Great lighting really ads a “little extra” to a home and certainly a kitchen area. Kitchens are a great place to invest in items that really can provide a good return when you sell. In the Seattle area having a well-lit bright home is wonderful for those times of the year when the sunshine just isn’t around. Generally the cost to invest in new light fixtures is comparatively modest vs other home improvement projects. The installation is also generally quick and painless with most items being installed in just one day.
This waterfront home located in Federal Way had some older custom light fixtures that didn’t provide as much light. The new pendant fixtures were much brighter. There are several types of light fixtures that can be installed in kitchens
- Pendant
- Can lights
- Under-cabinet lights
- Over-cabinet lights
- Toe-kick lights
- Interior cabinet lighting
The most popular type of lighting are can lights. These are great for general purpose lighting. For homes that don’t have them we can easily remove older surface mount fixtures and install can lights (LED is an option) for a new clean look.
The next most popular are the pendant lights. These are wonderful over a bar or island. This lighting is more direct and focused for the are being served.
Our next most requested item is under-cabinet lighting. These can be LED, Halogen, or Xenon. These projects can also be completed in a day, but there is some cost involved with the fixtures, adding switches and the labor to install. It’s always great to get this work done prior to installing tile backs-splashes and other finish work.
A project that is fun that we don’t do as often is “toe-kick” lighting. These lights can be put on a sensor and rope light can installed to automatically turn on when a person enters the kitchen at night. Basically it creates a really nice accent and night-light.