Kitchen lighting: The best appetite lighting

Candlelit dinners are definitely romantic, but most people prefer to dine and cook in good lighting. Now, when there is a trend in the world to move from central to Kitchen lighting, there are clear rules for organizing a lighting set for every room, including the kitchen. Let’s talk about it in more detail.

Kitchen lighting and Zoning 

The kitchen should not have dark corners and elongated shades, and all appliances and work areas should be well lit. Therefore, all light sources are divided into functional groups:

Kitchen lighting roof. 

The strongest luminaires are traditionally located on the surrounding ceiling. The individual lamps in the center of the room fade into oblivion. The trend now is to arrange the fixtures around the perimeter.

Illumination of the work area (table top and sink).

Low-power furniture pendant lights or LED strips at the bottom of kitchen cabinets are perfect here – of course, tucked into a protective box. When choosing light sources, it is also important to consider the reflection of kitchen furniture. If the surfaces are matte, you will need luminaires of higher wattage. Matte surfaces tend to absorb light, while matte surfaces tend to reflect.

Kitchen lighting and dining area. 

It is important to create a comfortable atmosphere here, because the lighting affects the appetite and mood in general. Lighting designers advise choosing lamps of a wide shade. They provide a wide beam of directed light, enough to illuminate the entire dining area. Ideally, you should choose models with the ability to adjust the intensity of the light flux.

The best option for Kitchen lighting the dining area

It is one or more lamps with shades. Compliance with lighting standards

In 2010, scientists calculated the luminous flux that was comfortable for the body and reflected it in SNiP parameters. Much has changed since then, but the recommended light ratios have remained the same. For a kitchen 150 lux per square meter. Each luminaire has a certain level of luminous flux, which is measured in lumens. For example, an LED – an analog of a 100-watt incandescent lamp – has a luminous flux of about 1100 lumens. Converting lumens into suites is very simple – 1 lux equals 1 lumen multiplied by 1 m2. Accordingly, the total lighting output for a 20-square-meter kitchen will be 3000 lumens.

Each room has its own standard of lighting

It isn’t necessary to conform to the standards of the body, but a lot of variation should be avoided. For example, the total lighting of 4000 lumens for the same kitchen of 20 sq m will be uncomfortable – the eyes will be pained by the bright light.

Efficient distribution of natural light

Another clear trend, albeit far from the new one, is the squeeze of maximum efficiency from natural light. Ideally, the Kitchen lighting should be light enough that the lights do not turn on during the day. Of course, a lot depends on the size of the windows and the landscape behind them – if the next house blocks all light, then you cannot do without additional lighting. 

However, the full potential of daylight is sometimes “devoured” by the decorating and decorating of the kitchen, namely, dark-colored matte walls and thick opaque curtains. Another inconspicuous enemy of natural light is the dust on double-glazed windows. You will be surprised, but windows that haven’t been cleaned for a long time allow 30% less lighting than new windows. Finally, the window sills with flowers and kitchen utensils greatly interfere with the lighting.

Read also The best Modern home lighting

But what if the walls are light, the windows are clean, and in the middle of the day the kitchen is still dark and uncomfortable? Fluorescent bulbs will solve the problem. In the spectrum, they are closest to the sun’s rays.

Low-natural Kitchen lighting

The secrets of lighting large and small kitchens. In small rooms with low ceilings, it is not recommended to use pendant lamps – ceiling lamps are better in a minimalist style. The sophisticated design draws attention to the small square of the ceiling and visually narrows the kitchen space.

For very small kitchens, a system of 4 to 6 spotlights on swivel arms is suitable. By changing its direction and angle of inclination, you can achieve optimal illumination of the desired area. When buying, it is important to pay attention to the degree of the light source.

You can soften the feeling of space in a large kitchen by placing spotlights along the centerline of the ceiling. And if you place light sources in the corners, then you can visually expand a small room.

Small kitchen lighting

Finally, we note that any lamps in the kitchen are at the same time elements of the interior – there is nothing without them. Therefore, all sources should be combined in terms of design, and ideally they should be in the same style.