Lighting For Your Kitchen And Cabinets

Kitchen Lighting
Kitchen lighting is a form of home lighting specifically for the functional purpose of a kitchen. In the kitchen several requirements need to be met and these must be aided by precise lighting. Thus kitchen lighting is mostly task lighting and ambient lighting and less of decorative lighting. Good kitchen lighting, from an aesthetic and functional standpoint, incorporates both ambient and task lighting.

From the perspective of a professional lighting designer, the kitchen is one of the more interesting and versatile projects one can tackle. Filled with numerous nooks and crannies, cabinets and appliances, shelves and other specialized areas such as islands, kitchens can present more lighting challenges than any other room in your home.

Start with the task areas. These are best lit with bright, shadowless light. Fluorescent tubes are particularly well suited for this. You want to get the fixture close to the task area so as to get maximum light concentrated on the area you wish to work. In kitchens this would be counters, sinks, and tables. Spot lights and directional lights also provide task lighting in kitchens. For pantries or other closets, small Under Cabinet Lights provide good illumination. They can be mounted inside the closet above the door header to provide glare free lighting on the closet contents.

Ambient Lighting
Ambient light is the general, overall light that fills in shadows, reduces contrast, and lights vertical surfaces to give the space a brighter feel. Fluorescent tubes are well suited to the job of providing ambient light. They provide broad, even illumination and their efficiency makes it possible to fill the space with light without turning it into an oven. Incandescent down lights are more dramatic and give a brilliant white light but require several fixtures to avoid shadows in a kitchen.

Direct Lighting

Direct lighting is achieved by using conventional recessed lights, surface lights or light fixtures that are on a pendant or chain. These types of lights work well to provide bright lighting for work surfaces and general purpose lighting in the kitchen area. Rope lighting and small recessed lights are budget friendly.

Accent Lighting

Add a layer of accent lighting. You may be lighting artwork, architectural details, collectibles, or a food presentation area.

Kitchen occupancy sensors can be used in place of expensive complicated 3-way switches in kitchens with multiple entrances. If the sensors can "see" all the entrances from their mounting location, they will turn on the lights automatically whenever anyone enters the room from any direction.

The importance of kitchen lighting is often overlooked. The traditional kitchen has been replaced by a modern one where people interact in quietude over the counter. Thus kitchen lighting is evolving with the needs of modern households.

Cabinet lighting

When it comes to interior, cabinet décor is a matter of high attention as beautiful cabinets make the place more attractive specially kitchen. Normal type of lighting has a problem of shadows and reflections and it hampers the quality of light. There are under cabinet and cabinet lightings having different types of uses and specialties. Cabinet lighting has a variety of old and new-fashioned lights with a great variety. Polished with brass and silver the lights look more attractive and they make the cabinets look brighter. These days there are a lot of lights having a great finishing touch with a variety of colors. There is a great lighting including ambience lights and halogen lights that are used for enhancing the quality of cabinet brightness.

Types of Cabinet Lighting

The types of lights depend upon brightness, consumption of voltage, color and temperature. There are some adjustable lights that can be moved in a full circular motion. Some people have a problem of heat from the lighting so for them lights with an effect of florescence can be of a great use. Like the halogens radiate heat and create a problem for the people who cannot sustain heat these are a convenient option. There are some lights that have a brightness adjustment effect and they are very useful in each time of the day. Another good point is efficiency of energy and flickering free technology that can cut down maintenance cost. The life of lamps is more due to usage of xenon and hence they are worth of their price.

Usage of Cabinet Lighting

Most of the cabinet lighting is used fro display of things or to provide a sufficient amount of light for normal working. Most of them are used in the office for desktops, at hospitals, studying rooms or library, bathroom closets, bedroom shelves, nooks and corners along hallways and stairways, living rooms, family rooms and anywhere else where a little brightness is required. For the kitchen installation one thing should be kept in mind that it should be in front or near the cabinet. It will be beneficial for providing the exact amount of required light with an added elegance of brightness to the kitchen cabinet. Hence by the usage of these tips you can enhance your cabinets.

By Jamie Ho Snodgrass
Jamie is author of other Lighting Tips located at Home Improvement Tips and Lighting Information

Improve Your Kitchen With Better Lighting

When we think about home improvement projects we often think changing or adding to a room but one of the most important improvements you can make in the kitchen is to make sure you have the proper lighting. You need to make sure that the room is not only illuminated, but that you have enough light to work, no matter which area of the kitchen you are in. Here are some tips on how to plan for perfect kitchen lighting.

Overhead Lighting

Many kitchens, and especially older ones, only have one type of lighting or even worse, perhaps only one light! You may be thinking that a big light centered in the middle of the ceiling will serve your need effectively, but it is rarely enough. If you do go with one overhead light, make sure that you plan to incorporate enough reflection to let the light bounce into every part of the room so that it is lit properly..
One thing to consider if you only have room or resources for lighting on the ceiling is track lighting. This type of lighting will allow you to direct the light to specific areas of the kitchen. You can install a light or point a light to each work area as well as your stove and kitchen table. Or, try using track kitchen lighting for the work area and then install additional lighting over the table or island areas.

