How to pick out the best lighting for your kitchen
Lighting is an essential part of any home. Not only does light open up rooms, but it can also provide the feeling of comfort that a home really needs. Because of this, it’s important to know which bulbs suit certain rooms, and which bulbs you should purchase. Here are a few tips on finding the right bulbs for your kitchen.
Color Temperatures
One of the most important things to look for when shopping for bulbs is the Kelvin of the bulb. It’s this that tells you what color temperature that particular bulb is. You can tell what the temperature is by looking at the Kelvin, with a higher Kelvin indicating a cooler bulb, and lower meaning a warmer bulb.
Even the bulbs themselves will create different elements and have different impacts on your kitchen. If you were to go for a higher Kelvin bulb, you would receive higher visibility, whereas a lower Kelvin bulb would help create a more casual appearance.
One example of a warm bulb is a ‘Warm White 2400k’. This is regarded as one of the warmest on the market, and almost replicates a burning candle as opposed to an actual light bulb. The problem with these bulbs is that their biggest strength is also a weakness; They are too ambient. Ambient to the point where they are better suited to a dining room.
A bulb that would be better suited for kitchen lighting would be a high Kelvin one, such as a ‘Cool White 4100k’. This is a crisp, cool bulb that provides you with sufficient visibility to perform knife work, and general work around the kitchen.
Type of Bulb
After you’ve selected the bulb temperature color you would like, you should move on to the actual type of bulb you would like to use. Each bulb will have different impacts on energy efficiency, as well as overall look of the room.
Halogen’s used to be a popular choice, but they have remained the same as technology has moved on, so they are no longer recommended. Most interior decorators these days recommend an LED or CFL. CFL’s are a versatile option, as they can be utilised with any color temperature. They do require time to warm up, but once they do they’re great. Aesthetically they are fantastic as they can come in spiral shapes, and they can even last up to ten times as much as standard bulbs.
LED’s on the other hand have the lowest energy cost and are declining in price. They do have a fairly high price point, but they are applicable with most color temperature and are great when used for mood lighting. LED’s are also durable bulbs, so there’s a very good chance that they pay back their fee through years of service.
Where to Shop for Lighting
After you’ve thought about what type of bulb and temperature you would like, the next step would to be go out and purchase the products you are looking for. Of course, there are lots of stores and outlets out there that sell lightbulbs, so it’s a matter of finding the one that you like best.
Sites such as Multi Luminaire offer a wide range of light bulbs and lighting for your home so you should have no problem finding one that suits what you’re looking for. Also, the products themselves are of a high standard and they are also very well priced.