The kitchen and the specifics of its lighting

In order for the kitchen to please the atmosphere, everything in it must be harmonious. The decor of this multifunctional room should be thought out in all subtleties and to the smallest detail. In such rooms, everything is important, from the color scheme and furniture to the floor mat. Not the last role in this matter is played by lighting in the kitchen, because how the situation as a whole will be perceived depends on the correct design of it. When developing the type of lighting system, one must certainly rely on such points as the stylistic parameters of the finish, the color palette of the background and, of course, the size of the room.

Small kitchen and lighting

Often in modest-sized kitchens, special emphasis is placed on the dining area. The ceiling lamp in such a room is always located above the dining table. Ideally, this is a lampshade adjustable in height parameters or newfangled bus systems with a set of rotary lamps.

spot lighting in small kitchens it is more difficult to do, since usually their space is filled to overflowing with hinged cabinet structures that greatly obscure the worktops. This does not mean that such lamps will have to be abandoned. They just need to be installed correctly. And the best place for this will be the bottoms of these cabinets that “interfere” with ceiling systems.

A hood with built-in lighting will make a significant contribution to the lighting in the kitchen.

In a miniature space, her lamp can solve the problem of additional lighting on its own.

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Features of lighting the kitchen-living room

Combined premises are certainly zoned and most often this task is assigned to multi-level ceilings. This is where the use of spotlights will be simply irreplaceable. With their help it is very easy to emphasize zonal contours. Additional light accents are made by chandeliers and sconces.

When working in the kitchen-living room, do not forget that the lighting of the recreation area should be much softer than the kitchen. Since the area of ​​​​such a combined room is large enough and will have several light zones, you will have to install walk-through switches with which you can comfortably turn on or turn off the light in one or another part of the room.

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Kitchen-dining room and lighting of its space

Since the dining area in the kitchen-dining room is almost always located in the center of the room, the main lighting is focused above it. The dining group should be flooded with chandelier light. In addition to it, decorative lighting is mounted on the ceiling surface or along the top of the walls, which illuminates the space of the room remaining in the darkening with soft light.

Lighting in the kitchen- the dining room can consist of several components, provided that the room is clearly divided into sections. In this case, in the dining area, the main streams of light will remain directed to the dining table, and in the kitchen - to the work surfaces.

A harmonious solution in the decor of the kitchen-dining room will be the combination of a remote structure with a dining area, however, at the same time, it will be illuminated by various systems, the lamps of which should be turned on by separate switches.

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ceiling lighting

Ceiling light for the kitchen is a must. Its task is to evenly illuminate the space and all objects present. Often recessed lights are chosen for this role, because they do not "steal" the space and height of the room.

If it is not possible to organize spot lighting on the ceiling of your kitchen, since it is not a derivative of tension or suspension structures, you will have to use a familiar chandelier.

However, a lonely hanging lamp is not able to give the space light saturation, so you will have to bring additional devices into the decor. How and with what help to solve the problem, you can look at specific sites. There is always a lot of creative and original ideas.

A very unusual decor can be created with a “window in the ceiling”. The design is simple, but incredibly effective. It is made up of translucent material. Between the planes and the ceiling surface there are lamps, the number of which is quite enough to flood the entire space below with light from a height.

When arranging lighting in the kitchen, do not forget that modern appliances can not only work well in their immediate direction, but also diversify the overall environment. So, lamps on movable brackets are wonderfully perceived in decors. They are good to attach over hanging furniture. In this case, you will be able to adjust both the direction of the light flux itself and its intensity. This technique is often resorted to when designing high-tech kitchens.

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The secrets of highlighting the working triangle

The table top you work on needs quality lighting like no other surface. In this regard, modern headsets are initially produced with local illumination of this zone.

If you ordered a kitchen according to your own project, then the manufacturers will also offer you original lighting of horizontal surfaces on the kitchen set, but such a service will cost a pretty penny. You can significantly save on this moment if you purchase and design such a backlight yourself.

How to do it? Well, for example, like this:

1. Arrange the backlight not in the furniture itself, but on the work apron. You can easily make it glass and equip it with LED strips.
2. Make tempered glass wall cabinets and equip them with internal lighting. It will turn out very unhackneyed and the light penetrating through the glass bottom of the structure will be enough for local illumination of the countertop located under it.
3. If you already have a kitchen set, but it is old-style and does not provide such options as lighting, do not be discouraged. You can always change the situation with the lighting in your kitchen by calling on the help of overhead models of furniture lamps. In the assortment of stores they are found:

a) fluorescent.

b) LED.

c) Halogen.

All models are designed for mounting on any surface, including the bottom of wall cabinets in kitchens.Any of these lamps work perfectly and provide directional lighting of sufficient power, which makes working in the evening really convenient and as safe as possible.

