Lighting your kitchen

What’s the best way to light a kitchen?  While there is no one right answer, there are many mistakes made and misconceptions.

Recessed lights remain everyone’s favorite for general lighting.  They light the space evenly, while seeming to disappear from our line of sight.  While this is a great solution, it can be much more expensive than lighting with one or two surface mounted ceiling fixtures.

You need many more recessed lights to provide the same amount of lighting you would get with surface mounted fixtures.  Recessed cans are usually placed anywhere between 36” and 54” apart depending on the bulb (or lamp) used and the style of the trim.  But the ceiling may need to be re-plastered to run all the wiring.  A decorative fixture centered in the space can be a more cost effective option.

A good option for giving some task lighting for an island or peninsula is to use some hanging pendant lights or a gorgeous decorative chandelier.  These should be centered above the area to be lit and set  at approximately 30” above the countertop.

Remember, lighting can make or break a kitchen.  Most kitchens are under-lit.  Choose dimmers to reduce light levels.  Don’t skimp on the fixtures!

Keep an eye out for LED, it’s poised to take over the lighting world…

Next time:  under-cabinet lighting and more on how to avoid big mistakes with recessed lights.