One issue I continue to run across with clients involves mixing lights in open kitchens, particularly ones with a eat-in areas of if they flow into other open rooms. After all most of us don’t want our homes to look like lighting shops BUT there are so many fab lighting options it can hard to restrain.
So I have been studying this topic, taking mental notes of various kitchens on pinterest, in real life, blogs and shelter magazines and i have developed a small theory or two or three.
{Notice the kitchen below with the deep industrial glass lights over the island and the simple shallow bowl light over the sink..its seamless in my opinion.love}
{ edited to say… original source is http://fortheloveofahouse.blogspot.com}
First off, there are no hard and fast rules. Its your house do what you want, if you want to buy everything from the same line at Lowe’s (matching chandelier, sconce, foyer light etc) that is FINE..go for it. Your biz. But the trouble often lands on those of us who LOVE LIGHTING and want to mix too many styles. So here are some things to watch for…
Second, consider restraint. I am not one for restraint but I am trying to learn. Lighting is one area it can prove very important. I mean seriously, if you score lanterns like shown below you need no other lighting, let them shine!
{image via decorpad}
Third, Embrace the pot light. Because bottom line is you need a lot of good light in your kitchen and those fab industrial lights you found out Round Top, no matter how much $$$ it cost to rewire them, still aren’t going to put off enough light.
{Notice that the fab
Brooke Giannetti used both potlights AND a schoolhouse light in this amazing kitchen along with the industrial island lighting from Circa}
In this Sally Wheat kitchen there is nada over the island because there is strong over the table…pot lights save the day, again.
But here she DOES have large lights over a not so large island with pot lights to give more lighting. nothing for over the sink for those that get stuck on that (although in some cases it can be fine) It’s all about choices people. You wouldn’t wear all of your jewelry on the same day (or maybe you would, refer to point number one;)
Notice what she has over the table in the nearby eating area…antique chandelier and then she switched it our for the arty light (keep in mind the industrial BROWN lights are over the island and nothing over the penisula.) And let me say, I have met Sally Wheat in person and she is so nice.
(man i love those plates)
Finally, CONSIDER A MIX. My friend Linsey of LLH Designs combine two types of chandeliers in her beautiful Houston kitchen…
One is blingy and smaller in scale and one is larger in scale but more simple, also her kitchen and home is very calm and serene..not a loud colors going on and it is a large so it can handle these statement lights i think, even mixed.
So there is no hard and fast rule..you dont always have to have something hang downy over the island OR the table..sometimes like LLH it works if your room dimensions allow it. Sometimes you must choose to forgoe in one area. Just give it a little thought and hopefully it will be clear.
And at the end of the day its just a light!;;; BUT if you are lucky enough to have brick ceilings, DONT install pot lights, LIGHT CANDLES (or plug a lamp in the corner!)
{www.kitchenisms.com}
Too be continued with more examples from my own clients’ design boards and more discussion..stay tuned! I am playing around with mixing drum shades and chandeliers, industrial and chandys etc… Hope to share some of those boards soon. And let me know your experience with mixing lights and dealing with this issue in an open floor plan!
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