I maintain lighting is the most important consideration within any interior. In a kitchen, position light only where it is required for tasks.
You need to position a good source of light over works surfaces by using down lights or pendants. They will add a visual interest to the room scheme and act as a divide between kitchen and dining areas when positioned in a row over an island or a peninsula.
Other areas where you can add lighting in your kitchen is to position them in the underside of your wall cabinets as this eliminate the user working under their own shadow. The application or LED strip lights are great as you can introduce a colour changing system which changes the ambiance at night time while giving you a practical light source to work under.
My belief is that lighting has one of the most important effects on how you live and feel within your home so be creative in where you put your light sources.
My top lighting positions in a kitchen are:
- Kickboard lights
- Light on top of wall cabinets – adds height to your space
- Back light in a window pelmet
- In recessed shelves and units
- Back light a feature picture
- Floor lights to highlight a texture on a wall
- Recessed light under coving
- Positioning directional pin spots highlight areas to make a space feel bigger
Each track should be layered and should be individually controlled and if possible be on a dimmer switch – this allows you to control your light and create your own desired mood in your kitchen.
You should always try to create the feeling of bright daylight to an intimate atmosphere over dinner by the flick of a switch!
