How to organize the lighting in the kitchen

The kitchen is one of the most important, often used premises of an apartment, a private house. Here they cook, eat, relax over a cup of tea in the evening, even do their homework, in the presence of a furnished corner. Kitchen lighting is not limited to a single ceiling chandelier, as it was a couple of decades ago, but is mounted separately for each zone. It is carried out according to certain rules, the convenient location of switches, sockets, to which the lighting devices will be connected, is thought out even at the stage of the "rough" decoration of the room, before the application of finishing coatings.

Basic rules for lighting in the kitchen

In each room, regardless of its purpose, when it becomes dark, artificial light is needed. The main principle of the organization of kitchen lighting is multilevel. Even in the closest kitchen of the “Khrushchev” one chandelier in the middle of the ceiling will be clearly not enough - during cooking, washing dishes, unloading food from the refrigerator, working most likely will be your back to the lighting fixture, which is very inconvenient because of the falling shadow. Corners, where there is dishes, small household appliances, products lie, will be practically deprived of light.

The number of fixtures is selected depending on the area of ​​the room, its functional purpose, headset placement, and other furnishing. In a cramped kitchenette, where food is cooked exclusively, the light will be placed differently than in a spacious room combined with a living room that performs, among other things, the role of a dining room, a place for rest, and a reception for guests.

Also, the kitchen light depends on the chosen interior style: shiny metal chandeliers are suitable for hi-tech, minimalism - barely noticeable bulbs embedded in the stretch ceiling. Baroque will decorate heavy multi-track construction, country - numerous wall lamps in textile lamp shades.


    

About the norms of illumination

Not only the convenience of any activity, but also the health of the eyes and the emotional state of a person depend on the brightness of the lighting. When calculating the required amount of light, take into account what actions are planned to perform in the room, how long they are. Ergonomic lighting is also important - the room should be comfortable to be.

During the construction of typical residential buildings, industrial buildings, educational institutions, they are guided by the applicable norms of the Construction Norms and Regulations, SanPin. In your own personal kitchen, you can organize almost any kind of lighting, guided by simple recommendations:

  • Illumination is measured in lux, that is, one lumen per square meter of space. For kitchen experts advise to apply a rate of at least 150 lux;
  • if in the kitchen space there is a corner for working with a computer, paper documents, then this area is illuminated by about 300 lux;
  • in the recreation area where reading is supposed, the recommended light is up to 250 lux.

    

Each light bulb indicates the size of the light flux that it gives, as well as the color. The number of lamps for a particular kitchen is calculated according to the tables.

Light, functional areas - the location of lighting

No matter what size the room has, each functional area is correctly highlighted in it:

  • the upper chandelier - maybe only in a small room (then it is hung in the center of the ceiling) or several are made - this is convenient for rooms of an asymmetrical, elongated configuration, combined with a hall, etc .;
  • working area - it needs bright light sources placed directly above the table, near the sink;
  • dining area - most often illuminated with a wall lamp, ceiling lamp, adjustable in height;
  • decorative lights - mounted inside wall cabinets with transparent doors, along the bottom, top of the headset, ceiling, baseboard.


    

If the room is planning a corner for sleeping, homework, it is recommended to buy lamps, the brightness of which can be changed if desired.

Organizing a common light in the kitchen

Top, base or general light should be distributed around the room gently, unobtrusively, but in abundance. Modern interiors suggest the presence of several homogeneous or different ceiling lights. The lamps on the rails will also be suitable as a base light - they can be rotated in any direction, illuminating the right places at the moment. Rack gauges are mounted to the ceiling of the appropriate type, ideally fitting into the style of high-tech interiors, futuristic, minimalist design. Embedded models are perfectly mounted on the suspension structures, overhead - only on a solid plane.


    

For large kitchens, overhead lighting is done separately to save electricity, including only the necessary part.

Spot lighting

Spotlights can accurately complement the base chandelier or play the role of the main ceiling light. They are mounted on a stretch, embedded in a suspended plasterboard ceiling, used with other suitable materials. LEDs do not cast shadows, are placed over the entire surface of the ceiling, walls, at least - along the floor, in random order. With the help of such bulbs it is easy to adjust the space of an unsuccessful shape - if the same elements are placed on one side of an elongated kitchen, it will become wider to narrow the chandelier room along the middle ceiling line. To make the places look bigger, highlight and lower corners are highlighted. Separate spotlights are placed at a distance of at least 35-45 cm, from walls - 20-25 cm.

    

Work area lighting

The work zone is the place that is most clearly illuminated in the kitchen space. Here it is important to correctly highlight the table top, which is used for cutting food, kneading dough, decorating dishes, and other similar manipulations. Most often, lamps, tape led, mounted to the bottom of the hanging cabinets, located above the desk. The lighting of the gas stove, cooking surface is carried out with the help of light bulbs built into the hood - they are usually supplied as standard. The oven also has a small lamp inside, like a refrigerator.

Cooking is inseparable from the washing of many food products, so the sink should be lit - it is important to place the appliance so that no water drops fall on it. It looks interesting kitchen apron, made of transparent glass, which are embedded inside the LEDs.

