Lighting layout Tips

Lets develop a lighting plan for your kitchen shall we? Kitchens tend to be the most complex of all the rooms to illuminate. In many kitchen lighting layouts all three types of lighting are used. General lighting in the form of recessed lights, task lighting in the way of undercabinet lighting, and accent lighting.

So where do we start you ask. Well the first thing we need is the kitchen floor plan. This is the plan you will get from the kitchen designer or wherever you are buying your cabinets from. It will look something like the drawing in the picture.
Once you have the floor plan make some copies. This will allow you to play around with different layouts. If you like things simple and just want a single flourescent light in the middle of the kitchen you can probably get off the bus now. Most likely this is not the case. Okay your still here, cool! Thanks for staying on I think you'll enjoy the ride.

The first thing we want to include in our plan is the recessed lighting or high hats or pot lights...depends on what part of the country your in, but they all refer to the same thing. Recessed lights in a kitchen should be placed about 4 feet apart and about 28" off the wall the cabinets are on. This places the center of the light at about the egde of the counter top.

Think about some options like perhaps a light over the sink area on a seperate switch. Another great idea is usings pendants over an island. This adds character, light that is functional and can help define the space. There is such a large selection of pendant lights to choose from. You can find anything you can think of to blend in with your decor.

Next thing you'll need to decide is if you would like under cabinet lighting. I suggest you do it if it's within your budget. They can really add that Bam! factor to your beautiful new kitchen. There are several different types of under cabinet lighting to choose from. I will elaborate further later on.

Some other things to consider are in cabinet lights if you have any glass doors. Over cabinet accent lighting can be a real Wow! item as well. Take your time and give it a lot of thought. A kitchen remodel is a project that is quite expensive and something most people don't do more than once or twice in their lifetime. Even if you choose not to follow through with an item you would like, have the wire run in case you change your mind or want to add it later.

Last thing you'll need to do is develop a switching plan. By controlling the
lights with switching and dimming, many moods and effects can be created. One way to do this is by conventional means, another is through the use of todays smart technology. Try to envision how you will enter and exit the room. Then make sure you will be able to control the lights you want from those locations. Try to break up the lighting with switches also. The sink area is a good section to keep seperate. The reason is many times you may enter the room just to use the sink. Another idea is to have the pendants seperate. It then gives you a general light to enter and exit the room.
I'll be adding much more and hopefully I'll answer your questions, so don't be afraid to ask.