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If you’re planning a kitchen renovation or refresh, one of the most overlooked, yet impactful decisions you can make is your kitchen lighting. The kitchen is often the busiest room in the house, and how well your kitchen is illuminated makes a big difference in your quality of life. Inadequate lighting can cause eye strain and reduce your ability to work effectively. A well-lit kitchen not only makes meal prep and daily chores easier, but it also makes the ambience of your home more comfortable and inviting.
Because your kitchen lighting is so important, and vastly underutilized, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide to kitchen lighting, designed specifically for homeowners here in the Sacramento Valley.
To have a warm, inviting kitchen, the lighting color temperature must also be at the right level. Cool lighting can make your kitchen seem sterile. Warm lighting can help your kitchen seem more inviting and bright. Modern LED dimmer switches will allow you to choose a color temperature that fits your kitchen. Color temperatures are measured in Kelvins (K) and the numbers indicate whether the lighting is more cool or warm.
The sweet spot for color temperature is 2700K to 3000K (warm to soft white) which makes your kitchen seem cozy and inviting. It’s best to avoid color temperatures above 4000K, which can make your kitchen seem clinical, sterile, and cold, as this is similar to hospital lighting.
Another term you need to know is lumens, which is the amount of perceived light emitted from a light source. The best amount of lumens for a kitchen is about 30 to 40 lumens per square foot for normal coverage.
There is a concept in kitchen lighting known as layered lighting. There are three layers in layered lighting: Ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting. Using these three layers together thoughtfully adds depth, dimension, and ambience to your kitchen, making it more comfortable and cozy.
Ambient lighting is overhead light distributed evenly throughout the kitchen that provides the foundational lighting. Usually, ambient lighting is provided by recessed lighting, low-profile flush-mount lighting, or monopoint lighting.
Task lighting is lighting that is lower to the work surface, providing shadow-free lighting for kitchen prep, cooking, and clean-up. Typically, task lighting can be supplied by under-cabinet LED lighting or recessed downlights over countertops. Task lighting provides light that does not create shadows from your body getting in between the ceiling lighting and the work area.
Accent lighting is decorative lighting, such as pendant lights, sconce lights, or other supplemental lighting. These typically highlight specific areas, such as overhead shelves, a kitchen island, or other areas that might necessitate extra lighting. These help create depth through lighting, making the house look well-lit and comfortable.
Now let’s talk about the specific types of lighting you might plan to add to your kitchen.
Recessed lights are ambient lighting embedded in the ceiling via a hollow opening, which may or may not use a metal housing to contain the light. Because recessed lighting is all downward lighting, it can cast a shadow to the countertop, when you’re working in the kitchen. It’s not a good idea to rely exclusively on recessed lighting, as it can make the kitchen seem one-dimensional. Although recessed light can be angled to illuminate specific areas, it’s a better idea to add task lighting, such as undercabinet lighting, at a minimum, to prevent the kitchen looking too dark.
Another form of ambient lighting where a series of lights are positioned on a rail, which is fastened to the ceiling. These lights can be angled with more flexibility than recessed lighting, and even moved on the rail, in some cases. Track lighting can typically be purchased in clusters of three to eight lights.
Flush mount and semi-flush mount lighting can replace recessed lights and add more style and personality to your kitchen. This is another type of downward ambient lighting. Flush mount lighting hugs the ceiling, and offers more overhead clearance than track lighting. You can find flush mount lights in different shapes and sizes.
One of the most popular types of task lighting, undercabinet lights are typically LED light strips or light bars that provide direct unshadowed light to countertops and work areas in the kitchen. These provide extra lighting depth and focused lighting where you need it most. LED undercabinet lights can typically be set to different color temperatures or colors via a dimmer switch or smart lighting interface.
Pendant lights hang from the ceiling, usually over a kitchen island or other work area in the middle of the kitchen. These lights can be used as task lighting or in some cases accent lighting. The ideal height for pendant lighting is 30 to 36 inches above the countertop or kitchen island. Too high, and the light is diffused. Too low, it gets in the way and creates visual clutter and gets in the way of physically working in the kitchen.
If you have a stainless steel range hood that you want to establish as the focal point of the kitchen, avoid dome pendant lighting, because it changes the focal point to the lighting instead of the hood. If you do go with pendant lighting, choose smaller pendants, so they don’t block the view of the rest of your kitchen.
Monopoint lights are singular lights fastened to the ceiling or a wall to provide focused lighting. These are sometimes used as an alternative to pendant lighting, as they don’t get in the way while you’re working. Monopoint lighting can also be angled, similarly to track lights. These lights come in different finishes that can complement your kitchen design.
Often used as an elegant form of accent lighting, chandeliers hang from the ceiling above work areas, similar to pendant lights. From a purely aesthetic consideration, these may be preferable to some homeowners vs pendant lights, as they are less likely to obstruct your path of vision.
Sconce lights are accent lighting that add extra lighting at crucial work areas. These mounted lights add personality to your kitchen, and are great for illuminating focal points in your kitchen at different times of the day or night. Scones also add extra layers to your overall kitchen lighting. If you have overhead shelving anywhere in your kitchen, that’s a perfect place for sconce lighting.
If you’re looking to remodel your kitchen and design your dream home, JC Construction & Remodeling has worked with hundreds of homeowners in the Sacramento area. With a team of design and construction professionals, focused on helping you create the perfect kitchen, JC Construction is one of the premier remodeling contractors in the Sacramento and Roseville area. To schedule your free no-obligation consultation, contact our team today, and we will help you through every step of the kitchen renovation process.
JC Construction & Remodeling is more than just a construction company; we are your dedicated partners in transforming your vision into reality. With over a decade of industry experience, our locally owned and operated business has honed its craft, delivering exceptional home improvement solutions to our valued clients. Integrity and honesty are the cornerstones of our approach, guiding every interaction and decision we make. We understand that each project is unique.
Whether you’re looking to renovate your entire home or simply need a few repairs, our team is equipped with the expertise and resources to exceed your expectations. At JC Construction & Remodeling, quality is not just a goal; it’s a standard we uphold in every aspect of our work. Specializing in general home improvement and remodeling, we take immense pride in the craftsmanship and attention to detail that defines our projects.
