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Exploring the Three Essential Types of Kitchen Lighting

An electrician installing pendant lights in a home

No other room in your home has more of an impact on its value than the kitchen. Although one of the most expensive rooms in your home to remodel, your kitchen also provides an average return on investment of 75% or more. Whether remodeling or simply upgrading a kitchen, lighting is by far one of the most important elements. Unfortunately, kitchen lighting is also one of the most overlooked aspects of kitchen design. In fact, home improvement experts rate improper kitchen lighting as one of the top ten kitchen design mistakes made in kitchen designs or remodels.

Why is Kitchen Lighting so Important?

Not only are kitchens used to prepare meals, they have become the new hub of today’s households in which a wide variety of activities occur. Modern kitchens have evolved in to multi-purpose spaces used for entertaining, dining, and even as a place for child do their homework. Due to the kitchen’s multi-functional status and the impact it can have on your home’s value, it is important your kitchen’s lighting is versatile, practical and enhances the beauty of the room.

Kitchen Lighting Safety

In addition to adding functionality and beauty to a kitchen, homeowners need to consider electrical safety when it comes to their kitchen lighting. The kitchen is second only to bathrooms as one of the most dangerous room in the home when it comes to electrical safety. Not only do kitchens contain both water fixtures and electrical fixtures – sometimes in close proximity – they also contain a number of appliances that can pose potential electrical hazards. As a result, great care must be taken when installing any electrical service in your kitchen, including lighting.

Types of Kitchen Lighting

When it comes to kitchen lighting, there are a staggering number of options available to homeowners today. Despite all of these choices however, all lighting can be broken down into three basic types. The American Lighting Association identifies these as:

  • Ambient or general lighting – provides the general illumination of an area. In a kitchen a few examples of ambient lighting include recessed lighting, over-cabinet lighting or a chandelier.
  • Task lighting – is intended to provide illumination for specific tasks such as cooking or reading and includes under cabinet lighting, oven hood lighting, interior cabinets and drawer lighting.
  • Accent lighting – is designed to draw people’s attention to a specific area or item within the room, creating visual interest. Recessed lighting, LED, and track lighting are good examples of accent lighting.

Considering how important the right kitchen lighting is to not only the value of your home, but also to its functionality, beauty and safety, hiring an experienced kitchen lighting designer is imperative. At Done, we are here to help you sort through these choices to find the right lighting solutions for your kitchen. Our team of experienced, licensed and insured electricians can help you put together a kitchen lighting design that will increase the value of your home while still being as functional, versatile, beautiful and safe as possible.

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