Lighting and countertop color dictate the mood of your kitchen. Therefore, it’s essential that you don’t choose one without considering the other. No matter what step you’re at in the remodeling process, remember that lighting and countertop color work together. Follow our tips to make the right design decisions.
The Design Process
A lot goes into designing a kitchen. It’s not all about looks — you have to prioritize function too. It’s the room that’s most frequently used to accomplish everyday tasks. But it’s also the meeting place for your family and friends, so you want to make sure it’s beautiful too.
Floor color, cabinet color, hardware design — plenty of decisions make up the process, but lighting and counter top color should be near the top of the list of importance. Make sure you address this topic early in the kitchen remodeling or initial design steps.
Lighting Should Never Be an Afterthought
If you’re saving your lighting design decision until last, please don’t. Lighting should come first. It’s the centerpiece of good design. While there may be a limit on how much you can alter natural light infiltration, you have control over the direction and overall mood of artificial light choices.
Is ambient light ideal? Is direct lighting better for the space? Make sure lighting is never an afterthought!
When There Isn’t Much Natural Light
Now, we aren’t going to tell you what to do, but we will tell you what we would do!
When there isn’t a lot of natural light in a room, lighting can provide an easy fix. Installing direct overhead lights makes the room bright and inviting instead of dark and gloomy.
When the lights are off is when countertop color becomes important. Choose a light-colored stone like white, cream or tan. If you want a darker stone, make sure it has plenty of white highlights to provide a contrast. Dark counter colors just get lost in the room and it’s hard to see them clearly enough to appreciate their beauty.
When You’re Working in a Bright Space
If you have plenty of natural light in your kitchen space, you’re lucky. In that case, the best type of lighting to install is track or recessed lighting — nothing too bright.
In a bright room with high ceilings, any counter color you choose will look wonderful. This is the most flexible combination to work with. However, low ceilings should give you pause. Make sure you don’t pick a dark counter color along with dark cabinets, or else you could create a space that feels closed in. If you choose a dark counter color, make sure the cabinets above it are lighter so the darker colors don’t overwhelm the room.
Want More Advice?
If you’re struggling with kitchen design and have questions about lighting and countertop color and how they work together, call Intermountain Stone & Marble Company. We can help answer questions and show you plenty of options that will look gorgeous in your remodel!
