Let there be light

Good-quality, well-directed task lighting is an essential element to consider when designing a kitchen. A cook doesn't want to be working in his or her own shadow or straining to read a recipe because of poor light.

In the past, the bright illumination needed for these purposes was supplied by fluorescent or halogen lighting. Now, with technological improvements, LED lighting provides some interesting ways to supplement the more practical task lighting and alter the mood or aesthetics of the area, says kitchen designer Mal Corboy.

When LEDs first became available, they produced a dull, weak light. Today, however, they produce a brighter, white light comprised of blue, red and green hues. These can be programmed to work in single colours, in combinations of these colours, or in combinations to create other colours. The effects can be fast, slow, continuous or paused, and manipulating the variations creates different moods and effects.

"An LED is a cold, low-wattage, directional light form that doesn't give off much heat or use a lot of energy, allowing it to be used in more creative ways than traditional light sources," Corboy says. "For example, because it doesn't throw light around the room and has a low energy consumption, it could be installed along the toekicks of the cabinetry and safely left on during the night if family members were getting up to use the kitchen."

"I see this as a great invention offering huge versatility in how we use light in the kitchen. Settings can be changed for different times and occasions, and to highlight particular features, all with a remote control," says Corboy.

"We can use LED lights to alter neutral cabinet colours by day and night, rebate them into benchtops as an edge detail, run them along cabinet tops or fit them in glass-fronted cupboards," he says.

Story by: Trendsideas