8 Outdated Kitchen Lighting Trends That You Should Avoid
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Your kitchen must be functional in order for you to efficiently prepare food to share with others. However, as important as it is to create a functional space, you also want your kitchen to be somewhere you enjoy spending time in. Keeping up with design trends can make this possible. While there are several common kitchen design mistakes that you can make, one that is often overlooked is relying upon outdated lighting. The wrong light fixtures can put a damper on the overall look of the space.
If you're not certain whether your kitchen is being adversely affected by outdated lighting, you've come to the right place. We've put together a list of some outdated trends that it's time to say goodbye to. Read on to discover what's been secretly making your kitchen feel outdated and to find some inspiration to help refresh the space. You'll be amazed at the difference some fresh and new light fixtures can have on your space.
Solely using overhead fixtures
Many older kitchens only have one overhead light fixture. The fixtures in these spaces are typically on the larger side and placed towards the center of the room so that they can spread light throughout the space. However, relying on a single overhead fixture does not jive with current lighting trends (and may be less than desirable when it comes to making your kitchen work for you).
There are several reasons you'll want to avoid using just a single overhead fixture to light your kitchen. First, it doesn't do any favors towards making your kitchen warm and welcoming. A single fixture doesn't evenly illuminate the space. This can leave some sections overly bright, while others remain dark and shadowy — not exactly what you want if you're trying to have a conversation. Practically speaking, a single light fixture on the ceiling isn't a good idea either. You'll have a hard time seeing what you're doing, whether you're chopping veggies with one of your best santoku knives or measuring sugar to make a cake.
Instead, design experts recommend taking a layered approach to lighting a kitchen. In addition to the ambient light provided by an overhead fixture, they recommend adding task lighting (such as under-cabinet lighting so you can clearly see what you're preparing) and accent lighting (like wall sconces for a more decorative and balanced touch).
Track lighting
Track lighting is a practical solution for illuminating a space, which can explain why it was such a popular addition to kitchens a few years ago. It makes it possible to add several lights to the ceiling and direct them to the specific areas that need more illumination. Because of the exposed track, you can even modify the placement of each light (or the direction it points) with ease. Unlike other fixtures that can only stay in the original installation location, you can simply slide one of the lights up or down the track or tilt it to reposition the light as needed.
However, while track lighting offers many functional benefits, it is a kitchen trend that has fallen out of favor with designers. Those exposed tracks that make it so easy to reposition the lights are also clunky and a bit of an eyesore. They don't really match the aesthetic goals of a modern or minimalist kitchen.
Instead of relying on track lighting to illuminate certain areas of the kitchen, you'd be better off adding separate task lighting under the cabinets. You could even consider installing a few recessed lights that are angled towards the areas that need better illumination.
Ornate fixtures
If your kitchen has an oversized crystal chandelier or overly ornate wall sconces, it might be time to consider upgrading the lighting. While such ornate fixtures were once in style, they don't have a place in a modern kitchen — even a more formal one. These fixtures are simply too bulky for today's kitchens. Beyond their physical size, too many hanging crystals or other accents detract attention from the rest of the space.
Instead, consider picking sleek and modern fixtures for your kitchen. As you shop, look for products with smooth, clean lines and clear glass or metal shades. Don't overlook the finish, either. Matte black, brushed nickel, brushed gold, and polished chrome are just a few of the finishes that could help you achieve a modern look in your kitchen. If you're sad to see your crystal chandelier go because you like the lighting it provides, you could still keep a chandelier in the kitchen. However, again, you'll want to opt for something with a more streamlined and modern touch. Consider something like the Klgxnrd modern farmhouse black chandelier. Or, if you're feeling extra adventurous, make a statement with the Manya modern LED chandelier.
Flush-mount fixtures
As the name suggests, flush-mount fixtures sit right against (flush against) the ceiling. There is no gap between the top of the fixture and the ceiling. Most of these kitchen light fixtures have a dome-like shape. Unless you've recently renovated your kitchen, your overhead fixture likely has this flush-mount style because it was still trendy until recently.
However, while designers may have been working flush-mount fixtures into their kitchen projects just a few years ago, styles have changed. Today, flush-mount fixtures are considered outdated by many professionals. They simply don't do much for the space and are rather flat — no pun intended. Fortunately, there is a simple fix for this outdated style. You can consider a semi-flush mount fixture instead.
