Many perfectly built areas tend to look really awful only because the lighting is done inappropriately.
Just like too dark doesn’t looks good in the kitchen, too bright can also make the kitchen, look bad. There are a few mistakes that are often repeated and nobody notices until the whole look is finalized and it gets too late for anything to be done about it.
So, before you start looking out for options to light-up your kitchen go through these kitchen lighting tips and avoid some common kitchen lighting mistakes that most people tend to make.
Choosing the right size of the lighting fixture is the key to keep the balance. Imagine a huge recessed or ceiling fixture over a small dinner table?
It’d end up making even a very fancy table, looking terrible. Or pendant light not bright enough over the kitchen counter will also trample the whole look.
SOLUTION- The Right Measurement:
For lighting over the dining area, simply measure the ceiling space over the table and also measure the table. So, when you go to purchase the light, you have the right measurement and you know what sized lights you can buy and what size will make the whole theme unpleasant.
The same goes for the kitchen counter and other spaces. Always measure the areas where you want to install the lights.
2. Excessive Use of Recessed Lights
The usage of certain types of lights should be limited to a fixed number in accordance with the size of your kitchen. Too many recessed lights in the kitchen will make your kitchen look too illuminated and every corner may look too bright (even the spaces that you do not want to look bright).
Also, the recessed lights create shadows on the adjacent wall, if placed too close to each other.
SOLUTION - The switch:
There can be many solutions to this particular issue. One is to control the lights separately. Use one switch for one selected bunch of lights so that all the lights may not turn on with one switch.
Specify the spaces:
The other is to specify the spaces between recessed lights in the kitchen. How to mark recessed lights is very simple. Measure the ceiling height and divide it in half to know the exact distance that must be kept between recessed lights. For a 10 foot ceiling, the lights should be kept 5 feet apart.
- The tip on how to avoid shadows with recessed lighting is to have enough space in between two lights.
3. Absence of Task Lights
The fancy chandelier may not be able to provide light everywhere. There might be lights missing in important areas of your kitchen if you do not choose to use multiple types of lighting fixtures in the kitchen.
The task lights in the kitchen are extremely necessary. The presence of task lights is important in order to cook and clean comfortably, while their absence in the kitchen can result in injury, distasteful dishes, and nasty work.
Solution- Install task lightings:
While planning your kitchen, carefully map out the areas that need task lights: Countertop, sink, and stove. For cutting and working over the counter, for washing the utensils over the sink, and for cooking and baking over the stove. Use task lights for these areas in order to work safely and comfortably.
4. Avoiding Usage of Dimmers
Dimmers can play a huge role in setting the look or ambiance of a place. For example, you need brightness in the kitchen when you cook but you need a lightly lit room for enjoying a nice, romantic dinner with your significant other.
You can’t do this if you avoid dimmers in your kitchen.
Dimmers are important when it comes to brightening or darkening the room according to your mood.
Solution- The right use of dimmers
Ask for dimmer compatibility while you buy lighting fixtures or even bulbs. A few lighting fixtures aren’t dimmer friendly and will not work along with a dimmer switch.
Similarly, not all bulbs support a dimmer feature. Decide the areas you want to control the amount of lights in and add a dimmer bulb and switch.
5. Using the Wrong Color of Bulbs
Using the right temperature bulbs is extremely important to keep the theme and ambiance in one place. The cabinets and walls supporting a bright theme and warm temperature light bulbs will ruin the whole look.
Solution- The right color choice bulbs
While you select the color and theme of cabinets and walls, ask for guidance from your designer for what temperature light bulbs can be a good option for your kitchen.
Learn about how many color temperature bulbs are there and what will be the best choice for your kitchen.
6. Vintage Fixture in a Contemporary Setting or Vice Versa
There’s this beautiful fixture and you decide to purchase it without second thoughts. And then later it turns out you have a modern kitchen and that rustic fixture just looks odd in the space.
Look out for serious mistakes like these to avoid mismatching in your kitchen makeover. A modern looking kitchen should have a modern light fixture and a retro-styled kitchen should have rustic lighting equipment. If things fly east and west, you will end up having a disastrous looking kitchen.
Solution- Theme compatibility
Always plan the whole theme ahead. Keep in mind all the details major ones to minor ones. From cabinet knobs to wall texture, plan it all out before time. So that, in the final look everything ends up in complementing each other and all the accessories are matching.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Which are common lighting mistakes?
Some of the most common lighting mistakes are: selecting the wrong size of the lighting fixture, having only one light source, redundant use of recessed lighting, surplus use of task lights, deficient lighting in small spaces, opting for wrong lighting fixtures for a particular place, and ignoring the dimmers usage, etc.
Q. Can you have too many recessed lights?
Using too many recessed lights may leave your room areas dark, and gloomy. It may surge your electric bill cost. To avoid such issues, we better recommend you to consult a lighting specialist who’ll help you plan a lighting system based on your available space and area.
Q. How do you prevent can lights from shadowing?
You can prevent can lights from shadowing by avoid placing them: in a row in the room’s center, or closer to one another. If not so, you’ll get a damped feeling of being at an airport’s runway. Also, avoid placing can light in the corners of the room to avoid shadows, and they should be installed at least 3 feet away from the wall.
Q. How can I improve my kitchen light?
You can add value to your kitchen lighting system by following these steps: installing stick-on lights, using a portable lighting fixture with customized functions, adding LED rope lighting, having a plan ceiling lighting fixture instead of the one that is multi-tasked, adding plug-in wall sconces, consider placing an eye-catching lamp, and above all, instead of placing aging fixtures better hang pendant lights. These tricks will definitely help you improve your kitchen light.
Q. What lighting is most flattering?
As per people’s reviews, LED light bulbs tend to flatter them the most. They love to consider bulbs whether it’s incandescent, LED, compact fluorescent, or halogen, with soft white/warm white light, bright white/cool white light, or better daylight.
Q. What color lights make you look good?
The color light that makes you look good is the “white light”. It is by far, the most versatile light color that reflects any color of light. This is because it’s made of all the seven colors. Also, any of your looks, whether casual or party themed, is enhanced and is truly depicted most under this color light.
The Bottom Line
The lighting is an extremely important feature of the kitchen, and the look of the kitchen will only complete if you work on lighting fixtures and bulbs. Best Lighting for the kitchen is possible once you’ve learned the dos and don’ts of it.
Hopefully with this insight on what not to do you know how to perfectly illuminate your kitchen. The simple points like measuring the ceiling width or having knowledge about light bulb temperature, or using dimmers will save you from a badly planned and terrible looking kitchen.
Do let us know in the comment section below if any of the mistake you’ve done while decorating, and building your Kitchen’s interior, and aesthetics, and is now planning to overcome that!
We would love to hear back from you. Thanks!