Counters And Work Areas

Typically, one big light in the middle of the room will be inadequate for proper task lighting. Save up to 40% on kitchen products at The Inside Store Choose from a wide selection of fine kitchen faucets including the Vintage II Collection Wall Mount Faucet with Gooseneck Swivel Spout. It is problematic since when you are standing at the counter with your back to the light you will be casting a shadow right on the area you want to illuminate. Task lighting is important for proper food prep and will make your kitchen chores much easier.
For great task lighting consider kitchen lights that are installed on the bottoms of the cabinets that overhang your kitchen countertops. You’ll be able to easily see while you are chopping vegetables and preparing meals. This lighting is soft enough to provide the right amount light and can be easily turned off as needed or leave just one light on at night as a “night light” of sorts.

Island And Table Lighting

You’ll also want to consider how you light the island and table areas. Here is where you will want to insure that lighting is adequate, and looks great with the style of your kitchen.
For eat in islands, the most popular type of ighting is lights that hang down from the ceiling. The length of your islands dictates how many lights you will need. The table lighting should be chic and is most practical if you can get lighting on a dimmer. Typically, you would want some sort of chandelier for right above the table but be sure to match the style to your kitchen decor.

Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.dailynewz.info

Recessed Lighting Basics

Hidden in Plain View

Whether you’re building a new home or renovating an old home, lighting is a key element in both the function and style of the space.

Here are some basic tips in what to look for when considering installing recessed lighting.

Why You May Want Recessed Lighting

Recessed lighting offers a clean, streamlined look in a home. It can increase the amount of light in a room, highlight artwork or other special features, and open up spaces so they look and feel bigger.

When to Use Recessed Lighting

Though recessed fixtures are most easily installed between ceiling joists of new building or major remodeling projects, some recessed fixtures are designed specifically for retrofit applications and can slip into an existing ceiling space through holes made to accommodate wiring; however, the fixtures you choose must be rated for use near insulation (IC housing rated) whenever ceiling insulation is present.
When a ceiling is uninsulated, a non-IC housing may be used.

Where to Place Recessed Fixtures

Avoid recessed fixtures placed too close together or in rows down the center of the room. This type of installation can have the look of an airport runway.

Match the size of your fixtures to how close together they can be installed. The common rule is that 4-inch fixtures should generally be placed at least 4 feet apart and 6-inch fixtures about 6 feet apart.

Center recessed fixtures in front of the objects you wish to light – a painting, bookshelf, or drapery panels, for example – and about 12 to 18 inches in front of that object.

Recessed lights used for reading or task lighting should be carefully placed overhead so your head and shoulders will not block needed light.

When lighting a three-dimensional object such as a fireplace, sculpture, or flower arrangement, it is more effective to light it from two or three different angles.

Use wall-washing fixtures around the perimeter of a small room to help “push” the walls out and make the space feel larger, or aim them at a collection of artwork or photographs to call attention to the display.

Sizing Recessed Light Fixtures

Whether you choose fixtures with standard line voltage, low voltage halogen, or fluorescent fixtures, the basic sizes are 4-, 5-, or 6-inches in diameter. The 6-inch fixtures can be used in tall entryways or two-story hallways, while the smaller 4-inch sizes work better in smaller spaces since they have a sleeker, contemporary look with minimal intrusion.

Extras

Adjustable eyeball fixtures can be aimed at artwork as accent lighting.

Cover the walls with light by selecting wall washer fixtures.

Choose reflectors when you want the most light from a fixture, or install white or black baffle trims to focus and direct light or reduce glare.

Types of Light Bulbs for Recessed Lighting

When selecting or installing recessed lighting, several types of fixtures and bulbs are available for specific needs.

• Incandescent, also known as “A” bulbs, are inexpensive and good for general light or wall washing with the use of reflectors.


• “R” bulbs are most common and have a reflective surface included on the back of the bulb.


• Halogen bulbs offer a clean white light, and are available in both flood and spot types in sizes to fit 4-, 5-, or 6-inch fixtures.


• Low voltage halogen bulbs have a long life and put out more light than incandescent bulbs, but require the use of transformers and special low voltage housings.

When to Skip It

Ceilings of concrete or with ornate plasterwork or delicate molding details are not good candidates for recessed lighting. In these spaces, choose a chandelier (if there is an electrical box in the ceiling), wall sconces, or table lamps instead.

Cautions

Know your home and its construction before purchasing any lighting components, since each installation will be unique. Get advice from an experienced electrical salesperson on what parts are needed for your space – including special wiring, transformers, bulbs, or IC-rated housings. In some local areas you’re required to obtain building permits to upgrade or install recessed lighting. If the project is too advanced for your skills, have your new lights installed by a qualified electrician.

