Your kitchen lighting design is
one of the most important
design considerations of your
kitchen. Good kitchen lighting
design is functional but it can
also be used to enhance the
décor. Today's kitchen lighting
design provides for decorative
lighting, recessed lighting and
accent lighting.

Your kitchen lighting design
should provide adequate
lighting so that you can
perform daily functions in
areas where most of the
work is done, for example
the island or at the counter.

Selecting just the right kitchen
lighting can be a simple
process. You first need to
identify the main areas of the
kitchen that need sufficient
lighting. With specific tasks
over the range or cook top,
you can use an energy
efficient fluorescent tube
along with a standard range
fan, or a recessed down light
in the general area of the
stove. One or two track lights
over the sink area can provide
the correct amount of
illumination that would be
needed for washing dishes
and scouring pots and pans.

For the sink, and countertops
a combination of track or
recessed lighting, and under
cabinet lighting will be to
achieve best results in lighting
up the countertop and
creating a work area that is
well lit and free of shadows.
Mount the lights as close to
the back of the cabinets as
possible to avoid creating
glare off the work surfaces.
Try to select energy-efficient
fluorescent fixtures that will
cover at least two-thirds of the
of the counter's length.

For the breakfast area, a good
overhead light is useful since
this area is also frequently
used for reading. For more
kitchen lighting ideas you
can consider such lighting
systems as chandeliers to
high-tech flexible track
lighting with decorative
pendants. With a dimmer
switch these ceiling-hung
fixtures will produce adequate
task lighting for family
activities. You can also lower
the light for entertaining.

When considering kitchen
lighting design it is important
to create multiple layers of
lighting including ambient
lighting, accent lighting as
well as decorative lighting.

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