Planning a kitchen remodel in Orange County? Here are some lighting ideas that can make your cooking space more stylish and trendy:

Add Depth and Layers

Carefully study the floor plan of your cooking space. If you have a wide kitchen, then a single bulb or chandelier won’t be enough to provide the necessary lighting for the whole area. So, it’s essential to install plenty of fixtures.

Start with the main overhead lamp in the middle of your kitchen. It can be a large chandelier hanging from the ceiling or a surface light. Then, install additional recessed bulbs in each corner of the area. If those aren’t enough to illuminate the whole space, you can use smaller fixtures, like wall sconces or thin LED tubes.

It’s also a great idea to use a dimmer for the main lamp and recessed bulbs. It lets you control the brightness of each fixture, depending on what you’re doing in the kitchen. You can set it all the way up if you’re cooking a meal or eating or shut it down if no one’s present in the area. It’s also possible to turn the dial in the middle if you’re just preparing a snack or getting a glass of water.

Decorate Walls With Sconces

Sconces are the perfect decorations if you have a lot of empty wall space. Mounting them in your kitchen can instantly give the whole area a chill and cozy vibe.

These lighting options come in all shapes and sizes, but you should purchase them according to your needs. Bigger fixtures are better if you have a large area to illuminate. Otherwise, just use smaller ones and carefully plan where you want to install them.

There are different colors available for wall sconces. Bright white lamps are popular today, and they’re used for kitchens with contemporary designs. There are also yellowish lights that you can install if you want to achieve a vintage or rustic appeal.

Illuminate Your Cabinets

Installing cabinet lights is another way to illuminate your cooking area and give your kitchen a glamorous makeover. There are plenty of fixtures to choose from, including thin LED tubes, mini surface lamps, and automatic pin lights.

Under your overhead cupboard, you can mount a thin LED tube that you can turn on if you’re washing dishes in the sink or preparing snacks on your countertop. If you think this fixture is too bright, you can install mini surface lamps instead. They’re much smaller, and you can choose which ones to switch on depending on your needs.

Inside the cabinets, you can use pin lights that automatically turn on and off when you open and close the door. They’re quite difficult to set up since their switches are hidden near the hinges or behind the doors. It’s best to call a general contractor to help you with the installation.

Hang Pendants From the Ceiling

For kitchens with high ceilings, hanging pendants is the best way to maximize your vertical space. This type of lighting is also called a dropper or suspender, and it’s characterized by the chain, rod, or cord that’s used to connect the bulb to the receptacle. It’s an attractive complementary fixture if you want to achieve a modern vibe in your cooking area.

Hang a pair of pendants in the middle of the kitchen to serve as your main illumination. Depending on your floor space, you can add smaller suspenders above the countertop and dining table. This lets you receive the right amount of lighting that you need for the whole area.

Pendants may require a lot of maintenance. It’s necessary to ensure that cobwebs and dust aren’t accumulating along their chains or rods. Practice extra caution when cleaning them because they might fall if you mishandle them.

These are just some kitchen lighting tips and ideas that you can use if you want to give your cooking area a makeover. Call Preferred Kitchen & Bath to get in touch with Orange County general contractors that can assist you with your remodeling project.