The Kitchen Lighting

Welcome to our finished lighting in the kitchen. Isn't it atmospheric? It took some effort to get some photos that highlighted what we did. (iPhone camera and lack of tripod proves to be a challenge but, eh.) As you can see, our lighting focused on illuminating the surfaces.  

When Tyler first turned on the lighting, my reaction was disappointment. For some reason I was expecting the amount of light to burn my retinas, or something like that. The lighting was so subtle. That definitely shows my old way of thinking about lighting - the brighter the better. It took me a bit to come around and realize that the level of brightness we had was so comfortable and completely accurate for the space. Don't miss the rope light in this next shot! Doesn't it just add so much more warmth? It's powerful, people. 

So, everything that's turned on in these images is also on a dimmer switch (you know, where you can control how bright you want it). This really helps bring on the atmosphere. I've definitely got these lights super dimmed for these photos to show the glow of the space.   

I really wanted the dining room pendant, whatever it was, to be highlighted in this space. Forgoing pendants over the island definitely allows the bird nest to stand out as the showpiece.  

When I designed the kitchen, I made sure there weren't any overhead cupboards that I'd have to work underneath of. I hate that situation. Even a few strings over the island would have driven me nuts. Can you tell? Plenty of head room, but still plenty of lights.

So, lesson learned. Lighting is way more important than we first gave it credit. When done right, it can completely transform a space. Our home feels so much warmer and cozy now. (I also like being able to see what I'm chopping when I'm cooking dinner at night.) So, if you've visited the house before, come back! It'll feel like a different space. And, for those of you who haven't visited yet, we've been talking about an open house this spring. Details to come!