Splendid space: useful tips for lighting in the kitchen

Beautiful furniture, durable surfaces and timeless colors all contribute to the harmony of style and function in the kitchen. But the ultimate kitchen experience can only be fully realized when each and every aspect of kitchen design is in its place, including lamps and lighting solutions carefully chosen for the style and identity of your home. There are plenty of ways to lighten up your workspaces in the kitchen - it’s recommended that you take everything into consideration before construction works on your kitchen start. Still, if you need to introduce new lighting ideas into your kitchen and there’s no room for renovations, we can offer a few tips and tricks for bringing splendor into the heart of your home!

The three types of kitchen lights

It might sound odd, but lighting isn’t necessarily the only purpose of lamps in a kitchen: with their help, you can transform the interior into a stylish, comfortable space. But before delving into the design of your kitchen lighting system, let us introduce you to the three types of kitchen lights.

1. Ambient light is the primary artificial light source in your kitchen. It can complement or fully replace natural light sources, and its main function is to spread light evenly from the kitchen ceiling.
2. With task lights you can easily get rid of unwanted shadows that are cast on important workspaces in the kitchen. Bring the countertop, storage or any other crucial corner of your kitchen into the light with the help of well-placed task lights.
3. Accent lights will become the cornerstone of the visual identity of your kitchen, as you can easily highlight the surfaces, objects and items that you are most fond of in the kitchen to put a personal twist on the interior.

A well-designed kitchen lighting setup harmoniously combines all three types of lights, resulting in a transparent and aesthetic interior where you can truly be yourself, while also working efficiently on your daily tasks. So what are the recommended light types for each area of the kitchen? Read on and find out!

Let there be light: ambient lighting in the kitchen

The primary source of light, the ambient light, can take several forms in your kitchen, depending on its size. One of the more familiar sights in kitchens is the single spherical lamp shining down from the center of the ceiling. This is perfectly useful in smaller kitchens, especially since a more stylish piece of lamp can immediately make its mark on the smaller space. But for a kitchen with a much larger interior, you should definitely take a look at solutions that are more easily customizable for your needs. Recessed lights installed along the axis of your worktop result in an elegant and efficient lighting setup. Placing pendants above kitchen islands can be especially spectacular, and if it is somewhat too bright for your taste, use dimmers to finetune the lights and to keep total control of your kitchen lights in your hands.

Task lights for a clearer view

Some parts of the kitchen furniture, such as the upper cabinets can block light coming from your primary light source, meaning that ambient lights won’t be enough for fully illuminating the interior. That’s where task lights come into the picture! A LED strip installed under the upper cabinets is more than just a simple design element: it is an extremely simple yet comprehensive solution for getting rid of shadows on the countertop. Practical light sources can be installed inside cabinets as well (in the form of light strips and/or spotlights), so that each and every step of your kitchen work process - from preparations to cooking and washing up - will take place in a comfortable and transparent environment.

Accentuate your kitchen design

Both ambient and task lights serve a practical purpose first and foremost, but when it comes to the complete lighting setup of your kitchen, visual aesthetics do come into play. With accent lights you can put an emphasis on the most exciting elements of your kitchen. Along with under cabinet lights, you can try light installed on top of the upper cabinets, illuminating architectural features of the interior. The same striking effect can be obtained with lights placed under the lower cabinets: with LED stripes you can literally show the way in kitchen work. Recessed lights go practically anywhere, evoking modern elegance in one of the most important areas of your home. These lights are almost invisible to the eye, so make sure to install them in places where visual integrity is desired.

There are no limits in what you can achieve when designing your kitchen’s lighting system. A plethora of tools and products are available for you, what we can offer is endless inspiration at the 11th Kitchen Show: come to the Budapest Arena between February 28. and March 1. 2020, and explore the most exciting innovations in kitchen design, the most stylish lamps and the boldest ideas for your splendid dream kitchen!