By Suzana Mikolova 
When it comes time for a kitchen makeover, keep in mind that any kitchen renovation should include planning for additional lighting or light restructuring. The modern kitchen has transformed into a multi-functional area where numerous activities, besides preparing meals, have become commonplace.
Many modern kitchens are now used as family gathering areas or as entertainment areas for guests. They often contain corner nooks which are utilized for meals, reading areas or playing cards with friends. Some have built in snack bars that separate another room for added openness in conversation, or stools seated around a kitchen island for chatting while preparing a meal. Adequate lighting should be a top priority in providing for these needs in any plan for a kitchen remodel.
The highest consideration in planning kitchen lighting is in its functionality. Kitchens are generally busy places where a lot of slicing, dicing, shuffling and reaching take place. Having sufficient light to accomplish the task at hand is a necessity. Installation of overhead fluorescent lights is standard kitchen issue. However, there are some other creative ways to light up work areas that may be blocked or positioned farther away from overhead light.
Under cabinet lighting is a popular addition to a modern kitchen, providing a bright illumination to work areas on countertops and around cooking areas. Dome lights or sconces positioned on either side of a sink are other popular uses of lighting fixtures to give that extra splash of brightness to a heavily used area.
Once the main lighting has been planned, consideration should move to areas where other types of light might be needed. Recessed puck lights could be a good option to illuminate a corner nook, or strip lights positioned above a breakfast bar might do the trick for those areas.
Take into consideration also, the blending of natural light with indoor lighting. Throughout the day, various amounts of outdoor light filter into a kitchen area to produce different indoor lighting needs. Placing dimmers on a couple of light sources could assist in maintaining sufficient amounts of light for various tasks during the day. This will also help in conserving energy when full artificial light isn’t needed, say on a cloudy day for instance.
Today, technology supplies a vast array of energy and cost saving lighting products, both in the bulbs themselves and in the housing fixtures. It’s never been easier to adequately provide for all the lighting needs of a kitchen while conserving energy and saving money at the same time. So, the next time kitchen remodeling is on the agenda, sufficiently plan for all its many lighting requirements before getting started.