Kitchen Lighting Tips

Transcription

1 Kitchen Lighting Tips Types of Kitchen Lighting Ambient Lighting - Ambient, or general, lighting is the most basic of the four types. It provides an area with overall illumination a comfortable level of brightness without glare. Ambient lighting can be accomplished with chandeliers, ceiling or wallmount fixtures, track or recessed lights, and even table and floor lamps. Having a central source of ambient light in all rooms is fundamental to a good lighting plan. It s the base upon which you add all other layers of lighting. Task Lighting - Task lighting adds brightness to areas of a room where daily activities like reading, studying, cooking or applying makeup are performed. To enhance visual clarity and prevent eyestrain, effective task lighting should be free of distracting glare and shadows. It can be achieved by recessed and track lighting, pendant lighting, and undercabinet lighting, as well as vanity lights and floor, table, and desk lamps. Accent Lighting - Accent, or directional, lighting is typically used to highlight certain objects or architectural features, such houseplants, paintings, sculptures, a decorative range hood or carved cabinet doors. It should always be about three times the general illumination level. Accent lighting should never be the focal point. In fact, it s meant to work without being seen. Accent lighting can be provided by recessed and track lighting, chandeliers with dimmer switches, over- and undercabinet lighting, and wall sconces. Decorative Lighting - Lighting itself can be a work of art. With today s many choices in glass, fabric, finishes and profiles, decorative lighting has a style all its own and can lend that style to your room. In fact, you can change the whole feel of a space from modern to classic just by adding this decorative touch. Keep in mind, however, that decorative lighting should be used along with other lighting types for improved functionality.

2 Island Lighting & Pendants In a working room like a kitchen, task lighting takes on an importance that's hard to overstate. Pendant lights, especially when suspended over an island, get all the glory and rightly so. Tip: Pendants are usually hung 60 to 66 inches from the floor to their bottom rim. Those guidelines are subject to change, however. The height of the inhabitants, the design of the pendant and the task to be illuminated all work together to determine the proper height for a given installation. In general, you should install one pendant for every two feet of counter space and try to use odd number of pendants for better balance. The Rule of Three states that an easy way to achieve balance is to repeat an element three times. Human brains are pattern-recognition machines, and the most basic pattern there is an odd number. In this kitchen there are three pendants over the island and a fourth coordinating pendant over the sink. This room's balanced because the three pendants over the island are on a single plane, and the one pendant over the sink is on another plane all together. The Rule of Three takes a back seat to scale, always. This kitchen has a smaller island and larger pendants. The two pendants here illuminate the island and they're large enough that three of them would be overwhelming. The amount of light you require and the proportions of the pendants you're using always trumps The Rule of Three or any other rules. In general, you should install one pendant for every two feet of counter space and try to use an odd number of pendants to create better balance. Thin, narrow pendants, however, might look more pleasing with the addition of one or two extra fixtures.

3 Under-cabinet Lighting Tips Under cabinet lighting can add a dramatic accent to your kitchen or bar. Under-cabinet spots or halogens provide dramatic highlight. Match the Color Temperature With Your Kitchen: Do you envision a yellowish, neutral white, or cool white (with hints of blue) light for your under cabinet lighting? It s a matter of personal preference. If you re a fan of yellowish light, we usually recommend you aim for a color temperature below 3200K. The K range will be closest to the warm glow of an incandescent lamp. Neutral white light is around K and it becomes cool white at about 4100K. ASSIST recommends had an interesting suggestion about matching your under cabinet lights with the vibe of your kitchen using color temperature. Wood tones, warm colored tiles, copper toned backsplashes, and/or warm-toned walls, they said, would look best with a warmer color temperature (between 2700K and 3500K). However, kitchens with glass shelves, decorative glass tiles, cool-toned tiles, and/or cool metal colors would look best with a cooler color temperature (between 3500K and 5000K). Counter the Effects of Your Countertops: Glossy countertops are beautiful in the kitchen. Unfortunately, they can create a mirrored effect, reflecting the under cabinet light fixture right onto the countertop. If you have glossy countertops, make sure to choose a light fixture with a lens over the light bulb to minimize reflections. Also, remember that dark-colored counters and backsplashes tend to visually suck up the light. If your kitchen has black or dark gray color tones, you ll want to make sure your light fixtures give off a good deal of light output. Install for Even Distribution: Mount your under cabinet light fixtures toward the front of the cabinet with the light source facing toward the back. This installation location will: provide the most even light distribution possible for both the countertop and the backsplash reduce the possibility of glare caused by direct view of the light source

4 Extend the Life of LED Fixtures: It s very important for an LED light fixture to dissipate heat from the lamp; otherwise, the light fixture may fail prematurely. All LED under cabinet lighting fixtures have some type of heat dissipation system. Help it do its work more effectively by leaving a gap between your light fixture and the cabinet (rather than mounting the light fixture flush against the cabinet). This will allow for air flow and maximum heat dissipation. Account for the Lifetime Cost: When you think about how much it will be to install under cabinet lighting, you shouldn t just consider the cost of the light fixtures and the bill from the electrician. The annual energy cost and the replacement light bulbs you will inevitably purchase are also important not to mention how frequently you might have to buy replacement light bulbs! LED light fixtures, for example, have an initial higher purchase cost than incandescent or fluorescent under cabinet lights. However, due to the fact that they often last more than ten years before requiring a lamp replacement and consume minimal power, the total lifetime cost is very comparable and sometimes lower than comparable incandescent light fixtures.

5 Kitchen or Dining Table Top Lighting Specifications Choose a pendant at least 12 inches less in diameter than the table s smallest dimension and mount the fixture 27 to 36 inches above the table. A 120-watt incandescent or 40- to 50-watt fluorescent fixture will generally provide sufficient illumination As a rough guide, the American Lighting Association suggests the following minimum lighting levels: Small kitchens of under 75 square feet: 150 watts of direct incandescent lighting from up to three bulbs, or about 60 watts of fluorescent. Kitchens up to 125 square feet: 200 watts of incandescent from up to four bulbs, or about 80 watts of fluorescent. Kitchens over 120 square feet: two watts of incandescent lighting or 34 watt of fluorescent per square foot of floor area.