The kitchen is the beating heart of every home – a place for cooking, gathering, creating, and sharing. But what truly brings this space to life is more than just the delicious food or the laughter that fills the room. It’s the lighting, too. When done right, lighting has a transformative effect, turning an ordinary cooking space into an extraordinary one – more inviting, more productive, and stylish.
This is why we asked TKS Design Group professionals to share some of the best lighting tips to help you brighten up your kitchen. So, let’s dive right in!
What is the best lighting for a kitchen?
Lighting can often feel like an afterthought, yet it’s extremely important and goes beyond aesthetics. Creating a balanced and functional environment requires thinking about how the space will be used, identifying the main work areas, and then deciding where to place different types of lighting.
Ambient lighting: Setting the mood
Ambient lighting, also known as general lighting, contributes greatly to the mood in your kitchen. It’s the primary source of light that defines the “feel” of the space and provides adequate illumination. Its primary purpose is to uniformly distribute light throughout the entire kitchen area.
Here are some key areas where ambient lighting is needed:
- Ceiling: The ceiling is a common place to install ambient lighting. You’ll have a well-lit room with traditional fixtures such as recessed lights, pendants, flush mounts, and chandeliers. However, a fixture’s choice must be more than useful – it should also be appealing to the eye.
- Above cabinets: If your cabinets do not extend to the ceiling, consider adding lights above them. This way, you’ll create a soft glow that brightens the room and makes your cabinets stand out. Plus, it will give your kitchen a sense of depth, enhancing its personality.
Task lighting: Functionality at its finest
While ambient lighting sets the overall mood, task lighting plays a very different, yet equally important role. As the name suggests, it helps you perform specific tasks more efficiently. With this type, you get a brighter, more focused light, ideal for areas where you cook, clean, and prepare your favorite food.
The following suggestions will help you decide where to place task lighting:
- Under-cabinet lighting: The area under the cabinets is the prime spot you should consider. Whether you’re chopping vegetables or reading a recipe, it illuminates your counters directly, giving you a clear view. LED strip lights or puck lights are excellent choices for this area.
- Over the sink: Here you wash your dishes, clean your groceries, and prepare food to a certain extent. In this case, a dedicated light or a recessed light will provide a focused source of lighting, improving safety and easing this process.
- Above the island: Overhead fixtures like pendant lights or track lighting offer direct light, which is helpful when the island is used as a prep station or serving area.
Accent lighting: A touch of drama
Though often overlooked, accent lighting serves as the ‘cherry on top’ of your kitchen’s lighting scheme. It’s used to highlight specific areas or objects, adding depth and dimension to the space.
Below are some tips you can try if you’re not sure where to place it:
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- Inside cabinets: If you have open shelving, glass-front cabinets, or a special piece of artwork in your kitchen, accent lighting will showcase these features. You can use it to illuminate your favorite dishes and glassware, adding personality and character to your kitchen. Plus, it will help you find items in your cabinets more easily.
- Over the island: The kitchen island can play a double role, providing a great location for accent lighting, too. However, consider adding a dimmer switch to transition between bright task lighting and a gentle, relaxed glow.
- Toe kick lighting: Often overlooked, this is an area where accent lighting can make a real impact. It creates the illusion of floating cabinets, giving your kitchen an air of intrigue. As a bonus, it works perfectly as a night light, providing a safe pathway when the rest of the kitchen lights are off.
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