Lighting Your Kitchen : Mistakes To Avoid

The kitchen has become a real living room in which lighting plays an essential role in creating a space that is both convivial and easy to live with.

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Kitchen lighting should be functional but also decorative . It is a room in which we eat, we share, we work, we read… This is why it is essential to benefit from visual comfort with suitable lighting .
To create an ideally lit kitchen, it is important to take into account its configuration. If you have an open kitchen, a set of several suspensions neatly aligned above your worktop, or the central island, will look great. If your kitchen is a closed room, a central suspension will be perfect. In both cases, the most judicious will be especially to illuminate the key spaces of the room where the strategic activities are concentrated (sink, cooking and storage) with light spots installed on the ceiling, under the cupboards, or LED strips fixed on furniture…

Don't forget to specifically light the key areas of your kitchen : hob, washing area or worktop must be perfectly lit, this is essential for visual comfort and safety. Opt for functional, strong and precise localized lighting directed to the sink, the hob, the worktop, the storage units, even the hood. Their presence sheds light on the three main activities in the kitchen: preparing, washing, cooking. At the level of the work plan, favor a homogeneous light under the wall units to avoid distorting the color of the food. Several solutions are possible: light strips, extra-flat or LED strips for clean light. Localized lighting is also invited under the furniture, in the form of LEDs. You open a door or a drawer and they light up automatically! They benefit from an ultra practical use in large cupboards or deep drawers. Above the wall units, you can place spotlights on rods which illuminate their facades and highlight the furniture. Playing on several levels of light with extra-flat spotlights will enhance the contents of the furniture. If you have windows, let yourself be tempted by a point light to create the atmosphere.

2. FORGET DECORATIVE LIGHTING

Do you think that a simple ceiling light is enough to create the atmosphere in your kitchen? Error, to achieve a warm and unique atmosphere, in your image, it is essential to multiply the light sources with auxiliary lighting , by mixing several types of lights:

- a set of sconces to produce subdued light,
- a decorative pendant lamp or a modern chandelier to liven up the dining area,
- lighting integrated into glazed elements to create plays of light,
- a stylish table lamp placed on a shelf
- LED strips to light up a niche in a wall, reveal the credenza or warm up the worktop...

In terms of decoration, everything is allowed! The lighting possibilities are endless.

The kitchen is the ideal room to mix as many lights as possible and thus multiply the light sources. Everyone's choice is obviously a matter of taste and style, but be aware above all that the kitchen does not tolerate paper or fabric lights, in particular because of grease deposits. Prefer lights with materials that are easier to clean and more resistant, such as glass or metal.

Place sconces above the cupboards, they will highlight the furniture, especially in a contemporary kitchen which today combines comfort and aesthetics. It is useful and decorative accent lighting. Adopt the LED bars below or inside a piece of furniture, they are ideal for creating subdued effects and spend little energy while being ultra decorative.
Opt for a bright splashback that will play a role that is as aesthetic as it is practical. This lighting is sufficient for short-term activities in the kitchen, such as making tea. On the other hand, it is easier to leave it on than a ceiling light or a neon light because its color is softer and more discreet. Arrange in the bottom of the furniture, they will be placed along the entire length of the worktop, where the main activities take place and will enhance the look of the room with an ideal lighting solution! Try the lighting strip for drawers or cupboards, they will help you tidy up without wasting time looking for your utensils. To stick or to screw, prefer the LED to make your life easier. Decline several points of light above the central island, this will offer you a work space and pleasant exchange around this space, a real small crossroads of life in the kitchen open to the living room. A row of suspensions or spotlights installed along the worktop will allow you to cook, have lunch, read, wash... in good conditions in full light.