Kitchen Lighting Ideas – Balancing Function And Atmosphere | Home Improvement

Kitchen Lighting Ideas – Balancing Function And Atmosphere

The kitchen is quite possibly the room that is the most devoted to work, whether it is an elaborately appointed gourmet’s kitchen or a tiny nook in an apartment with just enough space for the necessities. Preparing and serving food, and cleaning all of the tools and implements involved in doing so, mean spending a fair amount of time laboring there. When the kitchen is also large enough to dine in, even more time is spent in that space.

It should therefore be decorated not only in a utilitarian fashion but attractively as well. One of the features that can help make or break a kitchen’s appearance is its lighting. Ideally a balance should be found between function and atmosphere, ensuring enough bright light is provided for safety, without being too harsh for a warm and pleasant ambiance. The following are basic kitchen lighting ideas to help find that balance, starting with the extremes.

Function-Focused Lighting

The basic purpose of functional lighting is clear in its name: function. One or more bulbs are positioned to illuminate the area, focusing on usefulness rather than appearance. Included in this category are some recessed lights, halogen bulbs, and florescent bulbs.

Decorative Lights

More expensive than their utilitarian counterparts, decorative lighting is also far more appealing. While the emphasis of these lights is ornamental, if enough are used they can still provide adequate lighting for a kitchen’s more practical needs. Pendant lights, cascading bulbs, and other modern light fixtures are included in this category, often with attractive fixtures of pewter, nickel, or wrought iron, with glass that is etched or colored.

Ceiling Lights

Most kitchens are primarily illuminated by ceiling lights, and here the balance between function and decoration is hardest. Not only does sufficient light make a space look cleaner, but it helps ensure the kitchen is safely clean for food handling. However, the metal surfaces and bare expanses of tile or linoleum floor can reflect too harsh a light and give the kitchen barren, forbidding feel.

Bulb Colors

While many people focus on the fixtures themselves, the colors of the bulbs used in them makes a large impact on the mood of a space. White is brightest, but is also the most forbidding and industrial. Colored bulbs may be cheerful, but are also dimmer. One of the best options is the yellow bulb, with its balance of brightness and warmth.

Whether you choose modern lightning, traditional fixtures, or contemporary lighting, the illumination of a kitchen remains one of its most important features. Adequate light must be provided to work areas such as the stove, sink, and counters, and also to the eating area. Given the hundreds of combinations of fixtures and light bulbs, a little shopping around is sure to find the ideal solution for any kitchen.