Does Lighting Really Matter? Give Your Kitchen a New Look

If you’re ready to remodel the kitchen, you’ve probably put a lot of time, money, and energy into selecting kitchen cabinets and flooring. Maybe you’ve gone all-out and ordered upscale countertops that resist stains, damage, and are easy to clean. Changing the lighting fixtures may seem like a very simple step in contrast; after all, how much can lighting really affect the appearance of a room.

In reality, the lighting you choose can make – or break – the atmosphere of the entire room. Want to ruin all of your efforts to create a warm, cozy space that seems comfortable and livable? Add a brightly glaring spotlight that blazes from the center of your room – directly over the spot where you’ve chosen to locate the table.

True, your kitchen is a workroom, and you want to be able to have a brightly lit workspace. Also, you don’t want to hide the room in shadows, a potential result of poorly placed recessed lighting fixtures. So what’s the workable alternative? A little bit of both!

The most innovative concept in lighting design today is called the “layered look.” The first, and brightest, layer of lighting is sometimes referred to as task lighting. Achieve this effect by installing lights that can be turned up when you’re chopping vegetables or baking cookies. Ideally, these lights are located between under wall cabinets, or at another point between your head and your work space.

The second layer of lighting is the one that most people forgo in an effort to save money. Ambient lighting can be located in the recesses of the room, or between the cabinets and the ceiling, and creates that soft glow that gives the room a cozy and conversational feel. If installing a separate lighting source isn’t a practical alternative, consider a dimmer switch instead. Turn up the lights when you’re working, and turn them down for an intimate dinner or quiet coffee conversation.

Accent china cabinets or special artwork with lower-voltage spotlights that draw attention to family heirlooms or treasured glassware are another option. These dimmer lights can also serve to illuminate the room without guzzling power in the evenings when you’re not quite ready yet to turn off all the lights in the kitchen.

Depending on the size and shape of your kitchen, you may have different needs. For example, perhaps you have a center island for a workspace, or want to be sure the children have good lighting at the bar to finish their school work.

Many people often make the mistake of deciding to try to install the lighting themselves, rather than hiring an expert. Lighting can be very complicated and even people with an eye for taste and color often find their decorating schemes undone by poorly chosen lighting.

Adding the proper lighting to your kitchen is definitely one area where an expert in lighting can actually save you money. After all, doing it right the first time is almost always much less expensive than trying to fix the mistakes you didn’t realize you were making.

This article brought to you by PebbleZ’s natural stone beverage coasters. The writing and research for the article was done by Joey Pebble; one of the designers that has worked extensively with the PebbleZ team.

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