Blog - Category: kitchen lighting
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Kitchen Lighting
Posted on: 17 Dec 2019. Category: kitchen lightingKitchen Lighting
Kitchens are a hive of activity in the home and therefore the lighting can be one of the hardest rooms to get right, it is often the setting where the family gathers to eat, relax and socialise as well as simply prepare the food. Lighting your kitchen correctly will help you make sure the space is inviting and comfortable as well as functional, thus allowing for various activities ranging from food preparation to entertaining guests and perhaps even getting work done.Spliting the rooms into zones to highlight the rooms features helps this. Task lighting for food preparation, LED tape for mood lighting/wall wash, pendants for breakfast bars/dining tables.
Task Lighting
Task lighting is designed to create a shadow-free work environment when you're doing things around the kitchen, like cooking at the hob or chopping at a work surface. This is acheived in the most part with recessed downlights placed correctly in the ceiling and complimented by under pelmet lighting(LED tape or under cabinet spots). LED battens(that replace fluorescent fittings) also spread a large amount of light over an area.
Mood Lighting
Mood lighting is used to give a relaxing feel when a kitchen isn't being used for cooking or eating. LED tape can be placed above kitchen wall units shining light upwards to reflect back down, underneath the floor units within the kickboards and just at the top of a long plain wall. Colour changing tape can be used to create different atmospheres at the touch of a button.
Pendant Lighting
Pendants are used as a feature or statement piece that are usually placed above the sitting area. Glass Pendants, while still decorative, still give a large amount of light. Metal pendants will only light the area below them. Come and visit us in our bristol showroom where we have examples of all these on display and you can also see some of our ranges of switches and sockets including USB double sockets which keeps the socket clear from charging plugs.
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Kitchen Lighting
Posted on: 17 Sep 2019. Category: kitchen lightingKitchen Lighting
Lighting in a kitchen is an integral part of any kitchen design and should be a key consideration during initial planning. Often referred to as the 'heart of the home' the kitchen is a multi-purpose space and therefore thought should be given to the different tasks and occasions of the space. Lighting should be employed as a way to make your kitchen a more functional and enjoyable space ensuring it caters for practical tasks such as cooking and cleaning yet also works to create an atmosphere peferct for entertaining. Whatever your requirements the lighting scheme should enable and enhance the experience, follow the below steps to help to make a functional and enjoyable Kitchen
Task Lighting
Position recessed downlights in line with the edge of your work surface, spacing approximately every meter will give even coverage from a light source with a 38° beam angle. For very high ceilings fittings need to be closer together to achieve a brightly lit working surface. Only use Downlights for task lighting, Do not use in walkways as this is wasted light. Adding in under cabinet lighting for additional light on work surfaces or in areas where there is no flat ceiling above a task area, LED strip lighting proviides a contemporay line of light while the focused beams from spotlights and interest to plain walls.
Avoid placing downlights over cabinets, as this will onyl shine light on them and not the room. Downlights placed over walkways can create shadows on work surfaces, walkways receive their light from reflections off cabinets and walls and finally avoid pointing fittings directly at seating postions, sitting in the glare of a light is uncomfortable.
Ambient Lighting
A row of pendants provides good ambient light in the centre of the room while a single pendant gives a wash of light over a dining table. Use wall lights to bathe the walls to create a sense of light without lighting the whole area, this can make smaller kitchens feel bigger. If wall lights are not possible angled downlights pointing towards the walls can create the same feeling or can be used to light pictures or feature walls. Lighting placed on top of cabinets to wash the ceilings and give perception of taller ceilings
Feature Lighting
Pendants both break up the space and create cosy areas, use over tables and islands. A single statement pendant provides maximum impact but is also easy to change if tastes or decor change. Layer your lighting and use multiple, and dimming, circuits where possible.This will enable you to have many different lighting states and help create moods for different times of the day.
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Kitchen Lighting Ideas
Posted on: 19 Aug 2019. Category: kitchen lightingKitchen lighting ideas
A common question we get asked in the showroom is 'What light fittings should I use in a kitchen or open plan kitchen/diner space?' Below are a few of our favourite products and ideas from our in house lighting designer. Dont forget if you want to discuss anything further you can always call or email us, we are always happy to help.
