Remodelling the kitchen or any other room is always an exciting process. When you’re finished your home is going to have a whole new look and feel.
Because of the time, money and effort that goes into such a project, it’s important that you make the most of the opportunity and that means sweating the details, especially the lighting. You can dump $30,000 or more into a full kitchen remodel but if the lighting is poorly considered most of that money will be invisible.
Below we’re going to look at some of the many reasons why lighting is the most important aspect of a remodelling project.
Reasons Why Lighting Should Never be Overlooked During a Remodel
When engaged in a remodelling project there are a hundred things to keep track of and consider from layouts to materials to shapes and colours, flooring, fabrics, textures, wallpaper and more. As such it’s sometimes easy to overlook lighting since it doesn’t serve any obvious function during the daytime, which is when most of the remodelling work is being done.
But without proper lighting, even the most spectacular room will fall flat once the sun goes down. Here are some of the most important reasons to keep lighting up front during all aspects of your remodel.
It Creates Atmosphere
The architectural elements of your space, along with things like furniture, create and nurture your physical relationship with a room but by themselves, they do virtually nothing to create atmosphere.
The atmosphere is a byproduct of less tangible things including sound and light, the least tangible of all design components. We don’t touch light. It touches us. It fires our imagination and soothes the spirit. And it also activates the hard and fast elements of a room, enabling their full potential within the decor.
It Defines Space
You may think you understand the design of your new kitchen, bath or basement but you can’t really understand how the shapes and volumes related to one another within the space until you see everything in the proper light. That recess in the wall may seem pretty forgettable during the day but, when properly lit, it can create a focal point that makes all the other lines in the room make sense.
Washing a distant wall with down-lighting can help you appreciate the true volume of a space. While pendants over the kitchen island not only create a welcoming oasis but help you appreciate the different zones of experience built into the design.
It Creates a Safe Haven
This is especially true in the kitchen and bathroom where safety concerns go hand in hand with beauty and functionality. Task lighting can also serve as accent lighting, but first and foremost its job is to ensure you can see clearly, especially when you are performing seemingly mundane but potentially dangerous tasks like chopping vegetables or stepping in or out of the shower.
The task lighting has to be spot on and enable you to go about your daily routine in a safe and effective manner.
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Checklist for Choosing the Correct Lights
Making sure you choose the right kind of lighting fixtures requires that you keep the following checklist with you and refer to it every time it seems an artificial light is called for or desired. Before making any lighting decisions weigh the following considerations:
- What mood do you want to establish?
- How will this light relate to the others in the space?
- Are you trying to create a focal point?
- Are you illuminating a task?
- If so how bright does it need to be?
- What direction should the light travel?
- Would a coloured light be best?
The success of your remodel depends on the quality of the lighting you install. Make sure you talk to a qualified Toronto Electrician Hotwire Electric about options.