Task Lighting
Good lighting schemes use the idea of “light layering” general, ambient and task lighting to create a cohesive, productive lighting design. Of these three light layers, task lighting is the light essential to any work related activity from reading and doing homework to cutting vegetables in the kitchen.
The best placement for task lighting in any room is located between your head and the work surface. Lighting in the center of the ceiling and directly above your head is a bad idea because your head will cast a shadow onto your work surface.
Another common issue when considering task lighting is the issue of “veiling reflection”. This is lighting from overhead and directly in front of you, causing glare reflection from your glossy magazine or high gloss granite countertop.
The solution here is the placement of a light source that comes in from one, or both sides of the viewing angle. Light from the sides instead of from directly overhead better directs the glare from your eyes.
When it comes to task lighting, the kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the home. Kitchens are not only the modern family’s gathering place; they are where everything gets done- even that homework mentioned earlier!
If I needed to stress two most necessary design elements for lighting in the kitchen they would be: 1) Under Cabinet Lighting- (this goes back to the lighting placement between the head and work surface idea) and 2) Halogen spots and pendants.
Under cabinet lighting is an important “layer” in the lighting scheme for the kitchen. This type of lighting provides an even layer of illumination along the countertop that is shadow and glare free. A common and easy way to provide his type is the use of linear strip lights mounted at the back of the under-cabinet.
These fluorescent light sources are a good choice- they can be left on all the time as they have a very long life, produce almost no heat, and are very low cost and are very energy efficient.
The halogen spots and pendants mentioned come from my own personal favorite “design element” as well as a great solution for task lighting- low-voltage bendable track lighting. This type of contemporary “lighting system” is very low profile, very efficient and is available in almost any color or finish to fit in any kitchen design, traditional or modern. They can be ordered in bright colors and finishes, or to match the kitchen hardware in chrome, nickel or even more rustic finishes. It is literally ‘bendable’, and can be installed in any fluid or geometric shape.
‘Low-Voltage’ simply put means the standard electrical voltage of 120 volts is lowered to around 12 volts using a remote ‘transformer’. This low-voltage track primarily uses halogen fixtures that are available in many unique and beautiful shapes and sizes and materials. Spots with colored glass diffusers are available as well that hold halogen bulbs with a variety of beam spread available as well.
Match with pendants that hang decoratively, and with purpose, over your kitchen island- looking fashionable in hand blown murano glass in red or blue for example-while providing clean halogen light on your stovetop or preparation area. All these types of fixtures are hung or mounted from one long continuous “track”. By strategically placing all of these light sources where they are needed most, you will find they are working hard for you while looking great as all task lighting should!
Kitchen Lighting Tips
Out of all the lighting projects in the home, one of the most overlooked rooms is the kitchen. Since modern kitchens are replacing traditional kitchens and becoming popular places to congregate over coffee or a snack, kitchen lighting is also developing along with today’s modern needs.
Kitchens require specific lighting to aid in food preparation tasks and often consists of both task and ambient lighting. According to some professional lighting designers, the kitchen is the one of the most versatile and interesting projects to handle. It can also be one of the most challenging due to its cabinets, shelves, appliances, as well as numerous nooks and crannies.
About Task Lighting
The first approach to kitchen lighting is to consider the areas that are in need of task lighting. These are the areas that best lit with lights that are bright and won’t have a shadow and include places such as tables, sinks, and counters. Task lights work best when the fixture is close to the work area gets the maximum amount of light possible. Small under cabinet lights are great choices if you desire illumination for your pantries and/or other closets. The options available for task lighting include fluorescent tubes, spot lights and directional lights.
About Ambient Lighting
Ambient light serves as general lighting that gives the kitchen overall illumination. Fluorescent tubes are a great choice for their efficiency as well as broad and even illumination. Incandescent down lights are a good choice for broad and even illumination while achieving more dramatic effect to your kitchen. Using conventional recessed lights, surface lights or light fixtures that are on a pendant or chain is a good ways to achieve direct lighting.
Other interesting lighting options include adding a layer of accent lighting for artwork and collectable and kitchen occupancy sensors. Kitchen occupancy sensors are a good choice for kitchens with multiple entrances. These sensors operate by turning on the kitchen lights automatically when someone enters the room from any direction. This is accomplished by the sensors “seeing” all the entrances from their location.
Cabinet Lighting
One of the ways to make your cabinet more attractive is the through the use of cabinet lights. Cabinet lights are mostly used to provide a sufficient amount of light for working or to display things.The types of cabinet lighting depends on the brightness, temperature, color and consumption of voltage. Cabinet lights with the effect of florescence can be of a great use for those who have a problem with heat from other forms of lighting. Some lights also have a brightness adjustment effect that can be very useful in each time of the day.
If you are planning on cabinet lighting for your kitchen, be sure to install the lighting in front or near the cabinet. This will provide the exact amount of light required while providing an added elegance to your cabinet at the same time.
The right kind of kitchen lighting will not only add to the function of a kitchen, it will also add warmth and character to the room as well.
Flush Mount Lighting Fixtures
Light plays an important part in the look, feel and atmosphere of your house. Whether the light is natural or artificial, the proper use of light can transform your house from drab to dazzling. The play of dappled sunlight through sheer curtains or the glow of a fancy night lamp on the wall surrounding it can evoke wonderful feelings of joy, contentment and satisfaction. Truly, a house becomes a home when it has the right ambiance; otherwise, it is only a shell.
However, to make light work for you, it is important to understand the different kinds of light. To a layman, all lights may seem the same. But, if you want to design your house so it encapsulates all your desires and dreams, then, you have to discern the minute differences in the various types of light.
There are basically three kinds of lights in a room. These are task lighting, accent lighting and ambient lighting. The clever combination of these three kinds of lighting and the appropriate use of each in the different areas of the room will ensure that you have just the right pool of light in every corner of your home.
Task lighting, as the name suggests, is used to throw focused, clear light. This is the kind of lighting you see above study tables, in libraries or in the areas lying above the kitchen workplace. These are busy places where people come only to get their work done. Accent lighting is somewhat similar to task lighting, but its purpose is slightly different. Accent lighting is used to throw certain features of the house into sharp relief. An excellent example is the kind of light used near art pieces to accentuate the beauty of the piece. You can see accent lighting above the vanity mirrors in bathrooms. Ambient lighting, as the name suggests, is used to create ambience. In this case, the light would be a soft, muted glow through a beautiful fixture. Ambient lighting simply enables us to see clearly; it performs the function of natural light. Ambient lighting is a fundamental part of the design of any room.
These kinds of lights can set the right mood to any room. They are versatile and available in all kinds of style and color. So it becomes easy for you to express your individual taste and style. Styles vary from brass, crystal and pewter to popular bronze and wrought iron finishes. In flush mount lighting fixtures, the bulb is completely covered by the bowl of the fixture. These fixtures make use of bulbs with lower wattages, as there is no gap for the heat generated by the bulb to exit.
These fixtures are a fantastic substitute for recessed lighting.