Some people don’t mind living in a home where the lighting is basically the same in every room. For some, lighting just needs to be functional — bright enough to cook, read, or get ready in the morning. But other homeowners value not only enough light to see by, but the way a room is lit. Lighting zones shape how a room works and how it feels — for the people who live there and the guests they invite in.
Lighting in the kitchen zone
Of all the lighting zones in your home, the kitchen really needs layers of lighting. Kitchen lighting needs to be functional, for the work to do there requires bright, focused light. It also needs to be welcoming since the kitchen is the heart of many homes.
Because of this, the lighting in places where you prepare meals and read recipes needs to be focused downward and should be free of glare and shadow. Install lights on the underside of wall cabinets to illuminate counters, or use track lighting with adjustable cans. Vent hood lights above the stove top serve this purpose just as well. Pendant lights are also good for places where meals are served, such as kitchen islands and tables. They not only allow people to see what they’re eating but also make the food look more appetizing.
On the other hand, when no food is being prepared or eaten, general lighting can be used to make the kitchen a place where people want to hang out. This can come from natural light from a window or skylight or installing one or multiple flush-mounted ceiling lights.
Zones for entertaining
Common areas such as the living room are where you entertain guests, so the lighting should be cozy, soft and convivial. Table lamps with fabric shades or floor lamps with satin glass shades keep the light soft and glare-free. Another benefit of these lights is that you can move them around. Task lighting earns its place in shared spaces too, especially when people are playing board games, pool, or table tennis. Because of that, pendant lights and track lighting have their place in rooms like this.
Study and work zones
If your home has a study, library or home office, the lighting there should make it easier for you to work or read. This is a good place for an adjustable task lamp on a desk or an adjustable floor lamp next to the chair where you read your favorite books. A ceiling light directly above your desk works well in a study zone, and a window with bright, non-glaring natural light helps too.
To learn more about lighting zones in your home, visit our Marketplace and our pages on Instagram or Facebook. Talk to a professional lighting designer to find the best way to add lighting zones to your home.
