:

• string lights
• puck lights
• rope lights
• long bar lights

You can get the most out of your under cabinet lights by using countertops with matte finishes. They will reflect light more evenly instead of causing a glare like a glossy countertop might with lights at such a short distance. Furthermore, light coloured countertops will reflect some of the light, making the area seem brighter.

DON’T: Create Shadows On Countertop Areas. 

When installing your under cabinet lighting, be sure you avoid casting any unnecessary shadows. If you cannot see the work area clearly, you may be at risk of injuring yourself when cutting vegetables. Furthermore, you might not have enough visibility to avoid hot surfaces, like hotplates and ovens, when you’re busy prepping meals.

Accuracy is also an area of concern with countertops. To be able to accurately cut the ingredients the way they need to be cut for each recipe, you’ll need to be able to clearly see what you’re doing. Reading recipes will be more difficult to do in a heavily shadowed area as well. With proper lighting, you can reduce eye strain as you read the print.

Generally, a lack of shadows will enhance the aesthetics of the kitchen as well. You can enjoy even, balanced lighting that does not have breaks in it, giving your modern kitchen lighting a more uniform look.

 

DON’T: Rely on a Single Light Source.  

If you have only ambient light in the room, you run the risk of creating shadows. This is why you must layer your lighting–to ensure every area in the room is well-lit.

Under cabinet lights, for example, fill in the areas beneath the cabinets that would otherwise be hidden by shadows cast from an overhead light. Ambient light may not be enough to easily see when preparing meals at the island, making additional task lighting necessary.

Having multiple lights will also allow you to zone off the kitchen into different areas. Prep zones, dining areas and cooking spaces can each be divided with additional lighting, such as pendant lights or puck lights.

Creating an atmosphere or setting a mood is something you can’t do with ambient light alone. You’ll need accent lighting, such as plinth lights or cabinet lights, to achieve a softer mood lighting. Having multiple lights–and having those lights on individual switches–can help you dictate the brightness levels you want in the kitchen at any time.

 

Conclusion 

The kitchen is one of the most versatile, well-used rooms in the house. From cooking to entertaining and dining, a kitchen is the hub of many homes, and needs to be lit well enough to reflect that.

Above, we’ve offered some helpful dos and dont’s on how to properly light your kitchen. Keep these tips in mind when designing your kitchen lighting to ensure your satisfaction with the results.

 

Kitchen Lighting Ideas

 

1. LDC880 1 Watt LED Plinth Lights Build Your Kit

Create beautiful mood lighting in your kitchen with the LDC880 1 Watt LED Plinth Lights Build Your Kit. These plinth lights each generate 122 lumens of 3000K warm white light. You can connect each light with the 50 centimeter cable that comes with it, making it easy to outline the entirety of the island or cabinet kick plates. Each light measures 23 millimeters in diameter and comes in your choice of white, black, rose gold, yellow gold, silver, or polished chrome.

 

2. CSL022 5 Watt Dimmable Round Recessed LED Downlight Fitting

Provide plenty of task or ambient lighting with the CSL022 5 Watt Dimmable Round Recessed LED Downlight Fitting. This downlight recesses into the ceiling, showing only its aluminium rim. The rim is finished in your choice of black, white, rose gold, or white with a chrome internal reflector. They output 430 lumens of 3000K warm white light that shines at a 30 degree beam angle. Each one measuers 83 millimeters in diameter.

 

3. LBL251 5 Watt Hexagonal Surface Mounted LED Downlight

Light up your kitchen beautifully with the LBL251 5 Watt Hexagonal Surface Mounted LED Downlight. This light features a contemporary hexagonal shape to give it a modern feel. It comes finished in your choice of black, white, or silver to suit any kitchen style. Each light shines 400 lumens of 3000K warm white light at a thin, 30 degree beam angle. It is built to last out of high quality aluminium and rated IP20 for indoor use.

 

4. LPL356 5 Watt LED Hexagonal Hanging LED Pendant Light

Perfect for task lighting over the island, the LPL356 5 Watt LED Hexagonal Hanging LED Pendant Lights are elegant, modern fixtures with long, hexagonal shades. Choose from black, white or silver finishes to suit the design style of any kitchen. They generate 350 lumens of 3000K warm white light and work best when installed in groups of three or five. Each one measures 200 millimeters by 104 millimeters and are built to last from durable aluminium.