Lighting— an essential part of successful kitchen design
An element that is all too often given little consideration when planning a new kitchen is lighting.
IN TODAY’S MULTIFUNCTION KITCHEN SPACES, YOU NEED TO CONSIDER WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE LIKELY TO TAKE PLACE IN THE VARIOUS AREAS OF THE KITCHEN.
Just as with all other services, the best time to look at lighting is at the initial planning stage. Retrospective lighting, more often than not, has limited impact and functionality.
EFFECTIVE ‘TASK LIGHTING’ IS NECESSARY FOR THE ‘WORKING TRIANGLE’.
At Ray Munn Kitchens we treat lighting as a key element of the overall kitchen design. We consider it to be an essential part of the overall cohesive design, not only to achieve maximum levels of functionality, but also to produce spectacular visual results.
RETROSPECTIVE LIGHTING, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, HAS LIMITED IMPACT AND FUNCTIONALITY.In today’s multifunction kitchen spaces, you need to consider what activities are likely to take place in the various areas of the kitchen. Effective ‘task lighting’ is vital for working between the cooker and hob, and the sink and refrigerator, commonly referred to as the ‘working triangle’. Successful lighting in these areas can be achieved with spotlights or down-lighters immediately above or if ceiling height allows, pendant lighting over an integrated island hob.
UNDER CUPBOARD LIGHTING CAN BE CONSIDERED AMBIENT TOO.
Under-cupboard lighting such as strip or LED lighting is designed to focus on the worktop to help with food preparation, and the quality of it has a potentially big impact on safety too!
ADD ACCENT SHELF LIGHTING FOR STYLISH IMPACT.
‘Accent lighting’ for shelving and cupboards adds a certain dimension to a room, together with a degree of practicality. At the same time, ‘ambient lighting’ is ideal for seating areas, best controlled with a dimmer switch to allow for brighter lighting for reading and more subtle lighting for that romantic meal!
AT RAY MUNN KITCHENS WE TREAT LIGHTING AS A KEY ELEMENT OF THE OVERALL KITCHEN DESIGN.‘Feature lighting’ can be used to highlight points of interest, such as a picture or architectural detail.
PLINTH LIGHTING, SPOTLIGHTS AND DOWNLIGHTING CAN ALL BE INCORPORATED INTO YOUR NEW KITCHEN DESIGN.
It can even be integrated into plinths, giving stylish impact to the appearance of a kitchen, especially at night time.
PLINTH LIGHTING IS ESPECIALLY EFFECTIVE AT NIGHT TIME OR WHEN LIGHT LEVELS ARE LOW.
Where and how light switches are positioned is equally important. You will need a main point of control on entry into the kitchen, as well as individual switches and dimmers within each of the kitchens zones. The height of the switches and dimmers needs to be considered too, all part of the considerations when planning the overall kitchen design.
If you need any guidance on adding stylish or functional lighting into your kitchen, or indeed are looking for a new kitchen, let the designers at Ray Munn Kitchens help you to achieve the kitchen of your dreams.
