Lighting is crucial in pretty much every room or space. However, the right lights can have an especially big impact on kitchens, which are frequently in use around the clock. Finding items in a kitchen without a well-placed indoor light fixture or cooking a meal under poor lighting can be especially problematic. Fortunately, you can find some lighting tips below.
Increase Natural Light When Possible
Every kitchen needs an indoor light fixture. However, that doesn’t mean artificial light has to do the heavy lifting around the clock. You can use natural light throughout much of the day. Many people prefer natural light, and using it can trim your utility bills and improve your environmental footprint.
Leverage “Task” Lighting
In the past, the go-to solution for lighting was simply to throw a few lights on the ceiling and call it a day. While there may still be a need for large ceiling lights, they may not be enough in many situations, and they can prove to be too much in other scenarios. Task lighting — say, underneath the cabinets by your sink or over your cutting board — can go a long way.
Light Cabinet Interiors
Even the best lights can struggle to light the inside of cabinets. That is, unless those lights happen to be in the cabinets themselves. If you want to maximize lighting and make it easy to find things night and day, simply put some lights in the cabinets themselves.
Mix Warm and Cold
Should you rely on warm lighting, or is it better to go for bright white with cold lighting? The best option is to have both. Sometimes cold white light is needed. You might be cooking up a complicated meal, so the extra bright lighting can go further. Yet when it comes to a romantic meal, soft lighting is often better.
Hanging or Pendant Lights Are a Must
Hanging lights and pendant lights are great for your counters and eating areas. These lights should hang about 36 inches above the counter, according to Driven by Decor, and will put the spotlight on meals, dishes, drinks, or whatever else. Besides providing optimal light in all the right spots, they are also generally easy to maintain.
Keep an Eye on Glare
Glare can be a serious nuisance with any type of lighting in pretty much any room. However, because kitchens have so many reflective surfaces and often a lot of glass, glare can be an especially glaring issue. It’s smart to consider surfaces and how they might reflect light from the get-go.
Are you ready to take your kitchen lighting to the next level? If you need help with glare or selecting an indoor light fixture, get in touch with Premier Lighting today. We’ll be happy to assist you!
