Kitchens are typically the busiest rooms in our homes. More than just a work room for food preparation, the kitchen hosts many activities: eating, entertaining, home work, paying bills, reading, games, and just relaxing. In my own home, it always seems that the party ends up around the kitchen table.

First, decide the extent of the uses for your kitchen. Serious cooks deserve serious lighting for cooking, and their lamping should be a high CRI lamp. Those who do not spend much time or effort preparing meals will have different priorities. The more sociable the kitchen, the more you will want flexible and aesthetic lighting.

Lighting in the kitchen generally consists of three layers:

1. General Lighting for the room
2. Local task lighting at several task locations
3. Supplemental accent and mood lighting

Kitchen lighting requirements reflect the size and complexity of the space. A small kitchen may require only a central ceiling fixture for general lighting and under cabinet task lighting. A larger kitchen may need additional lighting over the sink, over a breakfast table and in a pantry area.

There should be at least two variations to good kitchen lighting. First, the task lighting of a functioning kitchen; and second, the after-hours "look". This is where good under cabinet lighting really wins out! Before selecting a good task light, (especially for under cabinet lights), remember Kelvin Temperature. Too blue and meat will look gray, too white and the lighting appears unfriendly, warm under cabinet lighting tends to go with nearly all colors of back splashes, and are dimmable. These are two reasons to stay away from Xenon under cabinet and certain Kelvin Temperature Fluorescent lamps. Use these types of lamping very carefully and use them where blue colors are prevalent.

As the kitchen becomes still more elaborate, the lighting should keep pace. Accent lighting may become more important; the general lighting may use a variety of sources and fixtures; dimming controls may be needed to coordinate lighting for different activities.

Center Island and Counters can be wonderful locations for beautiful, themed task lighting. This is an area perfect for small pendant light fixtures. Pick from a good manufacturer and you can change the colors with the seasons by simply replacing the glass globe! You can add elegant or playful colors to suit your desired atmosphere, and the choices are endless how these colors can be tied in with the right accessories.

Above cabinets, and around kick boards you can place high quality rope lighting and give a very dramatic and up-to-date look even in century old homes. The trick here is to not see the rope light itself, only the effects. I use this technique numerous times a year and am never disappointed.

A kitchen that opens onto a living or dining area requires that it's lighting integrate with that of the adjacent spaces. Dimmable lighting and good controls become necessary. I believe every light should have a dimmer control!