Kitchen Living and Lighting

Lighting in your kitchen is important because your kitchen is a place for practicality as well as comfort and socialization. You need enough light to see what you are doing when preparing meals. However, too much light can destroy a comfortable familial atmosphere. When people update their kitchens they will probably want the lighting to be functional and add architectural dimension. If you invest in new kitchen lighting, your kitchen can feature softly glowing orange pendant lamps that separate the kitchen and family area.

You can also include focused light for the stove and counter and remove the recessed lighting is gone. It just adds so much more interest. This lighting adds this really pretty ambiance to the room at night. It glows like a candle in a pumkin, creating a romantic, yet uncomfortable atmosphere. With fall upon us and the days growing shorter, now is a good time to reassess your own lighting situation.

If you are going through a renovation, you can use a lighting consultant to assess the situation. Lighting is permanent, and it helps to have someone walk through instead of relying on a contractor to recommend fixtures.

Style, of course, is usually the most important factor when people buy lamps or sconces. It is probably not a good idea to have light directed at people's faces in the bathroom, so you can look at simple Italian glass wall sconces that emit light up and down. Another good idea is to preserve an original 1940s fixture in the foyer by changing just the finial and the ceiling mount to a darker metal, but keeping the original, pretty glass.

One good idea that has been rising in popularity is to trade a ceiling fixture for a carved glass version from Antique Lighting in Seattle that hangs a few inches below the ceiling and scatters light onto the ceiling.

For those unwilling to go through a major renovation, there are easy ways to illuminate dark corners and freshen up lighting you already own, said Kim Hansen, owner of Harold's Lighting in Seattle. One common lighting mistake is thinking one light is sufficient for an entire room. A room needs different light sources for different tasks, Hansen said.

A torchiere will add general, or ambient, light to a room, but you also need a table lamp for reading, he said. If you need to adjust the lighting, buy lamps with dimmer switches. You want different light if you're just entertaining for the evening. Sitting down having conversations, you want mood. You don't want glaring light everywhere. It is important to keep a balance so you will have a comfortable and tranquil atmosphere in your house.

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