It is an inevitable fact of life that we may not always admit, but as we age things about us change. One of those changes may be our eyes and vision. Pupil size reduction and pupils becoming less responsive to light is a normal part of aging. Some may first notice that driving at night becomes more difficult. According to a report from the National Institutes of Health, “…people in their 60’s need 3 times more light for comfortable reading than those in their 20’s.”
As we assist our villa owners in planning their new villa, we will spend time discussing lighting and the lighting layout. One of the most important spaces for a good lighting plan for most of our villa owners is their kitchen.
Most lighting designers recommend a 3-level or 3-layer approach to kitchen lighting.
Level 1: Ambient Lighting
This is general room lighting or the main light for the kitchen space. Different kitchen layouts will require different ambient lighting configuration be it a single flush-mount fixture in the center of a smaller kitchen or a series of lights for a larger space. Most Bridgewater villa owners opt for multiple recessed LED can lights as ambient lighting for their kitchen. Recessed LED can lights are quite versatile, don’t intrude on most design aesthetics, are cost effective, and offer a very long life (little need to change light bulbs). Depending on the fixtures selected, pendants above an island may also serve as ambient lighting.
Level 2: Task Lighting
Task lighting may be the most important for eyes that need a bit of help. While pendants with nice “down-light” may be good task lighting at an island, the most popular task lighting is under-
cabinet. We will help plan under-cabinet task lighting to best light the kitchen work areas. Not only does under-cabinet lighting illuminate the prep areas for cooking, but also make seeing to clean kitchen counters easier. Additionally, under-cabinet lighting may show off decorative objects on your counter or highlight your backsplash.
Level 3: Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is usually considered decorative lighting that may show off a spectacular light fixture or highlight a special area or display. Accent lighting may include lighting above wall cabinetry, inside glass cabinets or, (you might have guessed) pendant lights above an island.
These same concepts may be used in other spaces where good lighting is important: bathrooms, laundry rooms, etc. Let us help you design a lighting plan for your new Bridgewater villa that will have you seeing everything in the best light for years to come.
