Maximizing Light in Your Kitchen

Maximizing the Light

When remodeling your kitchen, one important factor is making the most of light, both natural and unnatural. Kitchens with small windows can still increase the size and feel of the room with carefully-placed lamps or overhead lights. Especially for small kitchens or those with unusual layouts, light is a great asset for the room. Refinishing the cabinets with Summit Cabinet Coatings provides the perfect opportunity for giving your kitchen some light and life. Here are some ideas for making the most of the room’s light when resurfacing kitchen cabinets.

Reflective surfaces. Replace unwieldy or heavy-looking wooden door fronts with glass doors. This reflects all light and movement in the room, making it seem brighter and larger than it is. A tile backsplash in a light or white color also heightens the sunlight factor.

Lighting. Skylights or operable transom windows are good options when looking to increase the lighting in the kitchen. With the money you save by refinishing cabinets rather than replacing them, your budget might allow for a larger upgrade like windows. Otherwise, under-the-counter LED strips are a great option. They subtly add light during the day and guide the way at night without having to fumble for light switches.

Cabinets. Replace bulky cabinets with slim cabinets on top. This creates more space where it’s needed, at the level of arms and heads. Or you can mix richly finished cabinets with wainscoting or white molding, since this draws the eye to the newly-lighted sections of the cabinets. Glazing, also knowing as rubbing or washing, adds a multi-dimensional look to the cabinets by highlighting or creating the wood’s natural grain. Choose light brown, grey, or taupe for an effect that lightens the room.

An Inviting Kitchen

A kitchen remodel allows you to think of all the components of the perfect kitchen, including lighting. Keep in mind the size of your windows and where they are in the room. Curtains, blinds, and cleanliness all make a difference in the look of the windows. Your kitchen should be both practical and inviting, and good lighting makes all the difference when trying to achieve these goals.