Kitchen Lighting, The Contemporary Way

5 Kitchen Lighting Ideas and Assorted Color Schemes

In our many years operating as electricians in San Antonio, we can say without any doubt that the key to making your home feel different without spending the big bucks is to remodel your kitchen lighting installation. Whether or not you also change appliances and cabinetry, remodeling the light to sculpt your space with highlights, shadows, and colors will transform your kitchen.

In writing this article, we’ll discuss five ways to use LED lights and LED strips to create a dynamic interplay of light, shadows, and colors to establish zones and add depth to a kitchen.

1. Under-Cabinet Task Lighting

LED strips placed under kitchen cabinetry provide focused illumination for tasks like chopping, reading recipes, or measuring ingredients. Under-cabinet lighting can also serve as a subtle nightlight, creating a soft glow that can be both practical and mood-setting. When the main lights are off, these LEDs can guide the way for a midnight snack without the harshness of full lighting.

To select the right LED strip lights you have to understand the specific needs of your kitchen workspace. The choice hinges on how much lighting intensity you want to have for preparing meals, and how much energy consumption you find acceptable for your household (even if LED strips are very economical, they still consume power).

The color temperature of LED lights directly impacts the ambiance of your kitchen. It is a bit counter-intuitive but a lower Kelvin rating yields a warm white light that creates a cozy and inviting atmosphere. This is good for kitchens that double as dining spaces. In contrast, a higher Kelvin rating produces a cool white or daylight hue: this is appropriate for tasks that require concentration and alertness, like chopping.

2. In-Drawer and In-Cabinet Lighting

This is rarely done, but the effect is awesome. We can install LED strips inside drawers and lower cabinets, activating when opened. The surprise element of light appearing upon opening a drawer or cabinet is a touch of modern sophistication. It also creates a contrast between the lit interior and a darker exterior at night, making it easier to find items in a barely lit kitchen.

When outfitting drawers and cabinets with LED lights, we typically opt for compact and flat-profile LED strips that fit snugly into tight spaces. These lights need to provide sufficient illumination to identify contents easily without overwhelming the space around with brightness. If you select LEDs with a high color rendering index (CRI), you ensure that the colors of your utensils and ingredients appear true to life.

Color sets the mood and affects visibility. Cooler temperatures work well for utility drawers and for cabinets storing non-food items. Cool LED strips provide a crisp, clear light. For pantry drawers or cabinets with food items, LED with warmer temperatures create an inviting glow, making ingredients look more appealing and natural.

3. Toe Kick Accent Lighting

Toe-kick lighting consists in installing LEDs at the base of cabinetry. Typically, the strips serve as a pathway lighting solution. This is particularly useful in open floor plans, when you go in the kitchen during the evening and you don’t want to switch the overhead lights on. It is also helpful during the night when you need to keep your kitchen in low light.

For toe kick accent lighting, we select LED strips that ensure a consistent and even light distribution. We need to avoid “hotspots”, areas of higher brightness. We encase the strips in a durable, moisture-resistant covering to avoid damage when you sweep or mop your kitchen.

4. Overhead Ambient Lighting

LED fixtures like recessed downlights and pendant lights serve to create contemporary ambient lighting. Recessed downlights distribute light evenly and maintaining great luminosity throughout the space. We place them strategically to light up the entire kitchen and avoid cluttering the view. Pendant lights serve to create focus on key areas like islands or sinks. They combine style with functionality.

When working with homeowners to select the overhead ambient lighting, we look at LED fixtures like recessed downlights, pendant lights, and flush mounts. Recessed LED downlights offer a sleek look and when strategically placed, they provide an even lighting across the kitchen. Pendant lights serve as both a source of illumination and a style statement. Flush mounts are well-adapted to kitchens with lower ceilings where recessed lighting is not an option. They provide a broad light without intruding into the space.

5. “Feature & Display” Kitchen Lighting

LED spotlights and track lighting are well-suited choices for highlighting architectural features and artwork in the kitchen. Spotlights focus intense light on specific points, like a textured backsplash. Track lighting enables you to adjust the illumination of art pieces or feature walls. For showcasing items within glass-front cabinets, we can install LED puck lights that cast a soft, even light bringing out the beauty of dishware, glassware, and collectibles.

Together with our clients, we select LED spotlights and track lighting that complement their decor and the architecture of the kitchen. Spotlights with a narrow beam angle create dramatic highlights. Those distributing light with a wider angle soften the effect. We prefer track lighting fixtures that allow directing each individual light as needed: they give you the flexibility to showcase the features you like.

Color Schemes and Variations in Designing Kitchen Lighting

Here are 5 examples of “period styles” that we recreate in your home, in terms of fixture style and colors. They are just examples, we don’t “push” any design or any sort.

The Flower Power Style

The vibrant, free-spirited essence of the Flower Power era created color schemes that were bold and psychedelic, like hot pink, electric blue, and sunny yellow. There is a resurgence of this style in modern illustration and clothing. Colorful LED lighting can help create this style. A layer of soft glow will enhance these colors and avoid overpowering the space.

The Frank Lloyd Wright Style

Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural style was organic, with a color palette drawing from nature. Think deep browns, rich reds, and warm ochres. LED lighting can mimic the colorful and natural light Wright integrated into his designs.

The Bauhaus Style

The Bauhaus style focused on primary colors and geometric forms. The typical Bauhaus color scheme includes bright red, yellow, and blue, accented by clean white or black. Applying this style to kitchen lighting means functional fixtures with a minimalist design, providing clear, unobstructed light.

The Bio-Design Style (Japanese and Swedish)

We know the love of Japanese and Swedish stylists for their minimalist sense of aesthetics and their use of natural shapes and muted, soft colors. They favor muted tones, soft grays, and pastels. To complement this style, a kitchen lighting has to be subtle and focused on enhancing a serene and organic feel.

The 1980s Miami South Beach Style

When we talk about the 80s style, it is hard not to think about Miami Vice and the South Beach vibe. As you remember, this color palette included seafoam green, flamingo pink, and sky (and electric) blue. To achieve this effect, your kitchen lighting will favor neon-like glows and use fixtures with this very specific vibe.

About All Star Electric

All Star Electric is a San Antonio electrical contractor serving San Antonio proper and its neighborhood of Castle Hills, Alamo Heights, Selma, and Helotes for almost 30 years. As residential licensed electricians we help people repair any electrical installation that is not up to code. We also remodel lighting installations to save on energy costs and give a house a completely transformed look. Call us at (210) 391-0274 for any electrical repair and any electrical design project you have in mind.