Illuminating the kitchen is a very important task. It is not only about bringing lighting to the work areas, but also about giving a welcoming touch that includes a design that highlights the attributes of the heart of the home and adds personality to it.
Lighting is much more than simply installing a lamp. Playing with shapes, tones, lengths, and materials can be essential to create a warm or sophisticated atmosphere. The following are some tips for lighting that you can use in the kitchen.
To hang or not to hang?
The pendant or hanging lamps never go out of fashion. However, they aren’t always an ideal guest in the kitchen, and it all depends on the size of the lamp and how it is installed.
It is customary for hanging lamps to be framed in the center of the dining table. If your kitchen has an integrated dining room or breakfast table, following this custom is always a good idea, as it will delimit the space and provide a cozy atmosphere for your dinners.
You can also consider using hanging lamps with small shades in groups of two or three over breakfast bars or pantry tables. In this case, the space between the lamps must be enough to make the most of the light beams.
However, the choice to install pendant lights should consider functionality. They shouldn’t interrupt the movement in the kitchen, nor the possibility to open and close cabinets and doors. On the other hand, the materials of the lamp shades must be chosen carefully to last, resist high temperatures, and be easy to clean, so natural fibers and crystals are not recommended.
Light at low heat
Certainly, the place in the kitchen where light is most needed is precisely the countertop and over the cooktop or range. The problem is that the high traffic in this area leaves little room for design.
Here’s when it becomes advisable to choose recessed lighting, either in the cabinets or use ceiling lamps that become functional and discreet when attached to the ceiling. Cold and white illumination is preferred to favor the vision, without contributing to adding more heat to a place characterized for having high temperatures, and it also ensures t the lamps will be easy to clean because they will be exposed to the grease produced in the kitchen.
The play of lights in which cold and warm lights are combined with the tones of the decoration results in a cozy and modern atmosphere that’s ideal for a high-end kitchen.
In sum, choosing the right lighting in the kitchen is not easy. But with the help of these tips and some advice from experts in interior design and decoration, you can achieve the atmosphere you want in it or even optimize the illumination you already have.