10 Things to Remember When Advising on Kitchen Lighting
The lighting in a kitchen is crucial to how comfortable the space feels, both when it's being used for cooking and when it's just a place to hang out. Kitchen lighting is not only functional but can also create a specific atmosphere and highlight various design elements of the kitchen.
The kitchen is a workspace used throughout the day, and the many dark hours call for good lighting that ensures a safe and pleasant working environment.
Here, we guide you through the most important considerations for kitchen lighting that you can use to advise your clients when they’re choosing lights for their new kitchen.
1. Think in Terms of Functional Kitchen Lighting
The kitchen is a workspace, and good task lighting is essential to ensure that work can be done safely with kitchen tools, boiling water, and sharp objects. Built-in or retrofitted LED lighting under cabinets comes in various styles depending on the client's preferences.
However, the choice of lighting solution is closely tied to the kitchen layout. Here's an overview of different options for functional kitchen lighting:
A: Linear Lighting Under Cabinets
Linear lighting provides a consistent light solution, illuminating the entire area without gaps. It gives a sleek and modern look. Loevschall’s LEDconnect is a modular linear lighting system where the light profile is custom-built to the exact length needed – and it can be either built-in or retrofitted. If the client chooses handle-free cabinets, it's also possible to opt for grip profiles, where the light strip is built into the front of the cabinet, providing a linear light effect.
LEDconnect is customized to precise lengths and can be built into recessed grooves or surface mounted
Grip light strip is part of the cabinet bottom, positioned just behind the door
B: Kitchen Spotlights in Various Types
Built-in spotlights under cabinets are the most well-known kitchen lighting solution, having been used for many years, dating back to when halogen lights were common. Today, all spots are LED, offering an energy-efficient light solution. Loevschall’s LED lights deliver high-quality lighting, with a focus on energy efficiency. Their spotlights come in various designs, and besides their appearance, the primary difference is how the light falls on the countertop. The ID-LED spotlight provides a cone-shaped light, while the Pace spotlight offers a softer light through a diffuser. Both solutions can be built-in or retrofitted and are available in various colors. Other retrofit solutions are available to cover older spotlight holes if the kitchen is being upgraded.
Pace spot delivers a soft and effective light and can be built-in or retrofitted with a mounting ring
Polaris can be retrofitted to cover older spotlight holes when upgrading a kitchen
C: Wall Lamps
If the client has chosen a kitchen layout without upper cabinets, functional task lighting must be considered differently. Wall lamps are a modern and stylish solution. Loevschall's Sekvens wall lamps provide both upward and downward lighting, offering efficient task lighting and a well-lit room. Sekvens is available in four colors, and for a cohesive design, the client can match the lamp's color with other kitchen elements like the sink, faucet, or cabinet handles.
For kitchen designs without upper cabinets, Sekvens wall lights direct light down onto the countertop and upwards, illuminating the room
2. Think in Terms of Mood Lighting
Today, many homes have integrated the kitchen as a central part of the home, either as an open-plan kitchen-dining area or with a kitchen island, where everything from homework to quick meals or coffee can take place, and which also serves as a gathering point for guests. Therefore, it’s a good idea to choose adjustable kitchen lighting, so it can be adapted to the situation and help set the mood. Mood lighting can also include lighting under the countertop or along the baseboard, adding character to the kitchen design.
Use LEDshape to add lighting under the countertop or along the baseboard
3. SingleWhite or MultiWhite®?
All of Loevschall’s light sources come with either SingleWhite or MultiWhite® technology. This simply means whether the light source emits one white color tone or multiple white tones. Most of Loevschall's SingleWhite lights emit 3000 Kelvin, which is a warm and pleasant white tone, reminiscent of Scandinavian daylight.
With MultiWhite®, you can adjust the light color across a broad white spectrum. From warm white, reminiscent of sunrise or sunset, creating a cozy and relaxing atmosphere, to cool white, which has a refreshing tone and enhances details, making work areas more visible. The full spectrum from 2200 to 6000 Kelvin is available, allowing you to maximize the room's ambiance.
4. Should the Light Be Dimmable?
Almost all Loevschall LED lights are dimmable. The only exceptions are drawer lights and sensor lights. Dimming can be controlled in several ways – either via a wall switch with a dimmer, the Kinetic Switch remote control, or through an app. Regardless of how the client wants to dim the lights, it’s easy to choose the right components if you follow our three-step guide here.
5. Controlling the Kitchen Lights
Kitchen lighting doesn’t need to be limited to just an on/off switch on the wall. There are many more options. If the client has chosen MultiWhite® lights, they must be controlled via either the Kinetic Switch remote or app control. It’s simple and intuitive to manage both the light intensity and color temperature, as well as to turn the lights on and off. The lights can still be turned on and off via the wall switch and will turn on in the last position used.
SingleWhite lights can be controlled in the same way with the remote and app, and here the light intensity and on/off function can be managed.
6. Open Shelving – Lighting Adds Unmatched Atmosphere
Open shelving and display cabinets are a new design trend that has gained popularity. They're perfect for integrating lighting, as it adds both a fantastic atmosphere and helps provide a clear overview of the cabinet’s contents. Shown here is LEDflush built-in lighting, which spans across shelves and illuminates the entire cabinet. Other solutions include built-in or retrofitted spotlights.
7. Drawer Lighting – The Ultimate Overview
Drawer lighting is a daily luxury that the client will appreciate during everyday kitchen tasks. The light automatically turns on when the drawer is opened, giving the client a clear view of the drawer’s contents. Specially designed lenses ensure even and effective lighting throughout the drawer – and it turns off automatically when the drawer is closed.
8. Does the Customer Want to Control the Lights with Their Smart Home System?
Smart home control of home devices is popular, and kitchen lighting doesn’t need to be left behind. With Loevschall’s controller program, the lighting can easily be connected to the home’s existing smart home system, allowing it to be controlled by both time and voice.
If the client already has Philips Hue, it’s also possible, through our Philips Hue-compatible controller, to integrate kitchen lighting with the rest of the home's lighting.
9. The Light Quality Is Top Notch
You can confidently inform clients that the lighting is of the highest quality. All Loevschall lighting products are designed with high color accuracy and a long lifespan. Color accuracy is indicated by a CRI scale, which ranges from 0 to 100. The higher the number, the better the light source is at reproducing the colors of the objects it illuminates. Loevschall’s light sources all have a CRI value above 90.
10. Thoughtful Lighting Gives the Kitchen a "Wow" Effect
You’re doing your client a great service by integrating good and functional kitchen lighting into the design. A well-lit kitchen enhances daily life, both in terms of functionality and aesthetics.
We make it easy to get an overview
We’ve made it easy to get an overview by dividing our lighting program into product types. You can find the following kitchen lighting products at Loevschall. You can request a shop login to see net prices and place your order.
✔ Recessed spots ✔ Retrofit spots
✔ Handle profiles ✔ Linear lighting for built-in
✔ Linear lighting for retrofit ✔ Kits
✔ Light fixtures ✔ Sensor lights
✔ Drawer lights ✔ Wall and mirror lamps