The kitchen is home to a variety of tasks. From cooking and cleaning to eating, gathering and doing homework, this room is a place to do it all. Many kitchens also double as the main dining area, so lighting must be designed to handle both functions. It's important to plan ahead when designing the lighting for this room. As you go through your daily tasks, take note of all the functions your kitchen serves and how these can best be lit. Then, put some of the following ideas to use and put together your own lighting scheme to meet your needs.
Layers
To create an attractive and functional lighting scheme for your kitchen, install several different types of lighting throughout. Install bright task lighting over the sink, stove and surfaces that that you work on. A large ceiling fixture can take care of general lighting. Use decorative pendant lights to illuminate an island workspace, and install a chandelier-style fixture over an eating area.
Lit From Within
A creative use of kitchen lighting is to place lights inside cabinets and drawers. These handy fixtures can make late-night kitchen navigation easier and make deep cabinets easier to see. Another way to use this kind of lighting is inside a cabinet with glass doors. This technique can help create a stunning display for your best glassware and china.
Ceiling Fans
Many ceiling fans come equipped with lights, allowing one fixture to do double duty. The kitchen generates a lot of heat and the gentle breeze created by a ceiling fan can be very welcome. Consider installing this kind of fixture in the center of the kitchen, where it can illuminate a large area.
Track Lighting
While you will still want some task lighting around the counters, track lighting is a good way to illuminate the room as a whole or to place focus on certain areas. The benefit of track lighting is that you can adjust the various bulbs as needed. You can have three or four lights aimed at the kitchen area for everyday cooking tasks and adjust them for an event such as a dinner party, when you may want more light focused on the dining area.
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