Modern fashion trend - the removal of the working area in the center of the room, which is especially important for spacious kitchens. Illumination of such an island site is made with the help of elements on railings or long decorative cords.

    

Dining area lighting

Zoning the place of eating with warm light creates an optimal atmosphere, stimulates the appetite. There are several location options: about a meter above the table, standing against the wall, one or two lamps are hung on the spot, a structure with a long folding bracket on a clothespin is attached to the edge of the table top or the nearest shelf.

For the table in the middle of the room a great idea - a suspended ceiling chandelier. Position it in such a way that the entire table top is fully lit. The optimum height of placement is 120-150 cm above the surface. For the comfort of people sitting at the table, matte, well-diffused ceiling lamps are selected.

    

For an elongated long dining table, three or more identical hanging elements are used, which are arranged arbitrarily.

Interior lighting kitchen cabinets

Illumination of the remote corners in the lower curbstones, the facades of the upper cabinets, open shelves are made from the inside, from the depths of space. It can be flat overhead, mortise lamps, LED strip, textured imitation of candles, torches, fire.
This light is divided into:

  • functional - allowing you to quickly find the necessary items in the depth of the cabinet, triggered when the door is opened (as in the refrigerator);
  • decorative - brightly lit lockers will expand the space, add airiness to it. Inclusion is made manually.


    

To make the headset more decorative, all the light sources inside it are installed behind a profile specially designed for this.

Decorative lighting

Decorative lights are made of LED strip, which is white or colored. These elements emit paintings, wall panels, beautiful floor compositions, large potted plants, elegant porcelain figurines on the shelf, etc. For these purposes, lamps are used on clothespins — when changing decorations, the light is easily arranged differently. The LEDs are placed under the edge of the table top, around the perimeter of the lower pedestals, creating a “hovering” effect of the headset above the floor level.

    

For decoration, expansion of space with a too small window, light false windows are used, imitating the real ones, with a beautiful landscape or imitating a fireplace, an aquarium.

Light over the bar

The bar counter can be fixed or folding, equipped with holders for bottles, glasses or without them. When you want to create an atmosphere, like in a real bar, halogen lamps are mounted above the surface, which diffuse light, which will beautifully illuminate not only the rack itself, but also the surrounding space. Luminaires are mounted at the level of the holder for glasses, but if it is absent, lamps on cables are suitable - it is desirable that the height of the structure can be adjusted. For a small U-shaped or U-shaped stand, one large lamp is usually sufficient.


    

The bar counter is often a zoning element between the kitchen and the dining room, so lamps should be optimally suited to the style of both spaces.

Features lighting combined rooms

Two-three and more logical zones are located in the kitchen-studio, each of which is individually illuminated, not forgetting the preservation of a single interior style chosen initially. When there is no clear dividing strip (piece of furniture, a screen, a podium, a highlight, etc.) on the border between the kitchen and the living room, it is also created with the help of light or its absence.

    

Lamps, chandeliers in any kitchen area are placed in such a way that the risk of grazing them with a hand or head is minimal.

Kitchen-living room

The original lighting design of the kitchen combined with the living room, with a few exceptions, is desirable to think over, organize in advance - even before the room has a “clean” coating, furniture is placed. The wiring for the main devices is made completely hidden - only in some interior styles is the presence of a large number of wires in the most prominent places.

Kitchen and living space suggests that the room will house a place for rest, sleep. Such a zone is illuminated with a floor lamp, wall lamp, lamp on a clothespin. In areas belonging to the kitchen and belonging to the living room, the base light is made separately.


    

Kitchen dining room

Combined dining-kitchen is a less broad concept than a living-kitchen, as there are only spacious places for cooking, its use. Less often - the dining area, among other functions, is intended for receiving guests, their sleep, if no other suitable areas in the apartment are provided. Because the light is regulated by brightness here, the kitchen area is also distinguished by the level of illumination.

In the dining room space is placed a table, and the height of the lamp above it is easily changed with a flick of the wrist — up or down or switched using the remote. As an option - a tall floor lamp with a curved leg is placed on the side of a small table or “floating” lighting is mounted on special tires.


    

If devices are installed, the brightness of which can be varied widely, it is easy to create in the room both a bright atmosphere for a festive dinner, and twilight for an intimate dinner together.

Lighting a small kitchen

The narrow spaces, especially those located in the bay window (which is especially important for miniature apartment-studios), do not require a large number of powerful lamps - such lighting will be excessively bright. Bulk lamps, often located on a multi-level ceiling, are also irrelevant - they clutter up an already small area. The ideal option for a small room is the LED lamps built into the ceiling, miniature wall sconces on the walls, and spotlight appliances. For maximum expansion of space, they use diffused light, the illumination of each corner and the cabinet to “raise” the low ceiling, some of the lamps are directed upwards. When the ceiling is excessively high, a large, textured chandelier is suspended on a long cord.


