How To Design The Best Kitchen Lighting For Your Space

Creating the perfect kitchen space for your home is far from easy as there are a number of contributing factors that make up the perfect look for your kitchen. Whether it is the type of finish you choose for your cupboard fronts, such as faktum kitchen cabinets or the material you choose for your countertop, this can all be altered in appearance by the style of lighting that you choose. In this article, we will be giving you some advice on how best to light your kitchen space regardless of size or budget, making it easier for you to choose between a faktum or metod kitchen space.

Don’t Block The Worktop

One of the biggest mistakes that are made by those designing their own kitchen is the use if downlighting to illuminate countertops. Though this looks good when standing in another part of the kitchen, it is often impractical as it casts shadows on the countertop when cooking. When designing my custom kitchen space, my other half and I opted for lights above the island to provide the perfect amount of soft lighting all whilst limiting the overall cost and reducing the appearance of unwanted reflections. This created a workspace lighting that was practical and looked attractive to visitors when sitting around the island. LED’s can also be added underneath shelves for additional lighting should you need it.

Consider The Finish Of Your cupboard fronts

Similarly, it is important to consider the effect that your lighting may have on your countertops or cupboard fronts. When ordering our Method Basic Cupboard Fronts, we noticed that the white semi-gloss finish we had opted for was looking more grey than white. At first, we debated there is a mistake in the manufacturing process however we then decided to move them into natural lighting to view the colouring. Upon moving them into the sun we found that the semi-gloss finish was picking up the reflection of the grey blind that we had around the window causing it to appear almost grey once fitted. We placed lighting above the island to counteract this reflection and give us the finish that we wanted as the light was then reflected by the colour causing them to appear white.

Lighting And Reflections

Whilst looking into my experiences with this problem, it became clear to me that I was not the only one, as many had experienced similar issues. Whether it is reflections of trees due to natural lighting or a specific shade of the NCS or Farrow and Ball spectrum appearing darker, it can lead to your kitchen not quite looking how you envisioned.

Though this can be frustrating, it is important to preserve as moving your lighting to hit all the right spots can help to eliminate reflections and create a well-lit space that is both practical and looks great. During this point of the process, enlisting the help of a qualified electrician or designer may be beneficial to not only ensure the lighting is in the correct place, but also ensure that the position of all plug socks is practical for the best possible results. 

Reduce Downlighting

Though it may seem tempting to lean on downlighting to fill a large amount of space, this can create harsh shadows and even cause some worktops to appear discoloured or reflect a large amount of light. Therefore, opting for an under- cabinet lighting or softer fluorescent lighting can help to alleviate reflections and maintain the perfect balance between both natural and artificial lighting.

Whether you are redesigning your kitchen space entirely or you are looking to change the position of your lighting to perfectly complement your brand-new furniture, this will help to bring the room together to create the perfect central hub to your home.  For more information on how we can help you achieve your dream kitchen space, get in touch today.

Rebecca Plummer