Most kitchens require more than one light source. Ceiling lights alone create ‘dark’ areas of the kitchen and are not very practical.
Under-Cabinet Task Lighting
By placing LED strip lighting or puck lighting in the space beneath your wall units, food preparation is well-lit on your work surfaces. Choose a cool white light of around 4000K and position the strip as near to the front of the cabinet as possible.
Pendants Over an Island or Peninsula
Pendant lights can be used over an island or peninsula to provide additional lighting for eating and preparing food. They can be positioned approximately 70-80cm above the surface and pointed downwards to prevent them from being a distraction. A narrow shade or a clear bulb is best to provide a focus of light rather than spreading it around the room.
Recessed Downlights on a Dimmer
Fixed-brightness downlights can be very unforgiving of attempts to create ambiance in the evening. However, installed on a dimmer switch, downlights can be very effective for creating a bright and functional kitchen by day and a softer, more relaxing space by night. CIBSE recommends a level of around 300 lux for task areas in the kitchen (ref: CIBSE guidance recommended illuminance levels for kitchens).
Toe-Kick Lighting
You can even fit Low-level LED strips into the toe-kick of the plinth of the base units to produce a soft floor level highlight when required. It also makes a great night-light.
Inside-Cabinet or Shelf Lighting
Small LED lights inside open shelving or glazed cabinets are a nice feature in kitchens where display of crockery and glassware is key. Even during the evening these lights can be used as additional ambient light to the main lighting scheme.
Kitchen Refurbishment is covered in more detail at https://www.thekitchenrefurbishmentcompany.co.uk.
Plan your lighting in zones and your kitchen will function well at all times of the day.
