Planning lighting for cooking and dining areas

Daylight and artificial light?

• How do I design the transition between daylight and artificial light?
• How do I make the best use of available daylight?
• How do I avoid shadowing?

Every good lighting design professional can answer these questions clearly, specifically, and vividly. Not only in technical terms, but also in images and effects.

To recap: glare-free light supports cooking, food preparation, dining, and entertaining at any time of day or year.

This applies to private living spaces as much as to kitchens, break areas, or entertaining situations in small and medium-sized businesses.

Good lighting design takes into account not only the work surfaces and pathways but also the furniture to come.

So factor in the positions of the kitchen island, dining table, wall units, and shelving early in your planning.

Think about flexible lighting control, too. Bright, even light for working and atmospheric light for dining together. A subdued light mood for a cosy evening.

Plan for powerful cleaning light as well. This ensures well-lit work surfaces, floors, and fronts.

The surfaces of the kitchen furniture deserve particular attention. High-gloss fronts can cause reflected glare.

Dark, glossy fronts often reflect more strongly than light ones and therefore need to be taken into careful account when positioning the luminaires and determining the beam direction and dimming.