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Kitchen plinth lights are one of the most effective and aesthetic lighting choices you can make for your home. In this article, we’ll have a look at some of the biggest benefits of adding plinth lights to your kitchen.
Enhanced Kitchen Ambiance
It is possible to easily enhance kitchen ambiance with plinth lights. Using plinth lights for home décor, you can create a kitchen that you will want to spend all of your time in.
Kickboard lighting is one of the most powerful examples of accent lighting in a kitchen. It casts a soft, warm glow from the ground up, giving plenty of depth to the room. With plinth lighting, kitchen cabinetry and counter spaces can get a beautiful update.
The light shines low along the perimeter of the cabinets, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. These lights make the kitchen an attractive area for entertaining guests as well. It can also highlight the shape of the kitchen itself.
Beyond being used to set a mood or highlight the architecture, kick board lights can be used as a night light as well. When you turn off the rest of your kitchen lights, you can keep the plinth lights on by themselves to help you navigate the kitchen for water at night.
Energy Efficiency and Cost Savings
LED plinth lights go a long way toward making your home more energy efficient. LED lighting is famous for how energy efficient it is; it uses 80 percent less energy than traditional halogen or incandescent bulbs. Because of this, you can feel comfortable leaving your kitchen floor lights on for long periods without your energy bill spiking.
Their energy efficient nature also lends them a much longer life. The average LED light shines for between 20,000 to 50,000 hours. Compare this to the 1,000 hours or so that traditional bulbs offer.
Since the lights last for so much longer, you won’t have to trouble yourself with replacing them frequently. This, alongside the positive effects on your energy bill, can help you lower the cost of lighting your home.
Increased Kitchen Safety
With plinth lights, kitchen spaces can become much safer to navigate as well. This is especially true at night. Where usually, you would either stumble through the darkness or turn on the bright overhead light to see, you can simply rely on the soft glow of the plinth lighting. By using low level lighting to illuminate the floor, you can help avoid trips and falls in the night.
Space Illusion and Aesthetic Appeal
One of the biggest draws of kitchen kickboard lights is the way they can make the kitchen look larger than it is. Such low level lighting creates the illusion of space by directing the eye downward.
This can trick the eye into thinking there is more space than there is, maximizing the available space. For smaller kitchens, or kitchens that have low ceilings, using kick plate lights this way is especially beneficial.
Furthermore, there is an abundance of plinth lighting ideas for modern kitchens out there. It is one of the quickest way to add minimalist, modern flair to the room. They are capable of complementing any design style that you may have and can be customised to the theme of your kitchen. This is especially true if you choose recessed plinth lights.
Easy Installation and Low Maintenance
One of the draws to using LED kick board lights is the ease of installation they offer. They are fairly straightforward to install, requiring only a few holes to be drilled and some wiring to be run. This makes them an accessible project for even the most novice of DIY installers.
Plinth lights are also low maintenance. They avoid scuffs, wear and tear by nature since they sit back in the kickboards. This will help them avoid obstructing any foot traffic and being kicked. They will also avoid catching on nearby objects.
Unlike usual kitchen lights that need frequent cleaning, you’ll find that plinth lights tend to need less of it. Beyond that, their long lifespan ensures that you won’t have to replace the bulbs or the fixtures themselves often.
Customizable Lighting Options
Kickboard lighting gives you plenty of room to get creative. From neutral black plinth lights to elegant and opulent gold plinth lights, you can improve the aesthetic appeal in your kitchen instantly.
LED lights come in a variety of temperatures and exist on a scale that measures their perceived warmth and coolness. This is a Kelvin scale, and it ranges from 1,000K to 10,000K. Warmer lights are positioned on the lower end of the scale, while cooler lights are on the higher end.
Choosing warm or cool lights will come down to preference, mostly. Cool lights tend to create a more modern, invigorating atmosphere. Warm lights, on the other hand, set a cosy mood. The choice you make will tailor the vibe of the kitchen to something you’ll love.
Whatever colour temperature you choose, be sure that it is maintained throughout the rest of the kitchen. Your other accent, ambient and task lights should all be either warm or cool–never both. This will help prevent abrasive clashing.
The fixtures themselves also come with various options to choose from. From different materials and finishes to a variety of shapes and styles, there is no end to what you can create. Take note of the finishes and materials of the other lights in the kitchen, and try to match your plinth lights to them.
Tips for Elevating Kitchen Style with Plinth Lights
Since there are so many customisable options for plinth lights, you can take advantage of the creative leeway to the fullest. Pick from the variety of shapes and styles to suit your personality and the existing decor of the space.
Circular plinth lights, for example, add a subtle yet noticeable flair of contemporary charm. Square shaped lights, on the other hand, provide a more industrial-modern look that is cleaner and more utilitarian.
No matter the shape you choose, you should always keep the spacing consistent. Install them at the center of the cabinet’s base with a consistent height. Having such symmetry and regularity in spacing will avoid creating a cluttered look under cabinets. It is recommended that you space them around 40 to 50 centimeters apart.
What to Look for When Shopping Plinth Lights
There are a few things to keep in mind as you browse for new plinth lights. This includes:
- BRIGHTNESS. Pay attention to the lumen count of the fixture you are considering. Keep in mind that the higher the lumen count, the brighter the light is going to be. You’ll notice that many kick board lights will be dimmer than some of the other fixtures in your kitchen. This is because it is low level accent lighting and does not need to be super bright.
- IP RATING. Though they do not need to be dust tight and waterproof, noting the IP rating of the lights is still important. You want to look for lights that, at the very least, have an IP20 rating. This will provide basic protection against debris and water to avoid damages from the occasional splashes.
- The best finish for your kick plate lights will be the one that blends in seamlessly with the existing lighting and decor. Take note of the colour finish and even the material composition of the lights when shopping. Look for something that can be worked into the existing decor without causing visual clashes.
Conclusion
Kitchen plinth lights are one of the easiest ways to create visual drama, depth and extra visibility to your kitchen. In this article, we’ve explored the many benefits of installing kitchen plinth lights. We’ve also offered tips on how to shop for them and use them to their fullest. Keep this article nearby as you begin your kitchen lighting journey!
Plinth Lighting Ideas for Kitchens
Elevate the aesthetics of your kitchen with the LDC880 1 Watt LED Plinth Lights Build Your Kit. This kit allows you to install plinth lights easily thanks to the included 50 centimeter cable it comes with. You can choose between various finishes, such as black, white, rose gold, yellow gold, polished chrome or silver. You can also buy multiple lights at once to make the installation even smoother. Each light generates 122 lumens of illumination and measures 23 millimeters in diameter.
Modernise your kitchen with the LSL008 Square 1 Watt Acrylic Recessed LED Kickplate Light. These square shaped kick board lights feature a sleek, sandblasted acrylic diffuser that covers the entire light. This diffuser softens and spreads the 70 lumens of 3000K warm white light the bulbs offer. Each light measures 46 millimeters by 46 millimeters and can be installed into drywall, wood or concrete with ease. An IP20 rating protects it from basic dust and moisture damages.
Get a timeless look in your kitchen with the LSL009 Round 1 Watt Acrylic Recessed LED Kickplate Light. Complete with a sand blasted, circular front plate, this plinth light allows illumination to be diffused and softened beautifully. Each light generates 70 lumens of warm light, perfect for creating cosy kitchen ambiance. It can be installed in wood, drywall and concrete alike. With its 46 millimeter diameter, you can easily install it beneath cabinets and islands of any size.
