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Optimal lighting in the kitchen will not only make your space look and feel great, but it will also ensure you are able to work within it efficiently, too. The right lighting in a kitchen balances style with functionality and creates the perfect spot for entertaining, cooking and socialising. This guide will walk you through the different types of kitchen lighting and how to use them effectively in your home.
In order to successfully light up your kitchen with ease, it's important to know the three types of kitchen lighting you will need to use. It's worth noting that using a combination of any of the three will certainly give your kitchen a good dose of lighting, however, using all three types will ensure a perfect blend of soft, warm and bright lighting designed to illuminate your kitchen brilliantly..
Ambient
Ambient lighting is the most common type of lighting found in a kitchen and is used widely in most homes. Designed to illuminate as much space as possible, this type of lighting creates a naturally-lit feel to the room. Windows, doors and reflective surfaces are all natural ways to incorporate more natural light into your kitchen, whereas pendant lights, downlights, ceiling mounted lights and chandeliers are all wonderful ways to generate a wide-spread and uniform glow in the dark.
Task
Task lighting is essential for ensuring you are able work effectively and safely in your kitchen. Perfectly placed in the shadows, task lighting is able to brighten the darker areas of your kitchen which require more focus such as work surfaces and shelves/cabinets. Under cabinet strip lights, track lights and puck lights are all great ways to incorporate task lighting into your kitchen.
Accent
Accent lighting is decorative, for the most part. Your kitchen can be sufficiently lit up with or without it - it's main purpose is to bring attention to itself, key elements, or something ornamental such as a particular piece of art. However, accent lighting is also fantastic at creating a 'mood' and is a great way to put a bit of personality into your kitchen. Sconces, toe-kicks, pendant lighting, track lighting and under-cabinet lighting are all perfect ways to bring character and style into the heart of the home.
Bringing it all together
Using a balanced mix of all three types of kitchen lighting is key to having a functional and aesthetically pleasing space. If you are sourcing your own lights, make sure you choose LED for to save on energy, and incorporate a blend of warm and bright lights for optimal aesthetic satisfaction.
A little expert tip: use dimmer switches to have full control over the tone and contrast of your kitchen.
If you'd like to shed a little light on how best to renovate your kitchen, get in touch today where our team will be happy to help!