You spend a lot of time in your kitchen and the lights that surround you can really be an important part of your experience there. You have many factors to decide when choosing kitchen lighting, so let’s explore a few right now.
Star Light, Star Bright
Using your kitchen shouldn’t turn into an episode of “Let’s Make a Deal,” guessing what’s behind door (or drawer!) number two. You need enough lighting in your kitchen so that you can be safe and productive. Unfortunately, many homes only install one ceiling light in the kitchen, often with tube bulbs and covered by a plastic shade. This may make your kitchen seem murky or even dirty.
So whatever type of lighting you choose for your kitchen, make sure it’s bright enough to make it a useful space while also appearing inviting. This may mean choosing light fixtures that have uncovered bulbs or placing more than one lighting fixture in this space. Additional brightness can be created with under-cabinet lighting or recessed ceiling spot lights.
Dimmer, Please!
If your kitchen doubles as an eating space, you may not necessarily want it lit up as brightly as it needs to be to cook. Consider adding a dimmer switch to your lighting, so you can adjust the intensity of the lights to compliment your meals. In the morning, when the sun helps to light the space, you may keep the lights quite dim as an auxiliary source. But at 
night, when no external light is helping, you can put the dimmer on high to lighten and brighten the area.
Lighting As Decor
Many kitchens are built with lights that are purely utilitarian. They do the job of brightening the space but surely aren’t much to look at. So when remodeling your kitchen, keep in mind that the lights you choose can be an important part of the decor. If you have a ceiling light, you can build a frame around it that uses shades of wood and paint or wallpaper to match the rest of your decor. When choosing new lighting, look for options that use materials, designs or colors that compliment your overall feel. And when adding additional standalone lights, look for quirky designs that can add an artful touch.
Less is Not More
When it comes to lighting, it’s hard to have too much and easy to have too little. That’s why it can be very important to fill your kitchen with multiple types of lighting, to ensure that whatever you’re working on, light is available. If you spend a lot of time washing dishes, a spotlight on your sink so you can see what you’re scrubbing can be key.
If you’re a baker, use under-cupboard lighting to help light your counters while you’re kneading your dough. And if you have an island, you can choose lighting that perfectly compliments your decor while making it a very useable place within your kitchen.
When you look for lighting for your kitchen, you’ll find that there are many, many options to choose between. By following the ideas above, you’ll be able to design a space that makes it easy to cook while also easy on the eyes.
