Kitchen of the Week

Have a wonderful week ahead...

Lights in the Kitchen

Kitchen with task light illuminating the worktops, accent light spotlighting the wall painting & decorative pendant light hanging over the island.

The light fittings for your kitchen is as important as every other accessory in the kitchen. Just as the primary role of lights in the kitchen is to illuminate the space, they also add to beautifying the kitchen in different ways and giving it a welcoming feel; this depends on the type of lights used. Kitchen lighting can be categorized into four different sub-topics. They are:

1. Task LightThese types of lights are used to illuminate the work area, that is, the counter-tops, hence the name, task light. They can be under-cabinet (wall cabinet) light or under shelf light.
2. Accent Light 
   
   These types are used to illuminate the interior of cabinets, with glass doors; illuminating its contents, mostly china glass wares. It can also used to spotlight wall paintings and art works.
3. Ambient Light
   
   
   
   These are used to create a warm welcoming feel in the kitchen. Space between wall cabinets, tall units and the ceiling or base cabinets and the floor is where ambient lights are installed, bouncing off the ceiling or floor to soften shadows.
4. Decorative Light 
   
   As the name suggests, they simply add to the beauty of the kitchen. Lovely pendant lights, chandeliers and monorail lights can be used to achieve this.

In all, it is essential to balance these lights with a dimmer switch to achieve the desired effects at different times. Reason being that, the light level required during food prep and cleaning is always brighter than the light required when eating and entertaining guests.