Work surfaces in the kitchen require thoughtful lighting, especially when little natural light enters the room or there is no window at all. Ceiling lighting is often insufficient, so it’s worth taking care of this overhead lighting, which will make preparing meals much more comfortable.
When planning lighting in the kitchen, we should be guided by the principles of kitchen ergonomics. In the room, it is worth designating zones in which we will perform different tasks. This will allow us to properly select the different types of lighting, including central and task lighting, as well as decorative lighting.
Certainly the basis of kitchen lighting is that of the ceiling. However, one lamp is not enough. If we stand with our backs to it while preparing meals, we will obstruct the light supply, which will negatively affect the performance of daily duties. A good solution is to also take care of spot lighting, which is worth placing especially over the worktops.
The best solution would be to place the kitchen countertop under the window, so that we can benefit from the flow of natural light. However, in many kitchens this is not possible, hence we need to ensure that the entire work surface is evenly lit. We can opt for both spot and linear lighting elements, and it is important that they work in harmony with the central and side lighting. At the same time, we should remember to choose lighting with natural light color, which does not tire the eyes. In addition, it should be varied, depending on the purpose of a particular work zone.
We can illuminate our worktops in several ways. Thanks to a thoughtfully selected solution, we will be able to enjoy comfortable cooking and cleaning.
Lighting created from LED strips and strips, mounted under hanging kitchen cabinets, is one of the most popular solutions, which works well in any kitchen. Covered with a special housing, LED strips and strips are practically invisible, and yet they effectively illuminate the entire work surface. We can mount them along the entire length of the kitchen countertop, which will ensure even illumination. The light intensity of LED strips or strips should be a minimum of 1800 lumens per 1 meter. It is also worth noting that overhead lighting created from such tapes and strips is extremely attractive in terms of price.
Spot lights installed under hanging cabinets are another functional solution for illuminating the kitchen countertop. It is best to arrange the lamps at equal distances, every 40-60 cm. Depending on the need, we can light all the lamps, thus illuminating the entire work surface, or use only one to illuminate only a selected area.
If there are no cabinets hanging above our kitchen countertops, we can opt for hanging lamps. It is also worth hanging them over the island. In the role of lighting, two or three ceiling lamps on long cables, which we will place at equal intervals, will work great. This type of lighting also has a decorative function and emphasizes the character of the arrangement. For this reason, the model of lamps should be selected according to the style in which the kitchen was decorated.
main photo: pixabay.com/kannapoonan
