10 Kitchen Lighting Tips

You can not compare the rooms in the apartment by importance, but the kitchen, of course, is one of the most visited, because food is constantly being prepared here, the whole family gathers here and greets guests. In order for the room to be multifunctional, regardless of its area, cozy and comfortable, it is important to pay special attention to its lighting. Properly organized, it is capable in the blink of an eye to transform the kitchen from the "hot shop" into a cozy dining area, conducive to long and pleasant family gatherings. That is why it is so important. even before repair think over the design of the future kitchen and all lighting points, and our tips should help you with this.

No. 1. What types of lighting should be provided?

A couple of decades ago, the most popular option for organizing kitchen lighting was onesingle chandelierlocated in the center of the ceiling. This solution cannot be called the most convenient, because in this case all the most remote areas, an important part of the working area and dining table, were not covered. Today even in the smallest kitchens It is necessary to provide for several types of lighting. There are such main types of kitchen lighting:

• the generalwhich is nevertheless necessary;
• work area lighting;
• dining area lights;
• decorative lighting.

Purely decorative lighting in the kitchen can be dispensed with, but properly selected functional lighting can also play a decorative role, and modern lighting fixtures are real works of art made for every taste.

No. 2. What should be the lighting?

To create the right lighting project, you need to know the basic requirements for it. And they are as follows:

• the light should be so that people in the kitchen do not cast a shadow on the work surface and in the dining area;
• in the same time, light sources should not be too brightso as not to blind a person;
• it is important that some light sources complement others;
• is necessary consider the color scheme of the kitchen. So, light walls and furniture will reflect up to 80% of the light flux, and dark - only about 12%;
• for the dining and working area is necessary different lighting power. Approximate standards are as follows: lighting power for the working area - 100 W / m², for dining - 50 W / m²;
• when arranging the lighting of the working area, you need to monitor the distance from water sources to the lamps. It should be at least 60 cm.

No. 3. Arrangement of general lighting

It is impossible to do without a common main room, so in the center of the kitchen or in the area dining table a chandelier can be provided. An alternative to chandeliers for small kitchens is flat lights, as well as recessed lighting in a suspended ceiling. Great if there will be rheostat is provided, with which you can adjust the intensity of the light stream and change the atmosphere in the kitchen.

Number 4. Work area lighting

Above the working area where all the processes of cutting meat, peeling vegetables, kneading dough and the like go through, you need to equip a fairly bright lighting. Light sources are best placed on hanging cabinetsso that the light from them falls directly onto the work surface.If there is no such lighting, then during work all the space in front of you will be in the shade, which means that you will have to strain your eyesight. It is also important that the light is directed directly at the work surface and does not hit the eyes. Can choose a set of furniture, where the manufacturer has already provided holes for the installation of fixtures, but you can solve the problem with the help of individual fixtures.

Great replacement for conventional luminaires - LED Strip Light, which is also attached to the bottom surface of the cabinets. This is one of the most economical and even ways of lighting. Moreover, LED Strip Light - This is a great way to decorate the kitchen, highlight individual areas, create a smooth transition to ceiling light.

Not only the work surface needs illumination, but also car wash, kitchen stove, and kitchen islandif there is one. Above the stove, you can use only the lighting that the hood provides - this is quite enough.

No. 5. Dining area lighting

Dinner table should have a soft, calm and cozy backlight that will adequately illuminate the surface, but not create too bright lighting. It is worth considering the location of the table in the kitchen relative to the window. Necessary make the most of natural light, so put the dining table near the window opening.

Artificial dining table lighting largely depends on its location in the kitchen, as well as on interior preferences owners. So, if the table is standing against the wall, then you can use a couple wall sconces. Adjustable Suspension Ceiling Lights They will also look good, but they are best suited for dining tables that are located in the central zone of the kitchen. One or more of these fixtures with interesting shades and with the ability to adjust the height of the location - ideal for any kitchen.

If the kitchen is quite small, it’s better, of course, to use over the dining table sconces. Alternative - small lamps or lamps, which can be installed directly on the dining table: in this way the interior will only be transformed and will become even more comfortable. For the smallest kitchens, it is allowed to combine the general light with the lighting of the dining area so as not to clutter the ceiling and walls with lighting fixtures.

No. 6. Decorative lighting

From one name it is clear that in this case we are talking about lighting, which does not perform any specific function, but serves only as an interior decoration. With the help of several light bulbs, you can not only add a touch to the kitchen, but even visually expand the space.

So, as additional lighting, you can use kitchen cabinet lights. It looks especially impressive when they have transparent doors. Such lighting, incidentally, carries not only a decorative function, but also helps to quickly find the necessary objects in deep cabinets.

