Whether you are trying to set the right mood when entertaining, or simply want a clear view of the veggies you are chopping, modern kitchen lighting can save the day. From the aesthetics of the perfect pendant lights to the most current LED solutions, a seasoned kitchen renovation expert can help you create the kitchen you’ve been waiting for.
The kitchen is, famously, the heart of the home. Lighting plays a vital role in creating a functional, stylish, and inviting space. Modern lighting solutions can elevate the aesthetics, functionality, and value of your home. Well thought out lighting design enhances the long-term investment and reflects pride of ownership in your home. For homeowners planning on aging in place, good lighting design can make the kitchen more functional now and as your needs change in the future.
4 Reasons Why Modern Kitchen Lighting Matters
There are many reasons to carefully consider lighting design when renovating your kitchen. Most renovations begin with a desire to enhance both the functionality and the visual appeal of the space. Here are four reasons why lighting design is an important consideration in the overall renovation plan.
- Impact on Aesthetics: Custom cabinetry and trimwork are a must in a premium kitchen renovation. Good lighting design enhances the architectural features that make your kitchen uniquely beautiful.
- Enhanced Functionality: Attractive lighting is of limited value if it does not help you get work done. The right type of lighting is important in task areas for meal preparation, cleaning, and dining.
- Adding Value: The kitchen is the busiest room in the house. A well-lit kitchen contributes to the overall value and experience of the home
- Easier Now Than Later: It is a lot harder to go back and add lighting so having a proper lighting plan with switching and electrical capabilities. It is more difficult to add later. It is important to design up front to optimize cost and performance. More cost efficient.
Key Lighting Layers for a Modern Kitchen
Modern kitchen lighting requires more than a lightbulb over the sink and a ceiling fixture in the middle of the room. The reason for a lighting design plan is to layer different kinds of lighting to create a cohesive and functional whole.
- Ambient Lighting: Along with natural day light, ambient lighting includes general lighting solutions like recessed lights or pendant fixtures that create a warm, welcoming environment. A good design will provide overall lighting for movement within the kitchen.
- Task Lighting: Lighting around the work triangle (sink, stovetop, refrigerator) and other kitchen workstations is the focus of task lighting. Lighting design in a kitchen renovation needs to improve functionality.
- Accent Lighting: This might include decorative or statement lighting, such as LED strips under cabinets, or chandeliers to add a personalized touch.
- Lighting Sources Working Together: All of these forms of lighting can create a layered approach that complement each other and the space. When an experienced designer looks at lighting, they see how these various layers can work together. For instance, above counter lighting can add visual appeal and also help with tasks. Recessed lighting inside glass cabinets provide beauty and help you find the exact set of stemware or heirloom plates you were looking for. There are many opportunities to be creative with lighting by paying attention to this layered approach.
Trends in Modern Kitchen Lighting
While you are working with a designer, here are a few current trends to keep in mind.
- Energy Efficiency: New lighting in the kitchen can also be an opportunity to enhance energy efficiency. For example, LED lights are a long-term, cost-saving solution.
- Smart Lighting Solutions: Why should your smart refrigerator have all the fun? Explore options like app-controlled or voice-activated lighting for added convenience.
- Minimalist Fixtures: When it comes to aesthetics, there are sleek, understated designs that pair with multiple kitchen styles.
- Statement Pieces: While you are making changes, consider bold kitchen lighting fixtures that double as works of art.
Tips for Selecting the Right Kitchen Lighting
Design of lighting is personal. The style of a kitchen–whether modern, classic, transitional– along with considerations like overall square footage, size and location of an island make a difference in how a lighting design comes together. When working with a lighting design professional, here are some tips for getting the results you are looking for.
Understand Your Kitchen Layout: Seek advice on tailoring lighting to the size and structure of the space.
Choose Quality Fixtures: It is important to invest in durable, stylish options that align with the home’s overall aesthetic.
Examples of Kitchen Lighting Design
This kitchen shows how lighting design can impact a remodeled kitchen. There is ambient lighting with a wall of windows for sunlight to pour in, and multi-function lighting with beautifully modern pendants over the island, task lighting under cabinets, and interior cabinet lighting for warm ambiance and visibility.
The following kitchen in the two photos shows ambient light readily available overhead, while wall sconces provide a decorative touch and task lighting for the built-in beverage station. Bold pendants enhance the space while under cabinet lighting provides task lighting around the stovetop.
When a kitchen renovation features a unique ceiling treatment like in the image below, lighting design can enhance that feature while maximizing function. Here we see ample ambient inset lighting, and decorative and functional pendants that create a conversation between the lighter color of the ceiling and the deeper blue of the island.
A kitchen does not need massive square footage to make a big impact. Shown in the image below, glass pendants illuminate the peninsula bar top and beyond. There is ample task lighting for every countertop space in this room where the decorative and the functional blend beautifully.
Take a Comprehensive Approach to Modern Kitchen Lighting
Modern lighting solutions should enhance kitchen functionality and style. With a comprehensive approach to kitchen lighting design will create a space that is intuitive and enjoyable to work in. To make all of this happen, you need a lighting design expert to guide you. There are so many decisions to make so that the impact of today's choices also make sense in the long-term use of the space.
To learn more about the kitchen renovation process and the importance of lighting in your kitchen, please read our eBook, “The Kitchen Design Guide for Style, Functionality and Entertaining Joy” And if you are ready to speak about your next renovation, please schedule a home renovation discovery session.
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