Coastal Kitchens – Layered Lighting to Transform Space

While coastal kitchens benefit from a high amount of natural lighting, they can still benefit from the use of layered lighting to transform a space. The old method of simply installing bright overhead lights in a kitchen has given way to a multi-tiered effect, using a variety of different types of lighting. The first level of light can be called ambient or general lighting. This will be the main light source, which could include ceiling fixtures, wall sconces, or other general lighting sources in the kitchen that help you focus on the food preparation tasks at hand, and give an overall illumination to the room.

The next category of lighting that can be used in coastal kitchens is known as task lighting. These are particularly important in the case of kitchens, because you will need direct light on cutting surfaces or over the stove so that you can see exactly what you are doing. Another popular light fixture within the context of a kitchen is the type of lighting that can be installed under cabinets, so that it is out of the way yet manages to help transform space by giving you that strong focus that you need out of layered lighting.

After these initial layers of lighting, the options in coastal kitchens become more interesting. These include accent lighting, and decorative fixtures. Accent lighting helps transform space by highlighting specific objects that are in a room, such as small lights being placed near artwork or architectural elements within the kitchen. They could also be used to create interplay between light and shadow. The final element of layered lighting would be the decorative lamps that literally are only there to look pretty. These could be lamps with cutouts, or in a pretty pattern.

It can be a fun process to play around with layered lighting to transform space, because this is something that you can keep adding to. It is a way to instantly update and modernize coastal kitchens, and give more of an artistic flair to what would otherwise be a strictly functional room. Home decoration may be intimidating at first, but playing with ways to give a dramatic edge to your living space is a great idea for anyone who wants to dabble in interior decorating. The next time you are considering updating your kitchen appliances, why not consider also adding in a whole new layered lighting scheme that will do far more to update the atmosphere?