You can highlight the space between the ceiling and the kitchen. A small gap between the hanging cabinets and the ceiling can be closed with a plexiglass panel, and placed behind it led strip. As a result, we get an interesting design technique, which is great especially for small kitchens, as it is visually makes the room taller. In addition, such lighting will give additional soft light, and the panels will close the exhaust pipe and other unlikely communications.

You can also do base illumination kitchen set. The result is a feeling that kitchen furniture as if floating in the air, and this visually increases the space. Another great option for small kitchens.

Do not forget about such a light source, like candles. Their very appearance already gives a special atmosphere to the kitchen interior, and when lit, they give a soft warm light that turns into any festive dinner.

Number 7. How to use natural light?

Natural lighting should be used to the maximum, because this is a great opportunity to save. If possible, the window opening should be as large as possible, but if you live in an apartment building, then you need to use completely different tricks. So, if there’s not much light in the kitchen, it’s better as transparent as possible curtainsso that they do not take away sunlight. To control the amount of sunlight entering the kitchen, you can use jalousie, roman or roller blinds. By the way the color of the walls plays an important role: the lighter they are, the more light they reflect. A kitchen with light walls will seem more lighted and spacious than a similar one, but with walls of a dark shade. But the main thing is not to overdo it, because an excess of light will also not make the kitchen more cozy and comfortable.

In order not to make a mistake, you need to follow the following rules:

• windows facing north, must be kept in absolute cleanliness, because dust on them can take away about a third of the sunlight;
• the kitchen with windows facing south, in the daytime they often suffer from an overabundance of light, so in this case it is better to use curtains of dark shades or just thick curtains, at least for the summer period;
• also for kitchens with south windows You can advise using cold shades in the decoration of the walls;
• best A method of regulating the flow of sunlight - blinds, and they are suitable for any kitchen;
• if the light in the kitchen in the daytime is still not enough, then you can use fluorescent fluorescent lamps: they are a good alternative to sunlight and do not consume much electricity.

Number 8. Features of lighting a small kitchen

Basic principles of lighting small kitchen do not differ from the general ones, but the area of ​​the room must be taken into account when choosing lighting devices. Many mistakenly believe that if the room is small, then only one chandelier in the center of the kitchen will be enough. She will not be able to illuminate all areas of the work surface, so it is better to use several light sources.

You can use as general lighting spotlightsbecause they don’t take up space, spotlights or pivot spot lights. The latter are generally unique for small rooms, since the direction of light is very easy to change, illuminating certain areas.

Some kitchens cannot boast of high ceilings, so organizing a suspended or suspended ceiling does not make sense - the room will seem tiny at all. In this case, the spotlight disappears, and you can choose a chandelier, but not all models need to pay attention. So, ideal for a small kitchen compact and very concise a model that will not overload space. It is important to remember that the lamp should be compact, not small, otherwise it will emphasize the main minus of the kitchen - miniature.

Suspension fixtures are not suitable for small kitchens: the closer the ceiling is to the ceiling surface, the better. Lamps are well suited, the light of which is not directed downward, but at the ceiling, but the plafonds in the form of plates and boxes create too dim a glow.

No. 9. Which lamps to choose?

For lighting, you can use lamps of various types, which differ in price, efficiency and other characteristics. Everyone makes a choice based on their own preferences and requirements, but such lamps are considered the most popular today:

• incandescent lamp - One of the most common lighting options of recent times. Previously, such lamps could be found in almost every home, but today many people realize how much more economical it is to use other types of lamps, so their popularity, although slowly, is falling;
• fluorescent lamps much more economical than incandescent lamps. With the same power, they give a brighter light, last longer, but also cost more;
• halogen lamps also quite economical, but due to the huge variety of forms and types allow you to create unique interior solutions;
• LED lamp differ in high luminous efficiency and huge service life.

No. 10. Lighting Material

All chandeliers, sconces and other lighting items must be made of high-quality glass or plastic so that they can withstand the effects of high temperatures and steam. If the kitchen is made in the style of country or Provence, then some fixtures may have fabric lampshadesbut they should be made from easy-to-clean fabric.

Equally important is the style of the fixtures, which should fit the style of the room. Modern fixtures are so unique that they can become an adornment of any kitchen. Color and style should meet the interior solution, and different lamps should be in harmony with each other.

Finally

In order to create competent lighting in the kitchen, it is necessary to think through all the details in advance, because at the repair stage it will still be necessary wiring correctly. If you have created a project for the future kitchen, then it will be much easier to determine the type, color and size of the lamps, their number. Do not forget to take into account the position of the kitchen relative to the cardinal points, as well as its area.