The kitchen is a place where you need an even layer of functional and aesthetic lighting that combines the best of both aspects. This becomes even more essential in a small kitchen where lighting can make or break the overall look of the space. In the tiny kitchen every inch of space matters so it’s vital when designing your custom kitchen to plan right at the start of the process what kind of lighting you want and where best it should sit.
1. Cool Pendants
In a small kitchen, you normally don’t have space for more than a pendant or two at the most. This means finding the right pendant is even more essential. In smaller rooms, you just have to make your lighting work that much harder! Choose kitchen pendant lights that are close to the ceiling so your field of vision is not overcrowded, combining the pendant with recessed lights can be the way forward. Lighting a small kitchen doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on style. If you love the look of pendants, let the style and theme of your small kitchen dictate your pendant choice. Search for translucent shades, like glass or crystal, which will keep that lightweight and flowy feel. Better yet, crystal accents are easy to add that extra touch of modern luxury to your kitchen. Try not to obstruct windows either, a beautiful window that fills a small kitchen with light drastically reduces your dependence on artificial lighting during daytime, natural lighting can work in tandem to make the space feel light and airy.
2. Task Lighting
Task lighting in a kitchen is essential to ensure you can see what you’re doing, particularly above hobs and ovens, where not being able to see clearly could not just be inconvenient, it could be dangerous, too. Ceiling spots can sometimes mean you end up standing in your own shadow, particularly in a compact space so a hard-working extractor with great lighting built in is a choice worth making. Creative lighting solutions can allow you to properly light the entire kitchen, without taking up too much room. Semi-flush mounts ceiling lights are great for small kitchens due to their size. A semi-flush mount with four adjustable heads is even better so you can enjoy multi-directional lighting to cover cooking, serving, and dining areas- all with one lighting fixture.
3. Recessed lighting
Popular for small kitchens thanks to its versatility and functionality, recessed lighting means you never have to worry about your field of vision getting obstructed or uneven illumination coverage. Typically for the kitchen, you want to space each light about two to three feet apart. If you have a long, narrow, or galley kitchen, look for light fixtures that match the shape of your space. Slender, rectangular LED flush mount ceiling lights are perfect for this because they fit well into the confines of the space while providing potent ambient lighting.
No matter what type of light fixture you choose for your small kitchen, it’s important to balance interior design, illumination coverage, and your personal style. Most importantly, when installing light fixtures in small kitchens, remember to keep light distribution consistently spaced throughout the room.
Have a great weekend
Clinton and Fiona