HOW TO LIGHT YOUR KITCHEN

We hope this guide will help you understand some of the basics when lighting your kitchen.

The kitchen is the center of your home. With more homes being an open floor plan, choosing the correct lighting can be challenging. Because there are many activities in the kitchen you should use a combination of different types of lighting. The best way to approach your lighting design is by using three basic types of lighting: GENERAL, TASK, and ACCENT.

GENERAL LIGHTING fills the space with soft overall light. The level of illumination allows enough light to be useful in the space.

Recessed lighting works best for general lighting. LED recessed is the most popular type being used. LED recessed lights are made with bulbs built into the fixture. This creates a more even color temperature of the recessed lights. Recessed lights have two parts, the housing and the trim. The housing is what goes above the ceiling, and the trim is what you see that holds the bulb. New “wafer” style recessed lights offer the look of a recessed without the housing, rather it mounts in a fixture box. There are some differences between the two styles that should be considered- appearance, lumen output, cost, and features.

PLACEMENT OF RECESSED LIGHTING should be planned out carefully. There are several approaches to designing a recessed layout depending on the shape of your kitchen. In an open layout, you may be able to section off your kitchen and design the lighting for each area. This may include your cabinet area, a hallway, a pantry area, etc. When lighting around your cabinets, you want to try to position the recessed lights centered at the cabinets and along the cabinet walls. Placing them at the edge of the counter is ideal. If you place them further out you will get shadowing on the counter from standing between the light and the counter. We strongly suggest using under cabinet lighting, this will eliminate the shadowing on the counter. You want to take into consideration a hood fan. If you install a recessed light over that you will get what we call a “hot spot” on the hood, instead, position it on either side of the hood. Note: sometimes, joists, beams or pipes may prevent you from getting the recessed light in an exact location.

RECESSED LIGHTS COME IN DIFFERENT SIZES. For many years, the most popular size for recessed lighting was 4” or 6”, but with LED being so efficient and bright, 3” and 2” are increasingly being used. The height of your ceiling will also determine the size you choose. It is important to check the lumens as each recessed differs with size and manufacturer.

LUMENS (BRIGHTNESS) measure the amount of light produced, whereas watts measure the amount of energy required to light products. Simply put, the more lumens in a light bulb, the brighter the light. Lumen measurements are needed when comparing LED bulbs to other light sources. Shopping by lumens is how you determine the brightness of your bulb. The chart below shows the lumens values for common incandescent bulbs:

It’s important to note that lumens are measured at the source. However in directional bulbs, what matters is the amount of light that is landing on the surface. Some LEDs are more efficient than others and therefore use fewer watts to produce the same or more lumens. Check out the lumen comparison to wattage to determine what will work best for you. Consider the colors of your counters, cabinets and floors- dark surfaces will require a brighter lumen.

COLOR TEMPERATURE is an option when choosing your recessed light. It is measured in Kelvins (K). You can choose 2700K warm white, 3000K soft white, or 4000K-5000K daylight. The color of your cabinets and room can determine what Kelvin temperature you choose. With white cabinets, you may feel a 3000K compliments better. However, in the end, chose the one that is more pleasing to your eye. We recommend you see the options in person.

DO THE COLORS IN MY KITCHEN MATTER. Yes! The colors of your kitchen matter. If the colors in your kitchen are light, it will reflect more light. Darker kitchens absorb light so they may require more recessed lights or brighter lumens.

WHAT IF I HAVE HIGH CEILINGS. For high ceilings, you will need to choose a recessed with appropriate lumens to light your work surface. This may also mean you need a bigger trim to get more lumens from the light.

WHAT SHOULD I PUT OVER MY SINK. Either recessed or decorative light should be placed in front of you over the sink. Consider a separate switch to operate this light because it works well as a light to leave on in the evening or away from home.

TASK LIGHTING is important for the “working areas” of your home.

UNDER CABINET LIGHTING will light the most important area of the kitchen, your work surface. LED has taken over halogen as it is more efficient and does not get as hot. There are many types of under cabinet lighting in different widths and lengths. Cabinets either have an edge or are recessed to hide the light fixture from view. However, if you have a flat surface, consider tape lighting as an option.

DECORATIVE LIGHTING over a table or island will work as either general or task lighting depending on the light output of the fixture. If there is not enough general lighting from the fixture, you may add small recessed lights to accompany it. Decorative lighting will set the tone of the kitchen and create the personality you want in the room.

HANGING GUIDELINES. When figuring the height of your fixture, the following dimensions are not set in stone. Opt for what looks the best with that particular fixture and what’s comfortable for you. It’s a good idea to make a template of the fixture to get an idea of placement and height!

OVER TABLE. Hanging a fixture over a table the best height from the surface to the bottom of the fixture is at least 30”. The width of fixture should have a diameter 12” narrower than the table’s width. So a 36“ width table, your fixture width should be about 24”.

OVER ISLAND. Hanging a fixture over the island, a good height from surface of island to bottom of pendant is 30”- 36”. Think about someone standing at the island, you do not want the fixture to block the views. Spacing should be at least 30” apart. You may use two or three pendants over the island, depending on the size of the fixture and island. For the width size of the fixture, measure the width of the island and subtract by 12” to determine the maximum width your light should be.

HIGH CEILINGS. The hanging fixture height for over the table or island will also depend on the volume and style of the fixture as well as the height of the ceiling. Ceilings over 8’ can allow more space between the surface and the fixture- generally 3” for every additional foot of ceiling height. So if your ceiling is 10 feet tall, your lighting fixture could be hung 36-40 inches over the table/island.

ACCENT LIGHTING adds drama to a room by creating visual interest. It is used to focus on a particular object.

HIGHLIGHT a favorite picture, sculpture, any special object, or a textured wall. Using smaller adjustable recessed lighting or track heads work well. If you have glass cabinets, accent the interior using tape or puck lighting to light up your showpieces in your cabinet. Keep in mind if you have wood shelves you will need tape lighting that runs up the side of the cabinets to light up every shelf space.