Helpful Tips to Light your Kitchen for Maximum Efficiency

Your kitchen is the one place that lighting in essential. Whether you are preparing your favorite meal, helping kids with their homework at the dinner table or entertaining guest, lighting and the systems you choose are important.  If the lighting system in your kitchen is such that casts shadows when it is turned on, it is time for you to carry out a home improvement that will be centered on correcting this lighting issue. With the advancement in technology, there are various energy efficient lighting options that your home and the kitchen in particular, can benefit from.

kitchen lighting ideas
Choose the perfect lighting for your kitchen

The advantage of having under counter lighting is one that cannot be underestimated. Not only does it provide the needed illumination in the kitchen area, it also enhances the visual appeal of that important part of every home.  Ensure you consider what type of lighting works in certain areas than others. With the ideas below, you can do more in your kitchen.

kitchen lighting stainlesss steel
Over the kitchen bar lighting

Pendant Lighting Over Kitchen Bar:

With this type of lighting, the kitchen bar is moderately illuminated but enough to serve a functional purpose. In order to make the most of this type of lighting, it has to be dimmable so that when needed, it will be adjusted to blend with other lights and create coordination within the kitchen. Dimming lights also enable versatility in your kitchen at all times of day.

kitchen pendant lighting
Kitchen pendant lighting

Creative and Versatile Lighting Options:

This lighting is very important as it comes in handy when you are cooking or doing some chores on the countertop. When there is inadequate under cabinet lighting, cooking becomes a stressful task and to a large extent, unsafe for the person preparing the meals. For the best results, evenly distributed light is necessary in this area of the kitchen.

kitchen track lighting
Kitchen track lighting for multi-directional versatility

Overhead or Ambient Lighting:

What works best for this type of lighting are fluorescent fixtures. Since they are also energy efficient, they can be used for a long time while cooking in the kitchen without increasing energy bills or cost. It has a unique way of sending the shadows running out of your kitchen with the flood of light emanating from it.

kitchen lighting ambient
Use a variety of lighting types for your kitchen

In order to save electricity and achieve more versatility with the lighting system in your kitchen, separate switches should be installed for the various lighting options. This means you can turn each light on when needed instead of using one switch that turns all the lights on, even when you don’t need them. Your electrician should also install dimming control switches for these lighting options. It minimizes heat and saves you good bucks on energy bills.

Photo sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5.