If you are planning on renovating or sprucing-up your kitchen, it’s probably a good idea to map out a detailed lighting plan as well. Most people find this a little strange as they feel that lighting in a kitchen isn’t something that needs too much of consideration or planning. It’s just a place where you cook and probably where you have an informal meal after all.

However, the fact is that it’s important to plan kitchen illumination well if you want to make optimal use of your kitchen spaces. Here, we would like to share some basic lighting ideas to create the right balance of functionality and aesthetics.

If you want to get a better idea about what type of lighting would work best for your kitchen, it’s vital to understand how your kitchen spaces relate to the different type of lighting. Let’s start off with understanding what type of bulbs you can use for the best effects:

These bulbs emit a yellowish light and you will now find many artistic versions of these on the market today.

These bulbs throw off a flat, cold light that has a bluish tinge, which lends a very harsh effect to the room.

These have a warm light that makes the place look very inviting and comfortable

These are the latest in light bulb technology and are available in a range of effects including white, cool daylight, warm light, yellow and a range of other colours and hues. Aside from this, LED bulbs are also 80% more energy-efficient than standard bulbs; and most property owners are now opting for these fixtures.

In addition to the types of bulbs used, the style of lighting or the lighting effects are what impact the ambience and appearance of a room. With this in view, here we discuss the different lighting effects that can be used in your kitchen:

This is one of the simplest ways to create the right lighting effect in your kitchen. This type of lighting is designed to help you move comfortably around the room. In most instances this type of lighting comes from grid-style can lighting, widely-spaced, wall and ceiling lamps, semi-translucent skylights or even the natural light that streams in through glass windows and doors. This is the base layer of any lighting plan.

In your kitchen, task lighting would be required to illuminate kitchen counters and food preparation spaces. Since you will be cooking in your kitchen every day, it’s important that the task lighting be planned and installed well. If you have only recessed lighting fixtures in your kitchen, you will feel the lack of focused light when you are cleaning, cooking or prepping in that space.

If you install one-dimensional lighting in the kitchen, it creates unsightly shadows in different areas of the room, while ceiling lighting is ineffective in illuminating spaces like sinks, under counter or cabinet areas etc. On the other hand, if you add special pendant lamps over the counters or even your kitchen island it can prove to be a more practical solution. Under-cabinet lighting can also help in illuminating the cabinets that are positioned there.

This effect doesn’t seem as necessary as ambient or task lighting does in a kitchen space, as the illumination it provides isn’t as functional as the first two. However, it can have a significant impact on the way your kitchen spaces look. If you want to enhance the appeal of your kitchen (regardless of whether you are getting it entirely renovated or are opting for a lighting upgrade), it’s important that you plan your accent lighting well.

Most kids are extremely curious and want to know how things work and will also take items apart if they are able to; it’s no different when they are around electrical fittings, fixtures and appliances. If you have toddlers in your home, it’s best to get electrical safety fittings installed where there are powerpoints and electrical outlets. However, if you have slightly older kids, it’s important that you teach your kids some basic electrical safety; here are some tips you can keep in view:

If you are concerned about your kids playing safely and without any accidents around electrical installations, fixtures and appliances either in the indoor and outdoor areas of your home or in the neighbouring areas, here are pointers you should go over with them:

Did you get what you really wanted during the holidays this year? Maybe that new smartphone you've been eyeing, or that extra-big HDTV? Perhaps you even got a new laptop or tablet. Whatever your favorite gift was, if it plugs into the wall, it could be at risk of electrical surge damage.

Power surges happen all the time, and homeowners usually aren't even aware when they occur. That's because the typical power surge won't completely fry a gadget or appliance -- but it might do a small, imperceptible amount of damage that slightly shortens the life of the device. Add up hundreds of these surges over time, and you could be talking about years of life shaved off of your favorite electronics.

Where Do Surges Come From?

If you think of surge protection as a safeguard against damage from lightning strikes, think again. Surges caused by direct lighting strikes to a home are rare and usually so destructive that a surge protection system can't mitigate all the damage.

Most surges begin and end in your own home, and are generated by a major appliance starting up. Have you ever noticed the lights briefly dimming when the air conditioner kicks on? That's a sign of a power surge. These are the types of surges that damage your electronics one tiny bit at a time.

Other surges may originate at the electrical utility and travel along the power lines into your home. And during bad weather, it's much more likely that you'll get a surge because a fallen branch took down a power line than to experience a direct surge from a lightning strike.

Get Yourself Protected

Surge protection strips or adapters can offer critical protection for select devices, but this isn't the ideal solution. First of all, these adapters are often clunky and bulky, and they can only be used to protect a few things at a time.

They're also delicate, and can be rendered ineffective with just a single major surge. If there's no indicator light that shows whether surge protection is active, you may think you're protected when really you're not.

Whole-home surge protection is the best solution for the protection of all the devices and appliances in your home. Wired into your main electrical panel, a whole-home surge protector extends that protection to every outlet in your home, as well as to major appliances like your air conditioner and refrigerator. These devices can also withstand numerous surges and last for years.

If you're interested in getting this level of protection for the appliances and devices in your home, reach out to a licensed local electrician today for a no-obligation consultation.