EVOFIRE Downlights/spotlights
These are without doubt our best selling downlights. We get great feedback from the electricians who fit them and they are very well pricd. Using a series of Downlights in a kitchen can be a great way to provide plently of light in the areas of your choice in a smart discreet fashion. The Evofire spotlights gives you the choice of 3 colours , satin chrome , polish chrome and white with the choice of a recessed or baffled fitting. Some of the key features to the evofire fittings are: 90minute fire rated, IP65, 1mm bezel allowing 'invisable' look, 'canless' back to allow heat dispersion and increase life of the lamp.
Standard Evo fire downlights
This downlight is a stylish solution and the unit sits almost completely flat to the ceiling. For the best results we would recommend this downlight is fitted to flat, fresh plastered ceiling. If you have an older or uneven plastered ceiling this unit will not sit perfectly flat.Baffled downlights
Baffeled downlights are ideal when you want to create a tighter beam of light as the LED sits further back in the unit like a reccesed fittng but creates a sword of light rather than a wider spread. Ideal for bringing light onto the kitchen table. This also gives a designer look with lower glare. The 1mm 'blend-in' bezel fits almost flush with the ceiling, making this one of the most subtle looking fire rated downlight solutions available. We partcularly like using this fitting is areas with lower ceilings.
https://www.electricsandlighting.co.uk/products?search_api_views_fulltext=evofireLED Tape / Profile
LED tape is a perfect way to shred light onto any kitchen profile , shelfing unit and worktop, and can be measured to any length of your choosing and are always available in ready to go packs which include controller and remote driver, available in warm white , cool white and multi colour.
We also offer a bespoke service where we can make the tape to your exact specification. Our own tape is made on our design with true colour warm and cool white (2700k & 4000k) and has a CRI of 93+.
We provide a complete selection of profile to make sure you can have the exact install required, be it surface mounted, recessed, plastered in or even angled. We have a complete display in store to showcase many of the options available and also to demonstrate the different effect the profiles allow.
https://www.electricsandlighting.co.uk/products?search_api_views_fulltext=led+tapeLow Level Lighting
We often get asked to provide low level lighting in kitchens. This can be to either provide extra ambient lighting, highlight special features such as flagstone flooring etc. or to allow low level light to be used at nightime. There are two main options we often consider. LED tape as shown above or 'marker lights'. The LED tape allows a constant band of light where as the marker lights allow points of light as shown in the image.
We stock a lot of options for the marker lights as well as the tape detailed above, you can see some of the options we have available through the link below, alternatively we have a good selection on display in our Bristol showroom.
https://www.electricsandlighting.co.uk/products?search_api_views_fulltext=decking+lightsWe also have a brand new section online full of our best selling kitchen lighting.
Rako Controls
RAKOs wireless home automation system gives the user full control of their lighting with a small easy to fit RF wall control and can also be controlled using your smart phone. It makes easy work of controlling multiple lighting circuits and allows you to set scenes such as dining / living / TV also with the option of dimming your lights from several places in your home.
The RAKO system is particularly suitable for open plan areas with multiple lighting circuits. Not only does it make control and adjustemnt easy and convenient. It also allows you to have a small cntrol wall unit (if desired) rather than a large grid square of multiple switches and dimmers.
https://www.electricsandlighting.co.uk/rako-home-automation-specialistPop up sockets
Pop up sockets are an excellent way of providing additional power points without compromising stly and workspace. They are available with a combination of functions (USB, Fast charge etc) and add a nice hidden touch to Kitchen Islands. We can also supply over/under shelf sockets which can be base or back feed to allow multiple installation methods. please contact us for more information.
https://www.electricsandlighting.co.uk/products?search_api_views_fulltext=pop+up+socketsStatement Lighting for a kitchen
Kitchens are a great area to have a large statement lighting piece, especially over a kitchen Island. Be aware though: when the light is off do you want a large hanging object obstructing your view from one area to the the next? The way we often overcome this is by having glass pendant such as the NEMO 400mm(also on display in our Bristol Showroom) pictured above, this fitting provides a lovely light when on, atmospheric and striking whilst allowing itself to blend into the background when off. The perfect combination for any Kitchen light.
https://www.electricsandlighting.co.uk/products?search_api_views_fulltext=statement+lights