Member Article

Kitchen functionality and lighting

Lighting in the kitchen is one of the most important elements of the interior. Because, to be able to make food without problems, the lighting needs to be functional and of great quality. The kitchen is a room where functionality is most important. Without it, the kitchen won’t be able to fulfill its primary role, so it’s important to keep the functionality of the kitchen high. And to do that, lighting needs to be great.

For pleasant kitchen lighting, the rules are the same like for the rest of the home. The light needs to be diverse and it needs to come from different sources. Most designers put kitchen lighting into three categories: central, functional, and atmospheric.

In most kitchens, usually there is only one central lighting source, which is not practical. Lights that are on the ceiling don’t cast enough light on the working surfaces in the kitchen, which doesn’t allow great functionality in your kitchen, and functionality is really important in the kitchen, if not the most important thing. The upper kitchen elements usually block the lights that are cast from the ceiling, create shadows, and you definitely don’t want that. A great way to deal with this problem is to build lights into the upper kitchen elements, to properly align your kitchen to windows and elements that cover your windows (Roller blinds, Vertical blinds, Venetian blinds, etc…) or to use wall lamps.

Functional lighting implies a powerful light directly above the working surface, the sink, and the electric appliances. In some kitchens, there’s a row of lights beneath the kitchen elements, which is great and adds to the overall functionality of the kitchen. You can even buy cabinets that have built in lights, but they can be costly. If you don’t have the funds or the means to replace your kitchen elements, there are some other things that you can do. There are many alternative solutions on the market, you just have to find what works for you.

You also need to think about the placement of lights above your working surface. Try not to bunch them too close to each other. But, just lighting the working is not enough for proper functional kitchen lighting. You also need to light the floor, so cleaning becomes much easier. Halogen light systems are great for floor lighting, so getting them would be a good move.

Hanging lights are best placed above dining tables or bars, because they spread light in an even manner. For a more comfortable atmosphere in the kitchen, you should not only add lights, but add lights that are flexible and properly directed. In that sense, lighting that can be dimmed or turn on independent from other lighting elements is a great choice.

So, as a summary, the kitchen being a room that is dependent on high functionality, and being that lighting plays a big part in that functionality, you absolutely need to focus on the lighting in your kitchen. It needs to near perfection if you want your kitchen to fulfill its primary role.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Anne Brown .