A full kitchen remodel can be a scary thing for many people. A budget-friendly way to ease your way into a kitchen upgrade is to replace your kitchen countertops with granite or quartz stone. It will increase your home value by much more than you spend on it.
If that?s not working for you, you can choose to put in some new lights. You would be surprised at the difference it will make to the way your kitchen will look if you choose the right ones from the wide number of options available to you. Here are a few you might want to consider.
Under cabinet lighting
All kitchens need a good source of central lighting, but it usually throws a shadow under the wall cabinets. A great way to brighten up your workspace with very little investment in time and effort is under cabinet lights. The diffused light gives your granite or quartz countertops and backsplash a dramatic, light-washed look. It does not only make your kitchen look fabulous, it is practical as well.
You have two choices for under cabinet lighting. You can go for the ones that work off batteries and come in button and puck lights.
LED tape and rope lights are also a good choice if you have convenient outlets at strategic areas such as right at the end of the wall cabinets. You can also run these lights along the toe kick of base cabinets for dramatic effect as well as night lighting.
Can or recessed lighting
As you can probably guess from the name, recessed lighting goes some way into the ceiling instead of just on top it. These recessed or can lights be a clever way to get some strategic lighting into the kitchen, putting lights in dark corners and spaces without making a big deal out of it. It is especially handy in low-ceiling kitchens because it is level with the ceiling, so nothing is sticking out.
You do have to put in quite a bit of them to provide enough light in the kitchen, as the light does not spread, but rather concentrates light downward. Also you must tear up the ceiling somewhat and put in new wiring, so it is best done in conjunction with a kitchen remodel.
You usually put them in as auxiliary lights for design purposes, making your kitchen look sleek and modern. However, if you have enough of these lights, they can take the place of central lighting altogether.
Side lighting
Functionally, sidelights are to the walls as recessed lights are to the ceiling. You can put them on the ceiling as well, but they are more often placed in notches along the walls. They are mostly hidden save for the trim, so they are most useful for adding some drama and depth to a room.
Sidelights provide focus lighting on certain parts of the wall that may need it and give a light-washed effect to anything you happen to place under it. Because it illuminates downward, it provides indirect lighting to the rest of the room while avoiding glare.
The one drawback of sidelights when placed along a wall is that these are no longer usable for cabinets or other things. This is reason why some people elect to put them in the ceilings, instead, especially in kitchens with limited storage space.
Tray ceiling lights
Speaking of ambient light, some designers prefer to put lights on ledges close to the ceilings instead of using recessed or sidelights. These are tray ceiling lights, and they are perfect for illuminating any room, including kitchens, without glare.
The ledges occupy some vertical space, so it may not be the best choice for low-ceiling kitchen. However, if you have the overhead space for it, you might want to consider it to give your kitchen a subtle look that can be cozy and seductive in turn.
You might be able to manage putting in tray ceiling lights without a kitchen remodel. But it will take some doing. You will need a professional to build the ledge or open-air soffits to give you the space needed for the lights. You also need an electrician to provide power for the light bars or rope lights you will install there.
That said, it is a cost-effective addition to your design if you are doing a kitchen remodel. So, keep that in mind the next time you do an upgrade. You should also note that it would be necessary to clean those ledges regularly, as they tend to gather dust.
Hiring a Professional Kitchen Remodeler
You can use lighting to make your kitchen look awesome. But, professional help may be necessary for some of these ideas. The perfect time to carry them out is during a kitchen remodeling, but it is important to choose the right contractor. Mimosa Kitchen and Bath knows all about kitchen remodeling, including lighting design, product, and installation. We are the best choice for you if you are in the DC metro area, Columbia, Rockville, Bethesda, Jessup, Chevy Chase and surrounding areas.
Aside from expert lighting and remodeling services, we sell high-quality products manufactured by leading brands in the industry. When you purchase your products from us, you are guaranteed a speedy delivery compared to ordering from big box stores. Our contractors will fabricate the product and install it into your bathroom quickly and with excellent artisanship.
We sell a host of products, from bathroom and kitchen cabinets, flooring, faucets and sinks, to vanities. Some of the brands we carry include Zodiaq, Fabuwood, Forevermark Cabinetry, Caesarstone, MSI, Kitchenmaid, Wolf Cabinets, Cambria and Hardware Resources.
You can visit our showroom in Ellicott City, Maryland to see the many products and stone slabs we have available. This includes marble, granite and engineered quartz for your vanity tops.
All our products come backed with brand warranties.
Contact us today to get a free quote and design consultation for your kitchen remodeling project!