Such lamps can have a variety of exteriors. The most popular lamps-soffits are round in shape, enclosed in metal cases. In second place are elongated lamps, the lamps of which are protected by plastic cases. This same pencil case is needed not only to protect against evaporation and the ingress of drops of grease and dirt, but also to hide technical details, as well as wires. With such a lamp, the work area will always look neat.

4. A special line in the lighting in the kitchen is a RGB LED strip enclosed in a plastic or aluminum profile. In addition to the perfect bright lighting of the countertop, you will get a luxurious decorative element that will illuminate the entire kitchen space with colorful rays of incredible shades. You can adjust the color spectrum and flow strength with both the remote control and the usual switch.

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How to light up a dining table

How often does our kitchen also serve as a dining room! To ensure that the dining table is sufficiently lit, designers resort to a variety of tricks.

The most popular way to solve the problem remains a pendant lamp. He must certainly have a large and necessarily beautiful lampshade. It is very good if the height of the suspension of such a lamp can be adjusted. It is optimal to raise the lampshade one and a half meters above the table surface. If you want to make the lighting more solemn - raise the lamp higher. Need a more chamber atmosphere - lower the ceiling below. In the latter case, you need to make sure that the light from the lamp does not hit the eyes of those who have gathered at this table.

Since lighting in the kitchen is also an aesthetic beauty, you need to choose lamp models whose shades are made of translucent or frosted glass. It will be beautiful and the light pouring from such a lamp will be soft.

Do not buy lamps in the kitchen, the lampshades of which are made of fabrics. Even the presence of a powerful hood will not save them from damage and sticking of fat, and it is almost impossible to clean such surfaces without damaging them.

Do you prefer not to use large lamps in your kitchen decor? Replace them with special hangers. Their plafonds are small, and you can hang them over the table in a chaotic manner, and not just grouped over the center. This solution is also optimal for lighting the bar counter, which can be located in your kitchen.

In spacious rooms above the dining area, a suspended ceiling structure is often equipped. It can also accommodate original spotlights. In addition to illuminating the entire table, they will perfectly manage to zone the dining space.

Spotlights do not have to be located deep in the drywall. They can illuminate the space of the table and being in a furniture canopy made of laminated chipboard.

In ultra-modern decors, rail lighting systems are more common.

In extreme cases, when the dining table is moved to the wall, it can also be illuminated with ordinary spots or sconces, pouring light purposefully down. However, in this case, part of the countertop will certainly remain in the shade. In addition, such instances of lamps are not always stylistically appropriate, so try not to use them in the kitchen.

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Additional lighting in the kitchen: where and why

It is necessary to illuminate the kitchen space not only with outdoor light, but also use specific lighting in this room, which is very appropriate inside the closed structures of wall cabinets and in drawers. This will be not only a practical solution, but also a good way to decorate the space, especially if your furniture facades contain stained or frosted glass.

The best way to illuminate furniture from the inside are LED strips. Their elements do not heat up, so such a backlight does not pose any threat. Even if you forget to turn it off, there will be no fire, and very little electricity is used. By the way, lighting of this kind can work constantly or automatically turn on when the drawer is pulled out or the door is opened.

Needs good lighting and a hob. In this case, a suitable lamp is built into the casing of the hood hanging above it.

Now let's focus on the decorative functions of LED lighting, which is rightfully considered the leading trend in kitchen lighting. You should not judge strictly the power of the stream emitted by the LEDs, because the task of such additional lighting is not at all in the supply of light, but in emphasizing the beauty of the interior solution of the kitchen.

Where to put the LED strip? Yes, anywhere! Mount it on a plinth or under countertops. You will always have original night lighting in the kitchen. Looking at the room in such lighting, you involuntarily catch yourself thinking that the room seems to be floating in space, its atmosphere is so light and unusual.

A bar counter or a kitchen island highlighted in this way will also look impressive, especially if its front part is made of a translucent material.

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A Few Tips

If you decide that you will organize the lighting in the kitchen on your own, then do not forget that the height of the ceiling, the amount of space and the presence of such original structures as an island or a bar counter that is popular today in kitchens are very important in this matter.

Don't get hung up on the presence of a single light source. A chandelier hanging from the ceiling will not solve the problem. A dimly lit kitchen will never be comfortable, so experiment and decide which area and what types of lamps you will use. Make sure that the light designed to illuminate the work area does not blind when you sit at the dining table. In the same way, the ceiling light should not hit your eyes if you try to look at the top shelf of the closet.

Think about the issue of savings. Use energy-saving lamp models in kitchen lighting fixtures. Don't let their high cost deter you. All costs will be returned to you a hundredfold, because these lamps consume 15 times less energy than incandescent lamps that do not want to leave our homes.

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Conclusion

Surely you no longer have any doubt that thoughtful lighting in the kitchen is the best way to focus on the decorative highlights of the interior and remove minor layout flaws from your eyes. Make it quality and enjoy the comfort of the environment!

Photo gallery - lighting in the kitchen:

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