"The Devil is in the details."
Today's post was inspired by BlogTourLDN sponsor Du Verre. They make incredibly beautiful door and cabinet hardware. Until I came across their stuff, I didn't realize how awesome a drawer pull could be. It's really the ultimate detail, but it makes all the difference. That's just the trouble, when people think about designing their homes they think of the radical transformations, the cabinets they added, or the walls they took down, maybe the grand chandelier they bought. What they don't often think about, at first, are the finer touches that great designers add. A great example of that is cabinet hardware. Of course, even though it might not be something that your client thinks about in the planning phase we all know that over the years of both looking at and feeling a sturdy beautifully made piece of hardware the value of quality will show over time.
As a lighting designer I'm always striving to specify higher quality products and make sure they don't get changed during the purchasing phase. I know that interior designers and architects do the same for their clients for everything - right down to the drawer pulls and cabinet knobs. So once you've put in all that effort, wouldn't it be a shame not to see those beautiful details?
Lighting Up the Details
That's where smart lighting comes into play. When it comes to lighting kitchen cabinets there is one common mistake that happens over and over again. Generally, far too many downlights are specified too close to the cabinet face. This creates hot spots on the face of the cabinet.
This kitchen is otherwise well designed, but because the downlights and shelf lights are too close to the wall you get unsightly "hot spots"
So how should you make cabinet faces glow?
Cabinet Lighting Concept - click to expand the image.
- Don't down light them. Since cabinets are so close to the ceiling try using accent or wall wash fixtures instead of strict down lights.
- Pull the source back from the cabinet face. The closer the light source is to the target the less space it has to spread evenly. If possible pull the light sources away from the cabinet face this will give you space to spread the light and remove scallops/hot spots.
- Supplement direct accent lighting with a solid ambient source.
Remember the idea is softly light the cabinet and let its existing details be the star of the show. If you've specified a beautiful cabinet face with exquisite details, we should see them. Lighting the face of the cabinet properly will also provide effective lighting for when the cabinet is open.
Cast The Everyday in Perfect Light and It's Not "Everyday" Anymore
My belief is that if you make everyday objects like kitchen cabinets special then they aren't "everyday" anymore. They will always be a source of beauty and inspiration in the home and we should all strive for that in how we live. Beautiful cabinets with amazing hardware, perfectly lit is just one example of how to make the everyday special.