Glam Up the Kitchen
Once only a feature in the poshest of homes, chandeliers have been updated to illuminate even the most unexpected of spaces, including your own kitchen or dining room. They come in a variety of styles that showcase your design savvy and set the tone for an entire space. Make an elegant statement with dazzling crystal prisms that hang delicately from a bronze, nickel or metallic frame. If your look is more bohemian, go with dark beads in layered tiers or try a chandelier with flameless candles to complement a shabby chic aesthetic. In more modest homes, achieve a classic look with drum, bowl or caged chandeliers. Each features a decorative fabric, glass or metal shade that resembles a traditional hanging light. Any style you choose to go with is sure to impress guests as soon as they walk in.
Set the Tone with Ambient Lighting
Create a warm and inviting gathering space for friends and family with ambient lighting. Whether for everyday occasions or special celebrations, an ambient glow brings out the best of your kitchen. Install recessed lights above the kitchen island or in a nook. Recessed lights seem to disappear into the ceiling, casting a soft and unobtrusive glow that’s just right for enjoying an early morning breakfast or late night snack. For a stylish alternative, consider flash mounts. Hanging from above, flash mounts are subtle and blend right into the room’s aesthetic. Dimmer switches can also help cast the right amount of light to suit the situation, from low for an intimate setting to high for prepping foods.
Stay on Task in the Kitchen
Ensure you have efficient lighting wherever you need it most, whether it’s in the pantry, inside a flatware drawer or above the oven range. Add pizazz to the kitchen while also supplying light to areas where clarity and precision are necessary. Mount strips of tape light to the interior of a cabinet or sliding drawer—making it easy to find serveware, bakeware and utensils. You can even , wire lights to a motion detection system that turns them on when the doors open. If you desire more illumination while preparing a meal, brighten the counter with puck lights on the underside of a cabinet or along the wall. Follow the same idea at the stove or sink. Put a fun spin on task lighting by subtly showcasing decorative carafes and vases inside a glass hutch with dot or backlighting. Artful pendants over the kitchen island or sideboard are both functional and decorative.
Mix and Match Lighting Types
Break up the monotony of traditional lighting by mixing and matching different styles. A dramatic fixture combined with more practical pendant pieces is one way to achieve an eclectic look that doesn’t overwhelm. Mount sleek sconces in unexpected areas, next to a home bar or along a hallway. Spruce up the kitchen island with a mixture of slim hanging lights and shorter accent heads. A similar setup over the dining table catches the eye during meals.
The kitchen is where great things happen. That’s why it’s important to combine different looks, styles and sizes so the space not only functions efficiently but also shines with style.
What are your favorite kitchen lighting ideas? Share them with us at #CrateStyle.
