A kitchen is said to be the central hub of the house which is in action most of the time. It witnesses many tasks from homework, to list-making to proper meal preparations. For all these things to happen effortlessly you need the right amount and type of light in your kitchen. Lighting in the kitchen comprises of an array of patterns from accent to ambient to task lights. Lighting comes in four basic forms and all of them can be mixed and applied to your kitchen.
Task Light
This is lighting that illuminates a targeted area to help you see clearly while working.
If you want your pendants to help illuminate kitchen tasks like chopping (or to brighten the pages of a cookbook), you’ll want a fixture that aims the light downward, preferably with an open or translucent bottom to let a high degree of light out.
Keep in mind that open-bottom fixtures paired with powerful bulbs can create a harsh spotlight. If you’ve installed a fixture and the light is too severe, consider using a lower output bulb, or install a dimmer to allow for moodier lighting when the chores are finished.
Ambient Light
General lighting that gently illuminates the whole room or area, rather than targeting a spot (the opposite of task lighting), is called ambient lighting.
If you want your pendants to help brighten the whole room, bigger is not always better. A large pendant light with a single bulb won’t add more light than a tiny fixture with the same bulb, so consider using multiple lights spread across the area, or fixtures with multiple bulbs for an even glow.
It’s also worth noting that some are more serious chefs than others. If you tend to use your island more for mingling and snacking than for prep work, draw inspiration from restaurant tables and choose a softer light that creates an intimate mood.
Accent Light
Accent lighting highlights a design feature, such as an art piece or a beautiful material.
Typically, pendant lighting isn’t used as a targeted accent light the way, say, a picture light would highlight a painting. However, if you have a beautiful wood or stone countertop, a wash of light will help bring out the various tones of the material. Pinpoint lights can also help bring out the sparkle in flecked stone or polished metals.
Decorative Light
This is lighting that exists to be a decorative feature: either the fixture itself, the sparkle or shadow it produces, or both.
If you already have sufficient task lights and ambient lights in a room, feel free to choose pendants that glow softly and make a big impression without casting targeted light.
If you want your lighting to really be a star feature, look for lights that cast an interesting shadow on the ceiling. This is especially effective with a slightly high ceiling that deserves to have the eye drawn up.
Before selecting any type of Pendant Lamp for your house you need to keep in mind a few points.
Consider a Multipurpose Pendant Lamp
If you can not accommodate too many pendant lamps in your kitchen you should always go for a lamp that serves more than one purpose. Many such pendant lamps are available nowadays that work both as task light and ambient light.
Height
Before finalizing any pendant lamp for your house always keep in mind till which height you want your lamp to hang. This depends on for what purpose you need that lamp. Task lights should not be placed too high otherwise they will not provide sufficient light on the targeted area. They are usually hung 30-36 inches above the counter. Too big pendant lamps above the counter can interfere in the conversation so most people go with slim design pendants. Use long narrow opening shades for bulbs so that if they are hung higher the bulb is not exposed to anyone. Decorative lamps can be placed higher so that their light remains subtle and provide elegance to the kitchen. The general rule to select a pendant lamp is that it should hang 12-18 inches below the ceiling for the room with a height of 8 feet. For rooms with height higher than that we should add 3 inches per foot in length of the pendant. Pendant lamps with decorative chains can be hung a little below so that the maximum of the chain is visible.
Style
You should always decide for a pendant lamp that blends well with the overall decor of your kitchen. In open-plan kitchen, the lamp should complement the decor of the other part of the room. A mismatched style lamp can leave a negative impact on your room decor. When you are going for a mix-match theme select pendant lamps with something in common like finish or color or any other factor so that they can relate at some level. At last, there should be a theme in the overall decor of your house.