Lighting Up Your Kitchen: A Simple Guide

The kitchen is frequently referred to as the “heart” of a home. Nowadays, it’s more than just a hub to prepare food; it’s also a place to help your kids with their homework, do a quick report for work and even entertain guests when you host parties or get-togethers.

Given the utility of your kitchen, having adequate lighting is crucial. That includes choosing lighting fixtures that are appropriate for the room and offering the amount of light you need, when and where you require it. So, how do you choose the light fixtures for your kitchen?

Start With Overhead Lighting

Good kitchen lighting begins with overhead lighting. This is the ambient lighting that complements the natural light streaming through your windows. This can be a pendant light or flush (or semi-flush) light. Pendant lights are usually placed above the kitchen island while galley-style kitchens may benefit from multiple semi-flush mount lights.

Layer in Support Lighting

Support lighting – directional light that makes your space functional and illuminates the tasks you’ll be performing the most – helps brighten the spaces around your overhead lighting and highlights key places inside your kitchen. To help you in layering your kitchen lighting, talk to a reliable contractor who specializes in both interior and exterior remodeling work, from kitchen makeovers to siding installations.

Find the Right Finish

The finish of your lighting fixture should also be something to consider. Take the current hardware you have in your kitchen into account when making your selection. Decide whether to combine your finishes to achieve a more polished look or mix them if you want a bit of variety. If you go with the latter, we recommend picking one for all of your lights and another for your hardware. Oil-rubbed bronze, for instance, adds contrast and precision to your kitchen space, while brass tones provide warmth. If you want a more streamlined, contemporary design, polished chrome and polished nickel are great options.

Pick a Shade

Shades for your lighting fixtures affect how the light is emitted and dispersed throughout the kitchen space. Keep in mind that you have a variety of options to choose from in terms of style, size and material. Lighting fixtures with clear glass shades, for instance, help illuminate the entire space and are best used for ambient lighting. Those with opal glass shades provide a more diffused glow than clear glass.

When it comes to installing gutters or replacing your roof, Ben’s Construction Inc is the top general contractor you can rely on in the area. Get in touch with us for a free consultation and estimate. Call (508) 962-2417, or fill out our contact form.

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