Tips for getting the most out of kitchen lighting

Kitchen lights are often an overlooked aspect of overall kitchen construction.   People tend to concentrate on bench tops, cupboards, tiles and appliances and pay less attention to the benefits of a great lighting system.

 As a general rule in kitchen design, the optimum situation is to maximise natural light, and to use light or bright wall and floor colours to reflect as much light as possible.

If good access to natural light is not a feature of your kitchen, and there is inadequate lighting or shadow, particularly over work areas such as the cook top or the sink, it's time to consider what improvements can be obtained by upgrading or enhancing your kitchen lights. For a modest outlay, the right kitchen lights can make a world of difference to the working conditions in your kitchen, as well as transforming the look of an otherwise ordinary space.

Kitchen light options are really only limited by your imagination, your budget and the dimensions of your kitchen. The usual starting point is to consider what needs to be done from both a general and a specific angle.

General lighting

This covers the 'general purpose' lighting arrangements for the kitchen area and can include:

• making the best use of whatever natural light is available – this could be as simple as removing or replacing window coverings, installing a skylight, or pruning trees and shrubs which may be blocking the light

• installing efficient ceiling lighting – there are many variations such as fluorescent, strip lighting, track lights and pendant lights and your kitchen lighting specialist will be able to advise on the features and advantages of these different types of lights

Specific lighting

The need for specific purpose lighting is based on the activities which take place in your kitchen as well as the style and layout. Examples are as follows:

• if you have an eat-in kitchen, there may be a need for some ambient lighting over that area which provides a softer light when required

• task lighting – to ensure that there is brighter light in regularly used work areas such as sinks, preparation benches, islands and cook tops. This can be provided by under-cupboard down lights, track lights or strip lights

•  any requirements for internal lighting for pantries and kitchen cabinets

The final consideration is to ensure that the lighting is as energy-efficient as possible e.g. LED lighting can lower power consumption and heat output.