The Kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the house in regards to lighting. It is home to many activities, and needs task as well as general lighting. Your plan should include enough light to see into cabinets and pantries, adequate task lighting over sinks, countertops and islands, and light over a table for dining and family activities. The possibilities are endless and can include chandeliers, wall sconces, under-cabinet lights, recessed or track lights, ceiling fans, and pendants. Soffits, ceilings, or toe kick areas of the cabinets or island can be lit for design style or as a soft light at night. Since there is an array of activities that take place in a kitchen, dimmers are a definite plus to your lighting plan. TIP: The darker the surfaces of the countertops, walls, and floors, the more wattage you need. Always plan for more light than you think you need and use dimmers or extra switches.

The kitchen is primarily a work area, but it is also a gathering place for family and friends. Lighting that is comfortable as well as functional is required.

Whether you cook like Julia Child or simply strive to master the microwave, proper kitchen lighting is paramount. Lighting creates mood and focus and is essential for safety and for making the kitchen efficient and easy to use. Evaluate your kitchen and add or update fixtures to provide ambient lighting for overall room illumination, task lighting over work areas and accent lighting to focus on art and objects.

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During the day, sunlight can generate much of your kitchen's general lighting. At night, you need ceiling fixtures, track lighting or recessed fixtures - but don't rely solely on these sources as they can create unpleasant shadows.

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If you have an "eat-in" kitchen, consider using pendant lights above the spaces where people sit. Mini-pendants teamed up in two's or three's create a dramatic look for a breakfast bar or kitchen island. Chandeliers over a dining area also enhance the natural light while adding a luxurious touch. Choose dimmable lighting so you can set a relaxed dinner mood but opt for brightness when your table becomes a workspace.

If you have an "eat-in" kitchen, consider using pendant lights above the spaces where people sit. Mini-pendants teamed up in two's or three's create a dramatic look for a breakfast bar or kitchen island. Chandeliers over a dining area also enhance the natural light while adding a luxurious touch. Choose dimmable lighting so you can set a relaxed dinner mood but opt for brightness when your table becomes a workspace.

Task Lighting. Choose task lighting to aim beams of light onto work areas. Excellent kitchen options include recessed downlights, track lighting, hanging pendant lights and undercabinet strip lights.

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To determine where you need task lighting, turn on all your kitchen lights when it's dark outside. Are any of your key task areas – the stove, sink, kitchen table or island, specific countertops – underlit or improperly lit?

• Undercabinet lighting or recessed canister lights above countertops.
  
• Pendant lighting or halogen fixtures over kitchen tables/islands.
  
• Small fluorescents over the sink.
  
• Track lighting adjusted for extra light over your oven and stove.
  
• Position fixtures in front of where you work to avoid shadows. It's best to have the lighting for each work center controlled by its own separate wall switch.

Use accent lights to highlight artwork, collectibles showcased inside a cabinet or interesting architectural features. These lights should be about three times more powerful than general lighting. Try low-voltage halogen bulbs or a recessed downlight with an eyeball lens to direct a beam of light.

Combining the proper ambient, task, and accent lighting will result in a well-lit room that allows people to conduct activities with ease, minus eye squinting or strain. Then you and your guests can focus on what's for dinner.

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Equipped with energy-efficient fluorescent tubes will supply plenty of well-diffused general lighting, but it may leave you working in your own shadow at the sink, range, and countertops. These areas need supplemental task lighting. For example, two track lights over the sink will give you the illumination you need for washing dishes and scouring pots and pans.

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An individual recessed downlight, equipped with an energy-efficient compact fluorescent tube, will provide you with adequate task lighting when installed in the ceiling or in soffits over these two busy work areas.

Can be lighted with decorative pendants. When used with a dimmer control, these ceiling-hung fixtures will provide you with adequate task lighting for homework, hobbies, or family business and allow you to lower the light for dining or entertaining

Undercabinet lighting is ideal for countertops. Mount as close to the front of the cabinets as possible to avoid glare reflecting off work surfaces. Choose energy-efficient fluorescent fixtures (they generally range from 12 to 48 inches long) that cover at least two-thirds the length of the counter.

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