How you choose to display lights in kitchen spaces lcan make a big difference ‘ambience’. In fact, many experts believe that, in order to get it right, a kitchen’s lighting plan actually requires more thought than that for any other room in the house. Here are a few things to consider before you make any decisions.

While the seemingly ever-stylish downlights are still a good choice, recent trends show that fluorescent lights are making a comeback, and the pendant lights that are more commonly found over a dining table or in an entrance have made their way into the kitchen.

As well as providing effective lighting solutions, pendant lights can also be a clever and relatively inexpensive way to inject a bit of fun and individuality into even the most budget-friendly kitchen.

The different types of lighting: Just like in any other room, in your kitchen you’ll probably need three different ‘styles’ of lights – ambient or background lighting, task-oriented lights and mood lighting.

This term describes the basic, overhead lighting that a room requires – hence it’s also called background lighting. It’s most effective when it comes from lights positioned in the ceiling, as opposed to wall- or cupboard-mounted lights, and the options include things like halogen downlights, fluorescent lights and even traditional incandescent bulbs.

Make sure you install outlets that allow for the highest wattage available, and equip the room with dimmers so that you can control the brightness.

It’s stating the obvious to say that your kitchen is likely to be the most task-oriented room in your house, but it does ram home a point – you need adequate lighting to make that possible.

The key areas of a kitchen – the sink, the cooktop and the preparation areas – all need to be well lit, and that means installing anything and everything from spotlights directed specifically towards an area, fluorescent lights mounted above a splashback, to downlights that are installed beneath wall-hung cabinets.

In a lounge room, mood lighting might be provided by a standard or up-lamp in the corner of the room. And, while a standard lamp might look a little foreign in your kitchen, the room still needs its fair share of mood.

With the push towards open-plan living, the kitchen is likely to be part of a bigger picture, and mood lighting can quickly take the space from purely functional to totally beautiful. Pendant lights are a good choice here because, apart from looking stylish even during the day, they’re a great way to create instant mood at night.

Contact a lighting expert in your area to find out which kitchen lighting would be best for your home.