LED bulbs offer us a great quality and quantity of Lumens to illuminate a specific area. In addition, they consume less energy than other light sources. For all these reasons, they are the best option to illuminate such an important place in the home as the kitchen, making it a cozy place to share breakfast and prepare meals in general.
Kitchen lighting may seem simple. However, the distribution of space and light needs must be taken into account. In addition, we must consider the height of the ceiling as well as the different environments that we want to create depending on the size and functionality that we are going to give to each one. Normally, when we talk about kitchens, we talk about functional lighting. Therefore, we must not forget about such a determining factor as safety or energy savings.
Focused lighting
For good functionality, we must have a concentrated light source in the work area. Let’s not forget that precision is important and good lighting can avoid accidents. For this function, the ideal is to opt for LED reflectors or LED spotlights. With them we will ensure that the light falls on the areas of the kitchen where we need it most. We will fundamentally use focused lighting to improve working conditions and, ideally, they will be aimed at countertops and fires.
General lighting
In addition to direct light in the work areas, we must have general lighting that covers the entire space and minimizes the shadows that direct lights can generate. For this we will mainly use LED luminaires recessed in the ceiling. This light should be dimmer than the previous one since in this case the intention is to provide only the light necessary to illuminate the area and not the focused light that we mentioned for the areas indicated at the beginning.
The location of the switches is also important. In this sense, the switch assigned for “general lighting” should be located on the wall closest to the kitchen entrance. In this way, we facilitate access to general lighting from the first moment. The switches for LED reflectors or LED spotlights for areas of the kitchen where focused light is needed are usually placed in the areas where said equipment operates. In this way, we limit its use to the times when it is necessary.
Auxiliary lighting
Let’s not forget that kitchens are places full of corners, closets and nooks. Sometimes the light does not reach all places as desired. That is why we must mitigate these deficiencies through auxiliary lighting systems. For this we will use LED bulbs inside said cabinets or recesses. The ideal is to automate their switching on, so that they light up when the cabinet is opened and go off when you close it.
Decorative lighting
Finally there is “decorative lighting”. We will use it to liven up a space so that it is pleasant for people to be in that place. An ideal place for this type of lighting can be an office. Being a space for enjoyment, we look for soft, well-distributed lighting. In this case, LED lamps can be used on the ceiling. Another type of decorative lighting is that used on food utensil shelves, in which recessed LED bulbs are placed to give them a sophisticated and elegant appearance.