    

The choice of lamps by type, light, color

For kitchen, experts recommend lamps that mimic neutral white or warm light. The flow temperature is measured in Kelvin. Cold bluish, lifeless-white lighting is permissible here only if there is a working mini-office - it can cause anxiety, especially among unbalanced people, to distort the natural color of food, visually making it unappetizing. A warm white version will help to relax, relax over a cup of tea or with your family.

The configuration of the bulb itself can also be different: pear-shaped, candle-shaped, in the form of a pipe, spiral, mushroom, spot, etc. The best efficiency, durability, environmental friendliness are provided by LED lamps, but their prices are relatively high. The cheapest option is conventional incandescent bulbs, the price of such a device is minimal, but the power consumption for their power supply is very significant.

Whatever type of lamp is chosen, the light should not dazzle.

LED light

LED bulbs can significantly save the budget, especially if a motion sensor is built into the lamp, which turns on when someone enters the kitchen, which turns off several minutes after any activity fixed by the mechanism is stopped. Installing the sensor switch system will allow you to adjust the level of illumination.

Incandescent lamps

This type of lamps is used in luminaires directed to the ceiling, wall, piece of furniture, and only the reflected light is captured by the human eye. These bulbs are very hot, so in rooms decorated in black-brown-purple colors almost completely absorbing light, their use is ineffective. In case of close contact with textile, plastic, paper lamp shades, the likelihood of fire is high. Conventional incandescent bulbs at 40-100 watts have a light temperature of 2600-2900 K.

Halogen

This type of design is also an incandescent lamp, but in the manufacture of used thin tungsten wire of a certain brand, the very same flask is filled with an oxygen mixture, supplemented by volatile compounds of iodine and bromine. Halogen lamps have a color temperature of 3000-3200 K, serve much longer than incandescents, although their dimensions are slightly smaller. It is believed that the device gives a luminous flux as close as possible to the natural spectrum, reducing visual fatigue. This type of device is divided into four types:

  • linear;
  • fingertips;
  • with external flask;
  • with reflector.

When installing halogen lamps, specialized transformers are used, it is recommended to change a burnt device to a new one with gloves.

Halogen IRC lamps

The name of the device refers to a lamp with an infrared coating, which during production is applied to the surface of the bulb so that visible light penetrates the outside and most of the heat is reflected back. At the same time, the service life of the bulb is twice as long, and the energy consumed is much less, which allows significant financial savings.

Any halogen elements should be kept in perfect purity - in places of minimum pollution the device quickly burns through, fails.

Fluorescent

Such light devices are distinguished by an even warm white light, if their color temperature is 2700-3300 K, neutral white at 3400-4500 K, cold daytime at 4600-6500 K. They do not need a special power supply, but just plug it into the outlet after fixing in the right place. Fluorescent lamps are divided into two types:

  • having the form of long straight, semicircular, U-shaped tubes, equipped with an internal ballast;
  • energy-saving devices of the usual form, often equipped with a light sensor.

Both configurations are durable, economical, expensive options from the moment they are turned on shine as brightly as possible, close to natural light, cheap ones distort the spectrum. The variety of design solutions allows you to choose the right equipment for the interior of any kitchen.

Lighting features

The choice of light bulbs on light temperature directly affects the vision, color perception of the interior. Warm colors help to relax, cold - perfectly toned. A device that completely simulates sunlight has not yet been created, although work in this direction has been going on for a long time.

Properly organize kitchen lighting, both primary and secondary, using lamps that give different shades of luminous flux. Специалисты различают три основных варианта:

  • белый теплый - 2500-3500 К;
  • белый нейтральный, близкий к естественному - 3600-5000 К;
  • белый холодный - 5100-5600 К.

For the dining area of ​​the kitchen room, various options are permissible: if there are long gatherings with friends, daily family dinners, warm lighting is recommended, and when the place is for fast eating two or three times a day, it is better to use cold white light bulbs.


    
The kitchen, the space of which is combined with the living room, is usually illuminated with warm light, which allows you to create the most relaxed atmosphere, especially in combination with a chandelier that gently diffuses the luminous flux. Warm options are also recommended for interiors designed in soft, pastel colors - the cool shades of the objects here will be blurred, blue, purple, green, gray colors will be slightly distorted.

Natural white leaves all colors almost unchanged, because such devices are mounted above the kitchen work area, and if there are mirrors in the room, around them too, but so that the reflected light does not blind the audience.

The cool white shade is similar to the pale winter sun, but is perceived by the human eye as having the highest intensity. It is most convenient to use in combination with natural lighting, with its lack. Accent lighting is performed with a cold one, which allows to select some elements of the decor, divide the space into zones, create a light border between the kitchen and the adjacent room.

    

Conclusion

Modern kitchen lighting is the most convenient way for the owners. Separate lights are mounted in each logical zone, highlighting it, decorative, on the contrary - unites the space, making it subordinate to the general idea. All lighting devices, with sufficient experience in the field of electrical work, set their own hands. Otherwise, specialists will come to the rescue, who will draw up a detailed project, depicting their plans in 3D, will adjust the lighting in accordance with the wishes of the customer.

Watch the video: How To Organize Under The Kitchen Sink Cabinet (March 2024).

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