Artificial lighting is the easiest way to
set or change the atmosphere of an entire room. With one switch, your kitchen
can go from bright, efficient hub of activity to a softly lit setting for a
quiet meal. Plus, the the right lighting can make meal preparation and cleanup
safer and more efficient.
Just think how much time you might safe if you could
open a cabinet and spot whatever you need right away, or how quickly you could
chop an onion in a bright, clear, shadow-less space.
In addition, performing
task that sometimes feels like drudgery seems easier in a right light because
your eyes are less susceptible to strain. The key to devising a versatile plan
that can change with each activity, as well as with a time of day, begins with
knowledge about types of artificial lighting.
For overall lighting and for many task
lighting situations in the kitchen, homeowners most often choose recessed
down-lights or other built-in lighting.
Mounted flush with the ceiling this lighting
fixtures don't break the surface plane of the ceiling as pendant lights or
chandeliers do. Unlike surface-mounted fixtures, recessed ones don't make low
ceilings seem lower.
It is often best to team both recessed and hanging fixtures
in rooms with higher ceilings for balance lighting. When designing for a
building or remodeling project, imagine all the activities you'll do in a room
and where you'll be doing them. Then plan accordingly, locating your fixtures
exactly where you need them.
When your kitchen is not bright enough, most people just exchange low-watt bulbs for high-watt versions.
Wattage, however, is simply a measurement of how much electricity a lamp
consumes.
The light output of the bulb is actually measures in lumens.
If the bulbs you have been using aren't providing enough general light,
substitute them with ones that have more lumens. The next time you shop for
bulbs, read the packaging, which indicates the lumens per watt (lpw) produced by
a bulb. The more luminous per watt, the more efficient the lamp. When looking
for intensity produced by a lamp, refer to its candlepower (Cp). The more
candela (units), the brighter the source.
Because of all the different
tasks performed in a kitchen, devising a light plan for this room can become
complex. But when planning a suitable kitchen lighting design
you might take other factors into consideration.
Before you do anything about
buying lamps and fixtures for your kitchen, asses how you will use the kitchen
in addition to the basic functions of cooking, eating, and cleaning up. Think
about how you want your kitchen to feel - perhaps cool and efficient while you
work but cozy while you dine.
Assess the reflective levels in the kitchen -
the amount of light reflected from the flat surface, such as countertops, floors, painted walls, and ceiling.
Light colors and shiny surfaces are reflective, dark colors and matt surfaces are absorbent.
For example, white reflects 80 percent of the light in a room, while black
reflects only 4 percent. Therefore, When selecting materials and colors remember
that a kitchen with light walls, cabinets, and high-gloss countertops and
flooring requires less light tan one with dark or matte-finished surfaces and
wood cabinetry.
In today's multipurpose
dining areas, lighting needs to be suitable not only for dining but for many
other family activities. The right fixture isn't always a
chandelier. There was a time when the phrase "dining room fixtures"
almost always meant chandeliers,
usually made of cast metal or tubular brass, perhaps with prisms, hanging
over the center of the table. That's definitely not the case any more.
While
there are certainly rooms in which such a fixture is still most appropriate,
some decorating styles call for lighting that is more spear, more
contemporary, or more individual. Luckily, an abundance of choices exists
for every taste.
Anywhere family meals are eaten deserves good, convivial lighting.
In addition, providing adequate task lighting, especially in the cooking area, where
sharp knives, scalding and burning materials, and the subtleties of fine cooking coexist,
only makes good sense. The placement of lighting fixtures may vary depending on size of your kitchen.
But above all, let your lighting need dictate how many fixtures to buy and where to install them.
Professional designers always try to include as much natural
light in a kitchen plan as possible (see also
green design and solar energy). Task lighting often under wall cabinets or
above the island, is a must - although it's often tempting to eliminate the
added expense. There also must be a light over the sink and some type of general
lighting. Some designers and homeowners prefer look of hanging lighting fixtures
to recessed lighting. You might also want to consider lighting inside a kitchen
cabinets.
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