The Light Stuff - Fabulous, Functional Kitchen Lighting

A good lighting plan can transform your kitchen into a culinary masterpiece. After all, the kitchen is the heart and hub of the home. The right illumination not only contributes style, but can assist you with a myriad of kitchen tasks from food preparation to dining, entertainment, family time, office, schoolwork and more!

Types of Kitchen Lighting

The basics of kitchen lighting include a mix of ambient, task and accent lighting. Each layer of light helps eliminate glare and shadows while setting the overall tone and adding to the style you wish to achieve. Whether planning a complete kitchen remodel or if you are simply looking for a few upgrades, achieving a modern, functional lighting plan will result in a welcoming and stylish environment for all.

Ambient Lighting

The term ambient light refers to general or basic overall lighting. It is the foundation of lighting a room well and comprises most illumination in an interior space. Proper ambient lighting provides enough brightness to safely move about your space while defining the sense of warmth and depth of a room.

During the day, ambient light is derived from incoming natural light and lighting fixtures when appropriate. Seasonal changes, the time of day and weather may affect this form of light. After sundown, the need for additional ambient light increases. Adding dimmers can help adjust light levels and energy output as needed.

Whether your style preference is traditional, transitional or contemporary, ambient lighting relies on a blend of ceiling-mounted fixtures, recessed lighting and hanging fixtures for decorative effects. A chandelier offers additional illumination and speaks to elegance and sophistication. For modern looks, there is a host of contemporary light fixtures that can offer variations of or clusters of ambient light. Overall, the sky’s the limit, but our kitchen design consultants are trained to help you plan the best options in kitchen design, including lighting.

Task Lighting

Task lighting highlights and illuminates specific workspaces and can be accomplished via a multitude of stylish fixtures. This type of lighting typically directs light toward areas where close-up work is performed. Task lighting is often required over the stove, oven, kitchen island, sink, clean up and prep areas, as well as countertops. Additional task lighting can also be welcome in areas of the kitchen where digital devices are used. 

Task lights are available in an endless variety of shapes, sizes, styles, and colors. Pendant lights, drop-down linear, suspension and cable lighting all offer functional lighting, as well as merging into accent lighting categories. The array of new track lighting options available breathes new life into to the category. For entertaining, task lights play well with accent lighting to evoke interest and help set the mood. No doubt these lights will gear up the overall design, function, and feel of your kitchen. 

Accent Lighting

Accent lighting brings depth and dimension to a room and is the tour de force of a well-designed kitchen. Consider adding under-or-over cabinet lights, inside cabinets lights, wall mounted lights, toe kicks or mini track lights to accentuate your favorite details. 

Accent lighting adds both focus and drama when used to illuminate details like a designer stove with an artisan hood, a mosaic tile, or a cappuccino or wine bar. Alternatively, accent lights may highlight a favorite piece of artwork or kitchen island, which is why accent lighting often crosses over into ambient or task lighting. 

At Kitchen Magic, our design consultants can suggest the best lighting options to create the style and mood you wish to achieve in your new kitchen - light on! So, why not see what Kitchen Magic can do for you? Schedule your free design consultation, including a personalized quote for your project, today!