The kitchen is arguably the worst room for low lighting. It is the one in which you use sharp knives or you put dishes to heat on plates or in an oven: it is the one where you must have the maximum possible light. So if your kitchen offers little light, here are 10 tips. And no, it’s not just floor-to-ceiling white rooms with large windows that can claim to be bright. Some simple tricks can bring more light to your space. Here they are.
1 – Use brighter bulbs
What a brilliant idea! Check the wattage of the bulbs you are currently using. If they are less than 60 watts, they are not bright enough. Experts recommend at least 80 to 100 watts in your kitchen. So choose the light you like, but regarding bulbs, it’s the same for everyone! Certainly there are all sizes, all shapes, all colors. But when it comes to power, it’s bound to be over 60 watts. Then inquire in store: LEDs are light bulbs that have many advantages. Let there be light !
2 – Add a mirror
Hang a mirror in your kitchen. Incorporating a carefully chosen mirror into your kitchen lends a touch of glamor and brings in plenty of light. The reflective surface reflects light back across the room, increasing brightness and adding a sense of depth. It is also a simple but very effective way to expand your space. Depending on the type of mirror you choose, it can be a relatively inexpensive way to improve your interior. If you don’t already have one in your kitchen, now is the time.
3 – Hang a clamp lamp
If your lighting is kept to a bare minimum and you have very few light points in your kitchen, you can easily install clamp lights. As their name suggests, these are lamps that you can fix anywhere. Most still have power cables, so make sure they are the right length.
4 – Turn recessed lights into hanging lamps
What if you transformed your recessed lamps into pendant lamps? This is a trick to gain luminosity. There are kits that allow you to replace your recessed lighting with pendant lighting. Instead of spreading at ceiling level and vertically, the light spreads in all directions and allows more brightness in your room.
5 – Install backlights under your high cabinets
In order to structure the space and bring brightness to it, consider backlighting. Under the cupboards, the backlighting gives the answer to the decorative elements. On the ground, it also allows to transform the appearance. So many light sources can wake up your kitchen which otherwise would be plunged into a dark torpor. Lighting under your cupboards, at mid-height as well as at the bottom, is therefore the best solution for a dark and cramped kitchen. Choose from fluorescent light bars or LED light bars to brighten up your space.
6 – Add touches of color
If you feel like your overly dark kitchen has passed a point of no return, add a few cheerful splashes of color. It can be a luminous vase, a curtain, a blind or a work of art. This visual distraction will brighten up your space. Yellow is a dynamic color and full of light. Pastel colors are also good examples. They attract and reflect light. Even more than white, which if we say that it also attracts light tends to make everything flat. So to give pep and light to your kitchen, colorful objects are yours! How about your household appliances? They are making more and more of them in tonic and trendy colors.
7 – Create a contrast with a centerpiece
Choose a place in your kitchen that you want to highlight, a kind of focal point. It could be your island, a block of cupboards or even your sink! Just give your eye something fun to look at.
8 – Opt for metallic that will reflect the light
Can you see how light bounces off gold or silver metal objects? So get the same effect by treating yourself to a refrigerator or small stainless steel appliances. A simple kettle, teapot or coffee maker is enough.
9 – Repaint your dark wood cupboards
To bring light into your kitchen by brightening up the space, bet on white because it is an incredible shade. Used wisely, it is a color that sublimates the slightest ray of sunshine. So paint your dark wood cabinets white, of course. To allow the light to circulate, you can add white decorative elements. But be careful not to overcrowd the space either. This should be kept clean. As for your painting, it must be perfect because white does not support mediocrity. Your work must be neat so that the white color remains to its advantage.
10 – Choose a glossy worktop rather than a matte one
Glossy surfaces on furniture and accessories have a great effect: the little light in the room is reflected and amplified. For this, shiny surfaces should ideally face the strongest light source in order to distribute the brightness in the room. In addition, glossy elements with built-in lighting look especially good. So what are you waiting for to adapt your work plan?