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Kitchen Lighting Ideas: Pictures and Advice From Experts
The kitchen is a very important part of the home, maybe the most important, if cooking and entertaining is a part of your life. Good kitchen lighting can benefit from shadow-less food preparation areas, cooking areas, general areas, preferred light levels for intimate moods and entertaining moods. Let Del Mar Designs walk you through all areas of the kitchen that might benefit from different types of lighting for a well-lit kitchen.
Begin by viewing our Kitchen Lighting application photos for ideas and light fixture placement.
Click below image to enlarge
PENDANT LIGHTING
Pendants are a great addition to islands and bar areas. When selecting a pendant for one of these areas in the kitchen, entertaining should be in mind. The pendants you choose should be one of the main decorative lighting elements in the whole kitchen lighting plan.
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Mini
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Energy Star
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Round
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Hand Blown Glass
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Bowls
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FLUSH and SEMI-FLUSH LIGHTING
Flush and semi-flush light fixtures create the main general lighting usually from the center of the kitchen. The flush and semi-flush light fixture should be used with a combination of other light fixture types to reduce glare and create an even balance of light through out the kitchen.
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Flush Mount
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Linear Flush Mount
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Energy Star
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Semi-Flush Mount
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CABINET LIGHTING
Under Cabinet Lighting is critical to eliminating shadows in food preparation areas from overhead lighting. Under cabinet also illuminates tile or decorative back splashes after dark with no shadowing. The most common under cabinet lighting used to be fluorescent which can not be used with a light dimmer. Today there are many different types of under cabinet light fixtures from LED sticks to adjustable halogen and xenon lamps.
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Xenon
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Adjustable Halogen
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LED Wafers
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LED Sticks
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Fluorescent
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RECESSED LIGHTING
Recessed lighting should be a part of every kitchen lighting plan. Recessed lighting is the most controllable light source that can be used for general lighting, task lighting, accent lighting, wallwashing or grazing stone structures. View Del Mar Designs recessed lighting layout guide to help you with every detail you will need to select the right recessed lighting fixtures for your kitchen space.
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3" Recessed
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Low-Voltage
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5" Recessed
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6" Recessed
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Energy Star
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Wet Location
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OVER CABINET & TOE KICK LIGHTING
Some kitchens have vertical space above the top of the cabinets, this is the perfect area for over cabinet lighting. Over cabinet lights can be hidden so that you only see the light illumination on the kitchen ceiling and not see the fixture. Hidden over cabinet lighting is great for a non-glare ambient lighting effect. Over cabinet lights can also be mounted to the top of the cabinet to direct light on the cabinet producing a grazing effect. Toe kick lighting can illuminate the floor and produce a balanced lighting effect from ceiling to floor when combined with other lighting types.
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Hidden Fluorescent Strips
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Halogen Over Cabinet
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Toe Kick LED Sticks
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Rope Lighting
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NOOK LIGHTING & MINI CHANDELIERS
Kitchen nook spaces are an important part of the family breakfast gathering. This nook light fixture should be bright enough to read the newspaper and at the same time have limited glare. Some people use mini chandeliers or pendants to light their kitchen nook area.
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Downlight Pendants
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Mini Chandeliers
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Bowl Pendants
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ISLAND LIGHTS & POT RACKS
Island lighting should provide good light for performing tasks and have a decorative style as it usually lands in the center of the kitchen. The island light should be proportionate in size to the island so the light fixture does not over power the island area.
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Pot Rack Lights
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Energy Star Island
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Linear Island Lights
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LIGHT DIMMERS
Light dimming is an important part of creating moods and conserving energy in the kitchen. Dimming usually glary light fixtures help create a softer and more balanced feel of light.
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Diva Dimmers
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Maestro Dimmers
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Spacer Remote Dimmers
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Multi_Location Dimmers
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CEILING FANS
Ceiling fans create airflow in any space and can benefit any hot kitchen. Good air circulation is good to have in any kitchen to make for a cooler cooking and food preparation environment.
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Low Profile
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Energy Star
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Tropical
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Contemporary
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Traditional
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Under 42" Blade Span
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