Form Plus Function

Light up your Kitchen!

The Kitchen is today’s gathering place for friends and family.

At our house it seems always to be the place where everyone ends up while dinner is being prepared. No matter how many deep, cozy armchairs the living room has to offer, or how inviting the deck is on a warm summer evening, everyone is leaning against the kitchen counters, glass in hand, making my last minute food preparation a very familiar (and comfortable) dance.

It’s just a fact: the kitchen is the heart of the home. It is also usually the busiest room of the house. Today’s multi-functional kitchen spaces are not only used for cooking, but also for visiting with friends, home work, reading the paper and just relaxing.

The kitchen asks for effective lighting at a fairly bright level for tasks as well as decorative lighting to create an inviting, livable space.
Just like in any other living space it is important to create multiple layers of light in the kitchen. Task lighting, ambient lighting and accent lighting will together create the inviting atmosphere you want.

Try to think about the general feel of your home and continue the color temperature from other areas of the house into the kitchen.

Recessed incandescent downlights can assure even illumination of the kitchen. Space them 4’ – 6’ on center and allow about 2.5 – 3 watt per square ft. as a general rule of thumb.
With fluorescent recessed lights allow about 1 – 1.5 watt per square ft.

Kitchen counters and other work areas need to be well lit and free of shadows. Fluorescent or low voltage undercabinet lighting strips provide effective task lighting.
If at all possible mount the lights at the front edge of the cabinet. The lights should, however, be shielded so that you don’t look into bright lights while sitting at the breakfast or dining table.

Fluorescent lighting fixtures are well suited because they are efficient, providing most light for the least cost. They do not put out much heat and they create an even light, and with the newer electronic ballasts, they do not flicker or hum anymore!
LED undercabinet lights are very popular now and it’s easy to see why: Super slim in profile LED strips or puck lights can virtually disappear while providing sufficient light for a kitchen counter. The light quality is improving at a brisk pace, so that there is hope on the horizon that they will soon not only be the most energy conscious choice, but the aesthetic choice as well.

Decorative pendant lights are great for lighting an island  while adding your personal style to the decor.
Depending on the size of the island, two or three pendant lights are usually sufficient.  A dimmer switch allows for bright task lighting for food preparation or homework, while allowing the lights to be lowered for atmosphere.

Low voltage lighting illuminates decorative objects and surfaces with a crisp light that can bring out the full range of colors. Over shiny, black marble surfaces they will create drama, but be aware: they can also create glare.
If you are lighting a kitchen island with a very reflective surface and this is your primary work area, you might want to choose a fixture where the low voltage bulb does not shine directly onto the work area, or even choose a softer light source, like an incandescent or fluorescent fixture.

Please note: Pendant lights over the island should hang just above eye level when you are standing. This allows you to see your guests comfortably. Choose fixtures with decorative bulbs that are meant to show or with diffusers that soften the glare of a naked bulb.

The sink needs good lighting. It is after all the most used area in the kitchen. Recessed downlights or pendants work well if there are no overhead cabinets for undercabinet lighting.

The built-in lighting in the range hood should accommodate at least a 60W bulb.

A breakfast area is also frequently used for reading, so good overhead light is a must. Here the decor determines the style: from chandeliers to high-tech flexible track lighting with colorful pendants the choice is yours. As with dining tables, the light over the breakfast table should hang approximately 30″ above the table so you can see under it when seated and it yet hangs low enough to embrace the area with a warm, inviting glow.
If your kitchen and dining area are within the same open area it is important to have the kitchen lights on a dimmer, so you can focus the eyes on the beautiful dining table and away from the pots and pans used to prepare the dinner.

In a contemporary kitchen, a low voltage monorail with a variety of track heads and colorful glass mini-pendants can curve through the work and dining areas without interruption of design.
The spots can highlight decorative features in the kitchen like a collection of colorful canisters on top of the cabinets at the same time as they provide general, ambient light.
Good general lighting is needed for all casual activities. It permits comfortable clean-up and easy view into drawers. Recessed downlights or fluorescent lighting are good choices.

To read a lot more tips and ideas about lighting for your home you can download our FREE 58 page Illustrated Guide to Home Lighting.