It is often said that the kitchen is the heart of the home. Not only is it the place where people join together to make and share food, but it is often used for other purposes like homework or hobbies. You need a space that meets all of these needs and that means having effective, adaptable lighting choices. That’s why it’s important to choose lighting to suit the room and provides the correct amount of light where you need it most.
Considering the space
You’ll want to think about the design of your kitchen, especially if you’re planning on updating the current design or carrying out a complete renovation. The specific details of the kitchen layout, whether new or existing will have an impact on the design, size, type and set-up of any light fittings you choose. Some considerations include:
Kitchen size – this will impact how many fixtures you can install and their size.
Existing fixtures – the number of fittings you currently have installed, their location and style. If you are having a complete renovation, then this factor isn’t quite as important.
Levels of natural and artificial lighting – this impacts the amount and kind of lighting required.
Kitchen layout – this affects where you can install fixtures and the style you can choose, particularly if you have an open plan layout in your home.
Kitchen style – this affects the fixture style that will look best in the space.
Ceiling – don’t forget to fully dress your ceiling and light fittings with decorative Ceiling Roses from Creative Cables
Choosing a lighting fixture
Know you have a good idea of how your kitchen looks or will look, you can start to consider the perfect fixtures. It’s important to bear in mind how they will look, what they will bring to the room and will they fit in? Some considerations include:
Aesthetics and style
Location and size
Atmosphere
You will also need to consider how the lights will be fixed in the kitchen and the different methods for mounting that are available. These include:
Mounted onto the wall or ceiling
Sitting flush with the ceiling or suspended
Standing and stationary such as recessed lamps or track lighting
Floor standing or table standing
Hidden in, on or underneath furniture
Once you’ve decided how you want the kitchen to look and the style of lighting you desire, now it’s time to consider the material and finish which is one of the parts that is most fun. Some options include:
Fabric, metal, glass, wood or plastic
Hooded, exposed or shielded
Opaque or transparent
Gloss, matte or iridescent
Traditional and sophisticated or contemporary and bold
Classic and traditional or bold statement pieces?
Brightly coloured or subtle hues