By Carol Naifie "Your Guide to Interior Decorating"

3 Reasons to Get Remote Lighting Control

Scenario 1
When you go to bed at night, you'd like the ability to control all the lights in the house from your nightstand. That way, if you forget to turn out a light downstairs, or if you hear a noise in the yard in the wee hours, you don't have to leave the bedroom.

HOW TO GET IT: Select the lights you want to control—hallway, kitchen, backyard—then swap out those switches for automated dimmers. Assign the switches to buttons on the controller, either one light per button or groupings of lights you want to operate together, say stairway and kitchen for late-night snack runs. Some controllers also have "all on" and "all off" buttons, which will operate every switch assigned to it at once.

Scenario 2
You're away from home frequently, or you own a vacation house, and you want to time lights to discourage would-be burglars.

HOW TO GET IT: Swap out the switches for automated hardware and program the timing of each at the control pad or wireless remote. Set the lights at haphazard intervals, so that an observer would really think someone is wandering from room to room. The advantage to digital timing is that, unlike with those pesky plug-in timers, you can switch the lights on and off whenever you want while you're home and the timer will be unaffected.

Scenario 3
You don't want to run around adjusting lights when company's at the door.

HOW TO GET IT: The ultimate in lighting control is using the system to set a whole-room scene: Dim a light here, bring up another there, until the mood is just the way you want it. Then assign your newly designed "scene" to a control panel or keypad button. You can even create several scenes in a room for different purposes—one button for cocktail-party mode, another for television watching, and a third when it's time to clean up.

This Old House magazine, January 2006
Article: Product Innovation: Remote-Controlled Lighting

Bird on a Fixture

Why It Is Good to Buy Good Quality Light Fixtures

Selecting chandelier lighting for your home

With such a variety of Chandeliers available today there is always that perfect one for any home. With a range of styles, designs and finishes to choose from selecting a chandelier can be as much of a creative process as you would like it to be. Each chandelier adds a touch of class to any room and warmth or vibrancy into any atmosphere. Styles can range from elaborate and large to modern and aesthetically pleasing. Chandeliers complement other lighting well and will add value to your home.
When choosing a chandelier for a dining room, the Victorian style is highly recommended as this popular design will add tranquillity and calm to a room that can be chaotic at even the best of times. There are always popular choices to choose from with Wrought Iron and Crystal styles at the top of the list. Some chandeliers can be hung alone as a center piece feature that will dress up any room. Choose from the vast array of finishes and shade styles to find a design that will create a room of modern style with a touch of love for art. Chandeliers can range decorative styles to create a modern, dramatic, simple, elegant and formal look.
The styles of chandeliers available include Tiffany, Victorian, Art deco, South western, Tropical, Crystal, Transitional, Early American, Lodge style, Whimsical, Old world, Oriental, Traditional classics, Country cottage, Architectural and mission style. Each chandelier style can work best in it’s own setting whether for a modern look, shimmering elegance, relaxed or sleek and shiny. Find the perfect finish for your room and it will work wonders with existing furniture and style. The finishes range from white or beige, multi-coloured, polished gold or brass, crystal, polished nickel or chrome, wood, rattan, iron, brick, bronze, rust and antique or satin brass. The type of chandeliers can include centre bowl, no shade, pot racks, crystal and shaded candles.

Chandelier Installation
Before you begin the installation check the ceiling electrical box to ensure a new light will be securely supported. If the new light is around the same weight as the old light, then the electric box should be able to support the new light fixture. When hanging over a dining table, centre the light in the middle of the table with 30" distance between the tabletop and the light, to prevent any bumped heads. When buying bulbs, you should decrease the bulb wattage when larger numbers of bulbs are required. For example, a 2 socket light could be fitted with two 60 watt bulbs, whereas a chandelier with three or more light sockets is probably more suited to 40 watt bulbs. Once correct bulbs are installed, the chandelier should give off sufficient light coverage without blinding anyone. Dimmers are helpful as they allow you to adjust the light to your requirements.

Cleaning Chandeliers
It is always a good idea to clean your chandelier at least once a year to keep it looking clean and shiny. Before you start, turn the lights of at least 10 minutes before you begin so the bulbs can cool down. Never clean the chandelier while the lights are on, this could lead to a burnt hand. If you are going to remove the pieces then separate the light in sections or draw up a picture of how the light fits together so you won’t be frustrated and confused later when trying to put the pieces back together. Place a blanket or duvet under the light to catch any pieces of the light that may fall. Keep the fixture in the same place as you clean and do not turn it around as this may strain the power cable.
When you are ready to begin, remove the trimming such as pendants and place in container. Clean with mild detergent and then rinse in hot water. The hotter the water the less spots. When cleaning festoons, place under water at arm length to stop from intertwining. Always use mild detergents as harsh cleaning products can make the pendants brittle and blackened. Many darken with age but it is always good to delay this as long as possible. When cleaning the body of the light, it is recommended to use a dry, lint free cloth for the best possible result. Remember to dust the bulbs as well as these are give away to cleanliness of the light. Replace all light pieces on the chandelier and lightly polish it to remove any remaining spots.