Sophisticated, Unique, And Bold: This Type Of Kitchen Lighting Should Be On Your Radar

Some light fixtures are designed to seamlessly blend into their surroundings. Others are made to stand out, becoming the focal point of the room's design and an instant conversation piece. If you're searching for statement light for your kitchen, a chandelier is the perfect solution. Chandeliers are the epitome of bold, dramatic lighting design. Unlike pendant lights, recessed lighting, and wall sconces, they feature multiple different lighting sources joined together in a hanging light fixture, and are available in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, colors, materials, and styles.

Installing a chandelier in your kitchen gives you a chance to avoid one of the most common kitchen lighting mistakes: relying on a single overhead light source. Eliminate the bright, harsh overhead light and instead opt for the soft, filtered light of a chandelier. Because chandeliers incorporate multiple smaller light bulbs, they create a more diffused glow that can become the focal point of your kitchen's layered lighting design. By incorporating a range of other lighting fixtures and types, you can adjust and tweak the level of light in the room to the specific task you're performing.

While addressing unique lighting issues you can also achieve specific aesthetic and design goals and enhancing the beauty and ambience of the space with a chandelier. Choosing a chandelier that subtly echoes other shapes, colors, and patterns used in your kitchen design can create a more cohesive aesthetic. You also have the opportunity to showcase your unique style and taste; but there's a way to do it right.

One of the main factors to consider when picking out a chandelier for your kitchen are the dimensions of the room. You want to avoid choosing a fixture that is too large and overwhelms the space or one that's too small and throws off the proportions of your kitchen design. To do this, determine how high your ceilings are and assess the square footage of the kitchen. A chandelier with a diameter of 20 inches or less is ideal for kitchens less than 100 square feet; a chandelier between 21 and 34 inches in diameter for kitchens between 144 to 196 square feet; and a chandelier with at least a 36-inch diameter is ideal for anything larger. 

Next, you should also consider where you're going to install the chandelier. It should hang at least 2 to 3 feet above a kitchen island or table, and at 3 three feet away from any other hanging kitchen lights. Ideally, the placement of kitchen light fixtures should be relatively symmetrical — meaning if you can't hang the chandelier in the center of your kitchen ceiling, table, or kitchen island, you should balance out the flow of light by installing two more lights equidistant apart from it to form a triangle. Finally, consider the shape, style, and material of the chandelier and choose a design that complements your kitchen decor. 

While some people consider ornate crystal chandeliers to be an outdated kitchen lighting trend that you should avoid, you ultimately want to choose a light fixture that is personal to your own taste and style. Explore materials like rattan, glass, metal, and iron as well as decorative design features like flowers, birds, and vines.