The kitchen is the heart of the home; it’s a place where you cook, socialise, and make memories together with family and friends. Since the kitchen is a room that is often used for at least a few different things, it makes sense that it can benefit from having different lighting types. While you can use just one large lighting fixture in your kitchen, it will often result in a lot of light that simply isn’t in the main places where it’s needed. So, what lighting types can every kitchen benefit from having?
Mood Lighting
This type of lighting will set the tone in your kitchen. It can be great for socialising, adding more warmth to the space and making sure that everybody feels more at home. The space between your kitchen cupboards and the ceiling is the ideal place for mood lighting in the kitchen. You can also get a similar effect by using strategically placed recessed lighting, or by simply using a dimmer switch on your main light to take the ambience in your kitchen to the next level and create the right mood for anything you want to do.
Task Lighting
While mood lighting is ideal for when you are enjoying a meal with family or friends in the kitchen or a romantic dinner by candlelight with your other half, it won’t be very helpful when you’re reading a recipe or preparing that dinner. This is where task lighting is a useful addition to the kitchen. The best place to add task lighting in your kitchen is underneath your kitchen cabinets. This will ensure that there is a bright light that is shining directly on the countertop and illuminating whatever you are doing. Since the light is in front of, rather than behind you like the main light, your body won’t get in the way, leaving you with a shadow-free, clear look at whatever you are working on. You can also benefit from adding task lighting to the inside of your food cupboard, making it much easier to find the ingredients that you’re looking for. You can buy spotlights and other task lighting options from any bulk electrical supplies store.
Accent Lighting
Finally, accent lighting can add to the décor in your kitchen and make sure that your main focal points are really shown off. Whether you add a light above a large clock in the kitchen or inside a cabinet displaying your favourite China, or a light to illuminate your favourite artwork in the kitchen, accent lighting can make a huge difference to the space. The best part is that for accent lighting, you do not have to spend a lot of money on getting lights and wiring them in. Battery-powered lights, for example, can be a great way to light up the inside of glass display cabinets.
Choosing the right lighting for your kitchen can be tricky. You’ll want lighting that you can change with the mood, along with light options to help illuminate the space when you’re working on something.