These models offer a slight, but significant variation on the design. Instead of being mounted directly on the ceiling, they have a central stem that drops the light a few inches down. Fixtures, such as the Light Blue USA brushed nickel semi flush mount ceiling fixture or the Tobusa modern industrial semi flush mount ceiling light with clear glass, are two options to consider if you want to enhance the visual appeal of your kitchen.
Overly matchy-matchy lighting
As you're looking for design flaws in your kitchen that you'll want to fix before selling your home, one thing you shouldn't overlook is lighting that's too matchy-matchy. If all of the light fixtures in your kitchen are carbon copies of one another, they may have looked great when they were installed, but today, it's a sign of an outdated space. When all of the lighting fixtures in your kitchen match perfectly, it can make the space feel too unwelcoming and unlived in.
Design trends today call for a more eclectic approach towards choosing fixtures and finishes. Everything doesn't have to be the same — or even have the same finish. It's perfectly acceptable to have some blown glass pendant lights over the island, a brushed nickel semi-flush mount overhead fixture, and a few brass sconces on the wall. While you're at it, don't forget that your cabinet knobs and kitchen faucet can also have a different finish from one another and the light fixtures in the space. This mix of finishes and styles will give your kitchen some personality. You'll find that it feels much warmer and more welcoming, which is the goal, isn't it?
Builder-grade lighting
Whether you bought a new construction home or purchased it from someone else, your kitchen may still have builder-grade lighting in it. If you're not familiar with builder-grade lighting, the term refers to those relatively inexpensive fixtures that are installed in new homes. While there's nothing inherently wrong with these fixtures — and they may have even been finishes that you selected during the building process years ago — there's also nothing special about them either. Home builders pick these lighting options because of their low price. And they're available for such an affordable price because they're mass-produced. This means that the fixtures are just so commonplace that they don't do anything to help you achieve a unique and customized look in your space.
To avoid this outdated kitchen design trend, professional interior designers recommend ditching the builder-grade lighting in favor of something with a bit more character and charm. Replacing these mass-produced light fixtures can also help give your kitchen a more elevated look, enough so that it could even make your home look more appealing to potential buyers. Beyond the upgraded look, a higher-quality light fixture may offer additional benefits, such as improved energy efficiency, dimmability, or even smart-control features.
Pendant lights that are too small
Depending on when your kitchen was remodeled, the pendant lights you have hanging above the island could be dating the space more than you realized. A few years ago, many kitchen designers added three smaller pendant lights over most islands. However, today you're less likely to see small pendant lights integrated into a design.
Instead, many professional designers are opting to work two slightly larger pendant lights into their kitchen layouts. With their slightly bigger size (and the advancements in LED bulbs), these fixtures should still supply ample light for the area. Choosing dimmable pendants may be a good idea as well. You can dim the light when entertaining or chatting in the kitchen, or brighten it when using the kitchen island to prepare ingredients for a meal. If you look at modern kitchen designs, you may notice that some islands only have a single light over them. In these cases, the light is typically a larger fixture, such as the Yisdesign LED linear pendant light, that acts as a focal point in the room.
If you're renovating your kitchen, keep this piece of design advice in mind. You don't want to spend your time picking the perfect kitchen island only to bring down the overall aesthetics of the room by hanging the wrong pendant lights over it.
An over-reliance on harsh, white light
If you have fluorescent lights or mostly cool-toned white lighting in your kitchen, it's probably a sign to remodel your kitchen. White lighting in a kitchen is very harsh. It can make the space look clinical and very uninviting, two things you don't associate with a space that should be welcoming.
Now, if you're thinking that you need that brighter lighting to help you see what you're preparing, don't forget about the importance of layered lighting that we mentioned earlier. You can still install some bright LED under-cabinet lighting to turn on when you're cutting with a sharp knife or when you need to monitor the progress of a recipe cooking on the stovetop. However, you'll want to ditch overhead fluorescent fixtures or any with cool-toned white lighting. Replace these with fixtures with warm white bulbs. The impact will be immediate. That sterile and harshly lit kitchen will create a warm and welcoming feel that will invite guests to pull up a chair and chat for a while.