Lamp Types Used in Kitchens

Flourescent

• Although homeowners increasingly place compact fluorescent bulbs in all types of light fixtures, conventional fluorescent tube light fixtures remain a popular choice for kitchen lighting. Applied to a kitchen, fluorescent tube fixtures are typically housed within a recessed, rectangular box. Often custom framed by carpenters, a translucent panel conceals the tubes from view and diffuses the fluorescent light.

Recessed

• Standard recessed lights, also called "can" lights, consist of a cylindrical bulb housing recessed within a ceiling. Covered with a decorative trim, only the lip of the recessed light housing protrudes from the ceiling's surface. Recessed light fixtures accept both incandescent and fluorescent bulbs. Notably, incandescent bulbs generally perform better than fluorescent bulbs with dimmer switches. Because of their low profile, recessed fixtures blend with surrounding surfaces to create a streamlined look.

Hanging Fixtures

• Suspended from a ceiling by rods, chains or cords, hanging fixtures include pendant lamps and chandeliers. Arguably the most visually noticeable type of kitchen lighting, hanging fixtures can become a kitchen's focal point or even create a partial screen between kitchen and living spaces. Because of their decorative nature, hanging fixtures often provide relatively dim, atmospheric light and work in conjunction with brighter, auxiliary fixtures, such as recessed or under-cabinet fixtures, to illuminate work surfaces.

Under-Cabinet Fixtures

• As suggested by their name, under-cabinet fixtures sit concealed behind cabinetry's lower apron. Under-cabinet fixtures may be hardwired and installed during initial construction, or operated by electrical receptacle and mounted during a remodel. The most common bulb for an under-cabinet light is a fluorescent tube. In addition to providing extra light to work spaces, such as counters, under-cabinet fixtures create a visually interesting strip of light across the the midsection of the kitchen's wall.

Track Lighting

• A sort of hybrid between ceiling fixtures and hanging fixtures, track lights consist of several adjustable lamp units attached to a long, thin track. The track is hard wired to an electrical cable and transmits electricity to the lamps via a strip at the track's center. Track light lamps quickly clamp, unscrew or slide across the track, allowing a homeowner to easily adjust the direction of the lamp's light.