How to Layout Kitchen Recessed Lighting

Organizing the layout of your kitchen recessed lighting is not a job for a timid person. You have to be very dynamic and sure of where you want everything in your cooking area to be before you fit any of the pieces. This task is usually done by professionals who have learned how to do it, but if you think you are ready, then by following a few simple rules, you should be able to design a suitable kitchen recessed lighting layout that will serve you well for many years to come.

Step 1 - Planning a Focus

The first thing that you need to do when planning your recessed lighting layout is to work out if there is something in the kitchen which you would like to draw visitor's attention to. If there is something like this, for example an old kitchen range or a bread oven, figure out where you would like the light to fall upon it. It is also possible to center a row of lights upon the item, which can be particularly impressive for large objects. You may also want most of your lighting to fall on top of the kitchen range, so that you can see what you are doing while cooking.

Step 2 - Add in the Rest

Once you have decided upon the main focus of your lights, work out if there is anything else which needs to be light up. A spare light focused on the fridge can be very useful, particularly if it is a big refrigerator with a weak internal light, otherwise that bag of salad might be lost forever. On your plans consider the size and shape of your room, where shadows will fall, and where lighting might not reach. If you have a large room with a high ceiling, you will need more lights, or if you have an L shaped room, then lighting will need to be focused to avoid the corner casting a shadow.

Step 3 - Place the Recessed Lights

Your kitchen recessed lights will need to be placed between three and ten feet apart. Stand in the center of the room, and plan your first light there. Step out a few feet, and plan the next light, until you have reached the end of the room. Walk around the room, and judge where you think the lighting will need to fall in relation to the other lights, don't have a few crowded in the middle, and none around the edge. It is also a good idea to remember that no bulbs last forever, and you will probably find that one or two die when you can't find a matching bulb, or can't get the step ladder to change the bulb. Consider how this will affect the over all lighting scheme in the kitchen. Try to make sure that each spot in the kitchen can be lit by more than one of the recessed lights at a time.