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by Alan Kauzlaric
Lighting Editor |
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KITCHEN LIGHTING: Types of Lighting |
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There are three types of lighting: ambient, task, and accent.
- Ambient lighting is the general, overall illumination of a room that allows us to see the layout and help us safely through the space.
- Task lighting is for the specific work we do in the space.
- Accent lighting is used to highlight certain features in a room, such as artwork or architecture.
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In the kitchen, ambient and task lighting are most important. For ambient lighting, consider how rooms are generally lit. A light source, which can be anything from a candle or light fixture to the sun through a window, casts its light into the room. The light then interacts with the room's colors and furnishings. Keep in mind that light-colored surfaces reflect light; dark-colored surfaces absorb light; matte finishes diffuse light; glossy finishes act as mirrors. Ambient lighting can be achieved in two ways, directly and indirectly.
Direct lighting is the most common form of ambient lighting and can be achieved with recessed, surface-mounted, and hanging fixtures. The fixtures and lamps (bulbs) are the luminous sources that emit light directly from concentrated locations. Depending on the fixture type and placement, however, shadows may be cast that can interfere with kitchen tasks.
Indirect lighting is achieved by bouncing light off walls and ceilings and shielding direct view of lamps (bulbs). Indirect wall sconces, some pendants, and certain track lighting fixtures in certain positions cast light up walls to the ceiling that reflects back into the room. This effectively turns the ceiling and walls into light sources. In a light-colored wall with matte-finished surfaces, light comes from all directions, and shadows are minimized. Indirect lighting alone will not be enough to light a room and on its own tends to be flat and uninteresting.
Task lighting puts light where you're doing a specific task: preparing food, cleaning pots, and so on. It reduces the shadows cast with direct lighting and minimizes the flatness of indirect light. Task lighting enlivens kitchens by adding other layers of light for visual interest, and particularly in kitchens provides safety and utility.
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