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Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Kitchen Lighting Inspiration

I have a bad track record when it comes to picking out lighting for the house ... it took me so long to make decisions we lived with naked bulbs for a few years until the electrician was booked in and I had no choice but to buy them all and get them installed in the same hit - the master bedroom, man cave, guest bedroom and study, the living room (which I disappointingly installed a bit too high) and hallway.
 
Now for the kitchen lighting which is possibly the most important lighting of the whole house because you need to see what your cooking and what you're eating! I learnt a bit about lighting in the interior design course I did last year, but it's still a bit daunting the fact that there's a mix of different lights needed and it's figuring out what we need where.
 
We have in mind a few LED lights recessed in the ceiling spaced around the kitchen area. You need good lighting on the benches for preparation and cooking so the placement of these lights is really important.
 
 
The glass cabinets along the cooking bench have lights in them to illuminate the glassware. I've mentioned before I wanted frosted glass so these cabinets don't need to be perfectly neat all the time with my glass collection on display for everyone to see, but this was going to cost $300 extra so I'm going to buy some matching wine glasses instead and try not to break too many!

 
I want a single or triple feature light hanging over the island bench, this is the place that is going to get the most attention so I'm willing to spend a bit more on this feature to get a look that I love. Because the island bench is small and seats only 2 people I can't have anything too big here or it will overpower the space. Then again sometimes oversized works well like in this kitchen.

 
I'm also toying with the idea of having a pendant hang over the sink. This is a bit of an American trend that I've seen on shows like Sarah 101 and I think it really is a great idea so long as it matches in with the rest of the pendants and doesn't clash or steal the show from the island bench light.
 
 
Then we come to the dining area we can't really centre a light in this room because we have the kitchen island bench and then a walkway through to the french doors to the outside, so if we hung a light in the centre it would be over the walkway. The light should really be over the dining table but this will be pushed up against the wall most of the time. Thus we have a bit of a problem here and not really sure how we should put the light. Should it be centred in the room and over the walkway? Or centred over the dining table which would be to the side of the room?
 
 
Ideally, the kitchen and dining room pendant lights should match in colour or materials so they compliment each other. The living room and hallway lights are glass and silver so I will most likely stick to that colour scheme so the rooms all flow together. Although I do have a bit of a soft spot for the black shades pictured above!

 
I've been stalking online catalogues and Pinterest getting an idea of the styles that I like before I hit the light shops. The electrician is coming Friday so I'd better  make some decisions pretty soon!
 
Do you have any tips about Kitchen lighting?

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[Images via my Pinterest 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]
 
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11 comments:

  1. I like pendants but from experience if you want to rearrange furniture then the pendant lights don't make any sense if there isn't a dining table under it so then you are stuck with your furniture placement! Might work better if there isn't any space to play around with furniture?

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    1. This is so true and what I was worried about it looking funny if I moved my dining table and chairs around. Doesnt look like a pendant light is a good idea in my tiny dining area!

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  2. I like your inspiration photos. It takes me forever to pick things out too!
    -Shelley

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  3. OK seriously -- what did we do before Pinterest? I can get lost for HOURS, especially in kitchen photos. My kitchen board on Pinterest is out of control. So fun though!

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    1. I have no idea! I will have to check yours out :)

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  4. Ahhh Michelle! I was so happy to read that I am not the only one who finds it so hard to choose. We also have had a barenaked lightbulb in our bedroom ceiling for the past three years because we argued so much to put there. It is like being interrogated every time you go in the room, horrible. I am also thinking about putting one of those vintage enamel pendant lights over my kitchen bench, I found one at a flea market for $5. I think a pendant over your dining table would work nicely but I also really love the look of one over the kitchen island.

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    1. Its comforting to know theres more naked bulbs out there! What a bargain find nice one :)

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  5. Lights are a tough one, Brass Decor on Canning Highway are a great help. They will get you anything you need, they have just got hold of those retro bulbs, the ones where they have a bit of a zig zag happening inside the bulb that lights up. A great place to fossick in, take your photos and pictures in as to what you are looking for as they will help where they can. Prices are reasonable to. I love pendants and regret that we have down lights over the dinning table. The only other down lights we have are in the family room, all the others are lights, a few art deco. Still a few more to go, it is worth taking your time. Good luck, come and visit if you want. Rae xx

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    1. Thanks Ill have to check them out. We're going to look into the dining room lights once we have the table and chairs in place. We might end up putting in down lights as its such a small area although I would prefer a pendant :)

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  6. You certainly do have some great inspiration pics -- I love Pinterest! It's really hard to do kitchen lighting, and especially so when you are working around the typical recessed canned lights. Their placement doesn't always lend itself to pendants. We did find a nice pendant to replace the recessed light over our island, but adding one to the sink area would involve all kinds of electrical work. At least there are getting to be many more options, so I'm sure you will find what works perfectly for you!

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    1. Its always tricky trying to work with what you have rather than starting a fresh with all new lights and wiring isnt it. The challenge of renovating!

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