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Lighting is no longer just a kitchen accessory, it’s a necessity, offering benefits for both the practicality and aesthetic appeal of your kitchen design.

Effective lighting can not only help to make your space feel lighter and brighter, it can also be cleverly used to make a room appear bigger, can be manipulated to draw attention to focal features, and can illuminate a frequently used workspace.

It’s vital to organise your tailored lighting plan in the early stages of your kitchen design, as all electrics and fittings need to be in place before any plastering, decorating, and installation of your kitchen can take place.

Our Second Nature designers are there to help you make those all-important lighting choices- but if you’re looking for inspiration at the moment, here are some of the key lighting options you should consider before making your decisions.

           

Task Lighting

Arguably the most important lighting you will need, task lighting is there to help you undertake the everyday important kitchen tasks like food preparation and serving.

Perfectly positioned direct lighting above a worksurface, such as under-cabinet LED lights, can really help to transform a dark corner or alcove into an efficient working space. We recommend taking the time to plan out and consider where you will likely carry out most of your regular tasks, such as chopping and plating-up food, before deciding where to place your task lighting.

           

Convenience Lighting

This is lighting that is used with the intention of illuminating certain focal points of your kitchen, such as open-shelving, glazed display cabinets, or the inside of cupboards and drawers, for both practical and visual purposes.

Perfect for making a feature out of your favourite pieces, convenience lighting can be installed in glazed cabinets and beneath or behind open shelving to highlight glassware or decorative items.

If you have a dark cupboard or drawer, convenience lighting on a sensor allows the space to be instantly illuminated when opened, so you can find your kitchen essentials with ease.

           

Mood Lighting

Also referred to as feature, decorative or accent lighting, mood lighting is used to add dimension and depth to the room in order to create atmosphere and provide personality. This can include pendant lights above a kitchen island or dining area to brighten the social space, wow-factor lighting in a pantry or drinks unit, or strip lighting added beneath units or lining the floor, for ambience at the flick of a switch.

With open-plan living spaces more popular than ever, kitchen designs now need to work even harder to create the right atmosphere for an array of activities, including working from home, entertaining, and relaxing at the end of a busy day. It’s important that you consider the different ways your space will be used when planning in your mood lighting so that the end result is sufficiently multi-functional.

           

Natural Lighting

Last but not least, when planning your new kitchen and the orientation of your design, it’s also important to assess how much natural light the room gets and how this could affect the functionality of the space.

If you have a kitchen that is north-facing, you may want to focus more on planning your artificial lighting as the space is likely to receive little or no direct sunlight throughout the day, whereas, if you have a south or west facing kitchen, it will be naturally bright throughout the day, meaning lights may only be necessary on an evening.

If you know your space doesn’t have a lot of natural light, this can also help you plan the colours of your walls, cabinets, flooring and worktops before choosing artificial lights, as high-gloss finishes and lighter shades will help to reflect light around, making a space appear brighter

If you’re ready to take the next step towards bringing your dream kitchen to life, find your closest independent Second Nature specialist today.