The right lighting a kitchen can really make the room and set the tone. It doesn't need to be anything to complex, but it is a matter that should be layered. Many homeowners make the mistake of trying to light up the kitchen with just one fixture in the center of the kitchen ceiling. Unfortunately, this mistake can really overpower the rest of the room, including the company in the room!
There are several types of lighting that help create the most effective lighting in a kitchen. Although this is an opinion, many experts do agree that these layers work best together. The more popular types include task lighting, ambient lighting and decorative lighting. The result of this combination is a welcoming and cozy kitchen with functional and lively lighting.
Task lighting is a huge part of a kitchen as it plays a very helpful role in food prep. If the task lighting isn't properly positioned, it can end up causing shadows which can actually be harmful to your preparation.
These task lights are often found under cabinets or in the pantry. Some of the common lights used are either strip lights, linear bulbs or puck light systems.
Ambient lighting is probably the most overlooked aspect of lighting in the kitchen. It's usually indirect lighting which can really soften the room by adding a bit of a glow if done right. In the old days, the kitchen was meant solely for food prep but that's obviously changed. Ambient lighting will help bring people into the kitchen during your dinner parties and keep all the guests comfortable while having a few appetizers in the kitchen.
Ambient lighting can come from a pendant light, track lighting system or just a mounted fixture on the ceiling.
Depending on the size of your kitchen, the type of decorative lighting will vary. It's extremely important that the size of the decorative lighting you choose, matches the size of the kitchen. You do not want a chandelier that doesn't fit the room! Decorative lighting is the most expensive of the different layers.
Once you have the different layers of lighting set up, it's just as important to make sure you can set the right light from each one. If you're going to do the work, make sure that each lighting layer can use a dimmer. This will give you the option to really set the mood, no matter what the occasion!