How to plan lighting in the kitchen?

The light inside our homes is a very important element and we need to think of the right configuration for every environment: the kitchen is no different.

How to plan kitchen lighting?

Lighting a room, in fact, does not only mean having the right amount of light to carry out activities but also creating a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere.

The kitchen is often space where we spend a lot of time, probably is the most important room in the house and most of the time is considered the heart of the house. Light does more than one task and to obtain the best of it we need to have two main distinctions in order to have functional and ambient lighting. 

In fact, the aim is to obtain excellent visual performance, dependent on the quality of the light, its distribution and its ability to influence our emotions.

When we start a lighting design project, we must always take natural light into account, the ideal would be to have plenty of it in all rooms, and above all to ensure that the kitchen is the brightest environment. We combine artificial light with natural light to obtain harmonious luminous fluxes, avoiding shadow and glare, and we have to make sure that the amount of light is enough but not excessive. The idea is to use multiple light sources and each one to perform a specific task. 

For perfect illumination, we should divide the kitchen into different areas and think a different light for each of them.

We can consider three lighting levels:

• work areas
• the dining area
• general

Kitchen bench and dining table lighting

The light for the kitchen bench, like any workbench, is functional. This means that we need to produce a direct flow of light, choosing quality light sources with CRI>80 that accurately return the colours of the illuminated objects, and the tone, or colour temperature, neutral, 3000 Kelvin is probably the best colour temperature. In this way, the colour of the food will not be altered and the preparation of the dishes will take place without eye strain.

Directional light is what we need, adjustable spotlights, which project light exactly where it is needed or downlights if the ceiling is low, are very well choices. Also, pendants are products that will create the right light and in addition, they can furnish especially when they are installed above a table. On top of the dining table a warmer light, 2700 Kelvin, is perfect for having the right mood, for example for an intimate dinner.

The most important thing is to illuminate the kitchen island, bench or table with a uniform light that is sufficient to operate without inconvenience and in safety. The level of Lux recommended on top of the counter or benchtop in the kitchen is between 250 and 400 Lux. 

Cabinet

Inserting lights under the cabinets to illuminate directly the benchtop helps us to eliminate shadows due to the other lights that are positioned behind us. LED technology is great for this purpose because it allows us to fix almost invisible light strips with a length according to our needs. Also, in this case, the advice is to use lights of the same tone, 3000 Kelvin, which will produce a beautiful effect resulting suitable for their function.

The LED is an easy-to-use technology, then it is excellent for illuminating the interior of cabinets and wall units.

General light

Having defined the functional light in the kitchen's operating points, we now have to create effective ambient lighting for the entire space.

The rule for this is using multiple light sources from different points. To obtain uniform lighting, we can use classic ceiling spotlights, positioning them on a regular basis following a hypothetical grid. The aim is to have a number of light points higher than that is strictly necessary, with a wide light beam that does not leave areas in the shade. We will obtain a soft diffused light and avoid the risk of over-lighting. The level of Lux recommended for general light in the kitchen is between 150 and 200 Lux.

In conclusion, the rules regarding the light in the kitchen are to provide that it is possible to manage it from several points, dividing the areas and, where possible, adjust their intensity.