Questions? Give us a call: 617-710-8783

7 Common Kitchen Lighting Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

kitchen lighting mistakes

Do you know what can make your kitchen look bigger than it is? Light! There are some common mistakes that many homeowners make in regard to their kitchen lighting. In fact, these mistakes might be costing you money on your energy bill, as well as decreasing your enjoyment of your kitchen.

Poor lighting can also make it difficult and stressful to prepare meals or read recipes. That’s why it’s important to choose your kitchen lighting carefully.

Without further ado, here are seven common kitchen lighting mistakes people make and how you can avoid them.

1. Incorrect Position of Lights

Placing your lights in odd places (e.g., on top of cabinets, too high or too low) can create an odd lighting scheme that makes it hard for you to cook efficiently.

If you’re using under-cabinet lights, place them as close to eye level as possible to help reduce shadows on countertops. Finally, if you’re using recessed cans or track lighting, make sure they’re angled toward areas such as sinks and stoves.

2. Choosing Poor Quality Lights Fixtures

You get what you pay for when it comes to kitchen lighting. If a set of lights is made cheaply, chances are it will be only a few months before something breaks or malfunctions.

Save yourself some time, trouble, and money by choosing high-quality fixtures. These days, you can find affordable options that have been built with good materials that won’t fail prematurely.

Also, pay attention to your bulbs Some bulbs work better than others in certain fixtures. For example, LED lights, don’t work well with dimmer switches because they don’t dim very well.

3. Failing to Create an Accent Light

If you want your kitchen to stand out, then you need to have a light source that will do so.

But if you fail to create an accent light, then your kitchen won’t stand out. Instead of decorating your kitchen in bright colors like yellow, orange, or lime green, use white light shades in your space.

This way you can highlight various features in different areas of your kitchen. Now, you’re illuminating your kitchen in an elegant fashion.

4. Kitchen Lights Are Too Bright

Be careful not to overdo it with light fixtures. Over-lighting is one of those common kitchen lighting mistakes that can make your space feel far too bright, or worse, washed out.

If you’re planning on illuminating a space with new kitchen lighting, try sticking to two or three light sources instead of more. This will help ensure that your kitchen doesn’t become too bright, even if you leave all your lights on at once.

5. Some Areas Are Left in the Dark

Placing lights that illuminate dark spaces is essential for a kitchen to look as good as it functions.

Overhead fixtures should be placed in your kitchen’s darkest corners so you can see what you’re doing. If placing overhead lights won’t work for your setup, use under-cabinet lighting.

This will do wonders for achieving an even distribution of light throughout your kitchen. Also, be sure that light fixtures are spaced evenly throughout your kitchen so every inch has ample illumination.

6. Overhead Lights Are Dim

Placing your kitchen lighting over your workspace can make it seem brighter. But if your overhead lights are too dim, you’ll find yourself squinting in order to see clearly.

Once that happens, you’re more likely to give up and work in favor of a snack break. Overhead lights should be bright enough so that you never have trouble seeing.

This is especially important when you’re cooking or preparing food. Use at least 60 watts bulbs. That way, even if they get dirty from cooking splatters, they won’t interfere with your ability to work in your kitchen.

7. Fixtures Don’t Match Decor

It may seem like a minor detail, but mismatched lighting fixtures in your kitchen can throw off its entire look. Also it’s important to keep in mind the lighting fixture size to ensure they fit well in your kitchen.

The rule of thumb is to make sure your cabinets, countertops, flooring, and other decor are uniform in style. Then choose lighting fixtures that match it.

You might be on a kitchen lighting budget which is understandable. You don’t have to spend a fortune on fancy designer lights. Yet, you do want them to complement your decor.

Why Having the Right Kitchen Lighting Is Important?

When you’re preparing a meal, you want to make sure that every dish is as good as it can be. But if your kitchen isn’t properly lit, it can make everything much more difficult. Imagine trying to cook without adequate lighting. It would be impossible.

You wouldn’t be able to see what you were doing, making even simple tasks more complicated than they should be.

You also want to create a great dining experience for your guests or family members. That’s why choosing exactly what kind of lighting is best for your kitchen is so important.

The Final Step to Avoiding Kitchen Lighting Mistakes

You should make sure you know exactly what you want before you pick out your kitchen lighting. Have your style and color picked out. Choosing good kitchen lighting help improved moods for whoever spends time in your kitchen each day!

It can also can make for energy savings as well. Follow these tips so you don’t fall into any of these common kitchen lighting mistakes!

Contact us to see some wonderful handmade kitchen lighting options today.