by Ondine Brooks Kuraoka

Top 5 Trends

Well-illuminated spaces
Energy-efficient LED lighting
Task-specific and accent lighting
High-quality motion sensors
Lighting specialists

With the kitchen’s role as a gathering place, good lighting is key in setting a comfortable ambience. One lone fixture in the center of the ceiling doesn’t satisfy anymore. The American Lighting Association gives some overarching guidelines. Think about layering light, allowing light to fill the space, with larger fixtures above, adding task lighting in work spaces and decorative lighting to accent cabinets.

Today’s greener technology makes a well-illuminated kitchen possible without outrageous long-term cost. The initial price of fixtures and bulbs may be high, but the savings in energy over the long-term pays off.

One of the most exciting options are LED (light-emitting diode) lights. They can be installed in recessed cans and the high-quality bulbs have a shelf life of more than 20 years. Lee Hawley says, “LEDs take so little wattage, just a fraction of fluorescents. The light quality is also much better than fluorescents; it can compete with the color rendering of an incandescent or even a halogen.”

LEDs are dimmable and don’t emit much heat, so they work well inside cabinets also. They can be retro-fitted into other bulb fixtures. And unlike fluorescent bulbs, LED bulbs do not contain mercury so they are not toxic to dispose of.

Due to the rapid changes in the sophisticated technology of lighting, it can pay off to hire a lighting specialist to advise the best plan for the specific needs of your kitchen.