Lighting Design Concepts for Kitchen

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To achieve good lighting, you will have to apply the layered technique from various sources of light. Let us understand what layered lighting is all about. Take a look at the picture shown in the screen, you will see the first layer of lighting under the wall cabinets. The second layer would be the recessed lighting on the top and the third layer would be the indirect lighting at the top of the cabinets.

Let us take a look at this kitchen and understand how a four-layer solution can be found for this.

 

First and most important layer would be the under cabinet lighting. It is an ideal light source as it provides task lighting and is installed exactly where it is needed. It can also be called as the foundation upon which the other lighting layers could be built. Under cabinet lighting is also a perfect place to use newer and energy efficient technologies such as LED or compact fluorescent.

The second layer would be the recessed lighting on the ceiling where the edge of the fixtures can be 30 inches from the wall. In this location, the lighting provided by these lights supplements the task lighting provided by the under cabinet lights. It also provides general lighting for the space. One of the recessed lights in the layer should also be placed directly over the sink. This fixture should be switched separately from the others and can be installed with a dimmer. This light can be used when you enter the kitchen in the middle of the night and don’t really need the other set of lights. In this particular kitchen, it is also very useful to use a reflector lamp, which will direct the light exactly where it is needed.

The third layer would be a decorative fixture hanging above the kitchen island. This has become a very popular trend in the recent years to use decorative lighting in all rooms of the house including bath and bedroom. It is important to use fixtures with shades, which will conceal the bulbs. Fixtures that have exposed bulbs, creates an uncomfortable glare. The shades in the fixture should direct the light downwards on the work surface and carefully selected shades can also provide general lighting and ambient lighting in the space.

Now in this space the fourth layer of lighting would be indirect lighting in the form of LED lighting strip placed on top of the wall cabinets. This type of fixture can create a very elegant environment when installed with a dimmer. It can also be used as a primary light to create the appropriate mood while entertaining.

In conclusion, the concept of lighting in layers provides multiple lighting options, to create task lighting and also general lighting.