Kitchen and Bathroom Lighting

While many people overlook this aspect of home improvement, lighting is one of the most essential aspects of creating a comfortable home. Your home can be perfectly designed and arranged, but each room is only as functional as its lighting allows it to be. This is especially true in the kitchen and bathroom, the hardest working rooms in your home.

Make Your Kitchen Efficient by Considering the Work Triangle & Zones

Taking a quick survey of your kitchen reveals its multifaceted functions, each with its own particular set of lighting requirements. Most kitchens are organized based on a useful concept called the work triangle, a layout designed to optimize your space for the most efficient meal preparation. This triangle is comprised of the kitchen’s three main workstations: the fridge, sink, and stove.

Each workstation requires appropriate lighting for maximum user friendliness. Ideally, your kitchen is designed so you can reach each of these zones with only a few steps, eliminating unnecessary distance and increasing productivity. If these stations are too far apart, you waste time moving between them. If they’re too close together, you’ll feel cramped and uncomfortable. Installing consistent lighting throughout your kitchen ensures ease of movement and efficiency.

Another helpful method of splitting up and appropriately using your space is through the designation of specific zones that coordinate with points of the work triangle. Evaluate each zone in your own home to determine which lighting styles best complement the tasks you will be completing there.

• Food storage zone – This zone is used for the storage of consumable foods and is comprised of the fridge, freezer, and pantry.
  • Proper lighting in this zone means you can keep track of your food supply and makes it convenient to create weekly meal plans for your family.
  • Easy identification of the ingredients you have and which ones you need makes meal preparation painless. It also prevents you from repurchasing unnecessary products, saving you money.
  • Recessed and track lighting are especially useful for illuminating your food storage.
• Prep zone – This zone is the main work area of your kitchen. It is used for the preparation of meals and encompasses the sink as well as storage for items such as mixing bowls, measuring cups, knives, whisks, and cutting boards.
  • For efficient cleaning, cutting, and combining of ingredients, light sources over the prep zone should be bright and direct.
  • Focus light where you need it to avoid potential mishaps, including nicked fingers, spilled liquids, and improperly measured ingredients.
• Cook zone – This zone is used for the actual cooking and is comprised of the stovetop and oven, as well as the storage of pots, pans, and bakeware.
  • Cooking isn’t as simple as throwing ingredients in a pot, setting a timer, and walking away – it requires constant supervision.
  • Proper lighting here is necessary to carefully monitor your food as it cooks, ensuring it reaches the optimum temperature and consistency.
  • You can combine overhead fixtures, undercabinet track lighting, and directional pendants for a custom lighting solution in your kitchen.

Evaluating the zones in your kitchen and each one’s specific needs is a helpful way to streamline your cooking process. This way you spend less time struggling to make and serve meals and more time enjoying the fruits of your labor.

How to Light Your Bathroom

Compared to kitchen lighting, bathroom lighting is a breeze. You benefit most from an overhead fixture to provide an even glow throughout the room. Go minimal with a set of simple pendant lights or install a chandelier to evoke an unexpected touch of glamour. Install wall-mounted sconces on either side of your vanity mirror to ensure your light is bright enough for precise hair styling and make up application.

A few simple improvements to the lighting in your kitchen and bathroom can greatly enhance your home’s comfort, efficiency, and aesthetic. Nipper Electric has almost fifteen years of experience helping clients in the Virginia Beach area. Call us today at (757) 842-1710 to consult our skilled technicians and watch your home transform into the space of your dreams!