Today’s kitchens are more than just places to prepare meals. In addition to its primary food function, this room ranks as the heart of the home and center of family activity. Kids study there; parents pay the bills and write checks there; everyone reads the morning paper in the kitchen; families eat their meals there. Such multi-tasking kitchens demand equally versatile lighting. Gone are the days when a single 100-watt fixture centered in the kitchen’s ceiling was sufficient.
The right recipe for lighting your kitchen depends on the size and complexity of the room. Small kitchens may require only a central ceiling fixture and task lighting tucked under a cabinet. More elaborate kitchens will demand a blend of general, task and accent lighting.
Functional fixtures will provide well-diffused general lighting perfect for moving about the room safely, peering inside drawers and cabinets, and performing chores. While large, surface fluorescents have been popular in the past, the latest looks revolve around recessed lights and low voltage, industrial styles, often with a metal finish. Recessed downlights assure even illumination. Install them over the stove and sink areas to create adequate task lighting for cooking and cleaning. The kitchen table is another family focal point. A decorative pendant, operating with a dimmer control, will provide sufficient lighting. Consider a decorative fixture with three lights. The top trends in decorative finishes include wrought iron, often in rust or other earth tones. Painted finishes are also popular. Colored glass bypasses plain white in popularity. Pewter and satin nickel finishes replace the basic brass look. No matter which light style you choose, be sure to light all corners of the kitchen. Lighting the spaces above and below the cabinets has become more important than ever. Available in slim, energy-efficient designs such as miniature track lights or low-voltage linear systems, under and overcabinet lighting quickly and easily lights up counter tops and accents ceilings. The kitchen “office” or workspace is the latest trend in need of good lighting. Sometimes these are desk areas for paying bills or copying recipes. More often than not, however, they include a computer. Computer workspaces in the kitchen introduce a new twist. Remember that the computer itself is illuminated, so you need to light the paperwork, not the computer itself. Every kitchen is individual and task lighting here depends on cabinet layout and computer location. Too much light can wash out the screen. Halogen undercabinet lighting offers another option. No matter how many lights you install in your kitchen, the experts recommend circuiting them separately so the lighting is zoned. You will be pleased with the results.
Article source: The American Lighting Assocation.
