Contemporary kitchen lighting : How to select yours

How we light the kitchen and our home environment, affects the performance of the room and how we feel when we are spending time there. In spite of this, new contemporary kitchen lighting is often an afterthought in a kitchen design or renovation after; cabinetry, appliances, tiles and worktops … So it is no surprise that there is often little budget remaining for this essential component.

Usually, people do not think about changing the lighting to enhance the space and simply accept what is there. People are entertaining more than they used to and let’s face it, the kitchen is the heart of that entertaining. People are attracted to lights like moths, but don’t understand why. The key is in how light falls.

The differing style of contemporary kitchen lighting

There is no such thing as a kitchen lighting that illuminates beneath cabinets, over the working area and supplies light to islands. So the first stage is to understand the four types of lighting. Although some fittings will multi-task their light tasks.

Process – This light illuminates work spaces, like kitchen worktops where you’re prepping food and storage areas so that you can see what goods are on your shelves.

Accent – This type of contemporary kitchen lighting adds level and dimension to the surroundings. Good examples are recessed adjustable fixtures and track lights.

Decorative – This is for visual percept. The function of decorative lighting is to add focus to a space. For instance; chandeliers and candlestick wall fixtures.

Ambient – This soft light or general lighting, which floods the room and reflects off the ceiling. You will get this impact from pendant, indirect fixtures and opaque wall fixtures

No style of lighting can exist alone. Shadows are softened if you use only ambient lighting, your guests will look terrific, but there’s no dimension or visual fascination. If you incorporate only accent lighting, you light every item in the area but guests fall into the shadows.

Feel daunted by the different styling? Relax, regardless of the size of a living space, the four styles can be integrated into any room. Fixtures can offer multipurpose styling. For example while a kitchen pendant light is decorative, it will also cast light onto your ceiling so provides an ambient light source as well.