This is part I of a 3-part article series discussing how to illuminate your living room the right way
Improving one’s kitchen lighting, or any kind of lighting in the household for that matter is often viewed as an expensive undertaking. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune. For the kitchen, you can concentrate on making these upgrades:
- Better bulbs like LEDs
- Dimmers
- Recessed lights
- Undercabinet lighting
- Track lighting
Why Kitchen Lighting? Many kitchens all over the world are lit by a solitary fluorescent ring bulb, fluorescent tube or even just an ordinary bulb placed right in the middle of the ceiling. Sure, this setup “worked” in providing light to cook and eat, but one light often becomes too bright for a midnight snack, or conversely, too dim for cooking and reading. No, lights that simply “work” don’t just cut it these days. Given that we cook, play, work, and account for bills in the kitchen, it pays to create a homey environment for all these activities. Besides, good lighting prevents accidents and eyestrain. Below are some of the simplest things you can do to improve your kitchen lighting.
Install Track Lighting Having one fixture in the middle of the ceiling is a good way of providing enough light to clean and make your way around the kitchen. However, it does a poor job of illuminating nooks and crannies like corner fixtures and the inside of cabinets when opened. Replacing your central light fixture with a track lighting system—usually coming in X-, L-, and T-shaped configurations—allows you to cast the light of multiple bulbs across specific directions, the better to aid in certain tasks or to serve as general or mood lights. Many track lighting systems can even accommodate pendant lights.