It's one of the most used rooms in every home, but the kitchen is often the last to be renovated. However, this does not mean that you cannot make some simple changes and revitalize the room with new ideas.
The kitchen is increasingly used not only to prepare dishes. It is a communal, social space for families preparing for the working day and a place where friends can meet in the evening.
While many elements of the kitchen are carefully considered, the lighting can often become an afterthought. However, lighting should play an important role in order to make optimal use of the room and its various uses. For example, while bright lighting is important for food preparation, this needs to be balanced with mood lighting to reassure guests and focused lighting to minimize dark corners.
Fortunately, changing lighting to get the most out of your space is no longer a complicated or expensive task, and the flexibility of modern lighting solutions gives you an excellent opportunity to demonstrate personality and creativity at home.
LEDs
With low heat development and high energy efficiency, LED lighting is used more and more in kitchens. LEDs require minimal maintenance after installation and can make uplighting projects that would have been expensive to install just a few years ago available to everyone. Instead of exposing each lightbulb, a well-placed light band can brighten up the room, while it is almost invisible when not in use.
LEDs not only illuminate the work areas, but are also perfect for shelves and other dark areas where you may need a little more brightness. With inexpensive motion sensors, it's now easy to install lighting in cabinets and drawers that are activated when opened.
Smart lightbulbs
The idea of a futuristic smart home has become a reality in recent years. Thanks to devices like Amazon Alexa and Google Home, it's now common to speak to your devices to play music, check the weather, and control other devices. Compatible LED lamps are expensive, but offer unprecedented flexibility and, thanks to their energy efficiency and reliability, can achieve better value in the long term than conventional lamps.
By installing intelligent light bulbs in your kitchen, you have complete control over your lighting options and can change brightness and even color according to mood. The lamps can be controlled individually or in a group. If you need a brighter light to cook, just ask for it. When night falls, turn on the preset ambient light to relax your guests. If you need a mix of the two, you can do so too – without having to lift a finger.
Candles
With so much technology, it is sometimes worth taking a step back and considering something more traditional. Candles have enjoyed great popularity in recent years and are now an indispensable accessory for almost every room in the house. While they may not be an ideal light source for food preparation, they offer almost any space where people come into contact with a calm aura.
An important aspect is safety, especially with several candles. Containers protect the candle from accidental knocking and protect the flame from drafts. There are many different types and styles that fit the themes of your kitchen. While lanterns remain very trendy, they won't match minimalist or modern styles. If you're a fan of home improvement and handicrafts, a simple and inexpensive alternative is to use acrylic sheets to make unique candle holders from clear, frosted, or colored materials.
Consider color
In a room with so many different requirements, the layering of your kitchen lighting is more important than in any other room in the house. By including task and ambient lighting in your plans, you can ensure that you are in complete control and can create the ideal atmosphere for any situation.
But it's not always as easy as buying white LEDs. The color temperature varies. So check carefully that you get the right mix of bright, white light and warmer, more attractive tones for your needs. After all, it would be a shame to spend time planning and overlaying just to install lighting that is too harsh.
Lighting is a great way to revive a tired room. LEDs under the shelf are both stylish and practical, candles can help adjust the atmosphere of the room – perfect for hosting an evening, and intelligent light bulbs can control the color and variety of main lighting.
At first glance, it doesn't seem like a big change, but the energy and space that new lighting can bring to a kitchen could be dramatic enough to quickly and easily rejuvenate one of the busiest and most versatile spaces in your home.
