Like a lot of home owners you might be looking to take advantage when the 2012 January and February Sales start, and one place of focus could be a kitchen renovation in order to give it a sleek and modern design appearance. One aspect will be to buy a new refrigerator and updated work cabinets to fit the new style, but make sure that careful consideration is given to the light fixtures and fittings as this is an aspect sometimes overlooked.
Getting your lighting correct can enhance your kitchen and show off the aesthetic aspects as well as making the working areas easier to use once up and running. Here are a few short tips on how you can choose the perfect lighting set-up for your new kitchen renovation in 2012.
What You Should Know About Kitchen Lighting
Any lighting should always complement your kitchen interior, and you can achieve this with a strategic approach to all the fixtures. You want to show of the space and ensure you don’t have unsatisfactory working conditions when preparing meals.
Don’t make the common error of installing just one central light fixture in the middle of the ceiling space as this will mean you get shadows that will not effectively illuminate appliances and cabinets. As an example, if you’ve purchased a new stainless steel Samsung refrigerator you will want it to be the main focal point along with the main work surface – imagine how cool it will look with the right amount of light bouncing off it?
How to Plan Your Kitchen Lighting and Illumination
- Firstly check into any local lighting ordinances and legislation if you are installing the fixtures by yourself. There might be local safety and energy standards to comply with.
- Break up the kitchen space into working areas. This will help you to decide where the fixtures will be placed for maximum effect. Sinks and counters always tend to benefit from narrow light beams as task lighting.
- Define switch placements by grouping so you can make use of different switches to control various groups of lights that can be associated to the separate working areas.
How to Install and Choose Your Lights
- Measure the kitchen to understand the amount of light fixtures required. Guidance to follow should be one recessed fixture for every 4 to 6 feet of ceiling area – this will give you an even illumination.
- Some American states and regions require home owners to use fluorescent or HID lighting – make sure to check with your local authority for exact specifications.
- If there’s insulation in the ceiling you will need to install housing that’s safety ratified to be used with insulation material.
- 4. For switch selection consider dimmers for any lights that are positioned in the corners. Individual switches work better over commonly used working spaces.
Author Biography – Brian S of Refrigerator Reviews 4 U
Brian S has worked in the kitchen appliance industry for over 20 years and runs the popular Refrigerator Reviews 4 U website. It contains price comparison on fridge freezers on all major brands including Samsung, Amana, LG, Frigidaire, and Whirlpool.