3 Tips to Choose Kitchen Lighting

In the home, the kitchen serves many purposes. This central room is a workshop for cooking and baking, a space for entertaining and an area for homework and paying bills. Since the kitchen has so many functions, it’s critical to have proper lighting for every need. We have 3 tips to help homeowners light their kitchens with our unique vintage fixtures.

Consider the Layout

When you don’t know where to start, think about the layout of your kitchen. For spacious countertops, undercabinet lighting can provide general illumination or more focused light, depending on your needs. If you have a kitchen island, pendants act as an eye-catching focal point for ambient and task lighting. We recommend two or three pendants evenly spaced over large island surfaces.

The traditional “galley kitchen” has a narrow walkway between two walls, which benefits most from space-saving flush mount fixtures.

Choose Your Vintage Style

At Restoration Lighting Gallery, we have a variety of antique and vintage lighting styles. From Victorian and Art Deco to European and Mid-Century Modern, homeowners will be able to find the perfect fixtures to fit their personal styles.

Whether you prefer chandeliers, pendants or lamps, it’s also important to choose the right fixture finish to complement your existing décor. Bronze and brass are contrasting tones, while polished chrome and silver add contemporary flair to an old-fashioned fixture.

Keep It Proportional

Once you are ready to choose light fixtures for the kitchen, make sure they properly fit the space! A pendant or chandelier that’s too large can make a kitchen look small and vice versa. Follow these general guidelines to keep fixtures proportional to the size of your kitchen:

  • Ceiling Height: If the ceiling is less than 10 feet tall, choose a flush mount over a chandelier.
  • Room Size: The length and width of the room added together and converted into inches will help determine how wide a fixture should be. For instance, 12 + 14 = 26-inch wide fixture.
  • Tabletop/Surface: Keep the bottom of fixtures 30 – 36 inches above the island or table.
  • Distance Between: When hanging multiple pendants, keep about 26 – 30 inches between.
  • Distance From Edge: To keep fixtures centered above a tabletop, allow 12 inches on either side of the island or table.

 
Restoration Lighting Gallery is New England’s finest boutique for vintage kitchen lighting and more. To find the perfect light fixtures for your living spaces, visit our gallery today!

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