Pauline: Can you give me some ideas on how to light my new kitchen? (Pauline is presently having her kitchen renovated)
Shelley: I agree your ceiling mount light is tired an inadequate. We have already improved the lighting by having a 20 watt xenon puck light installed into the bottom of your upper cabinets These may be put on a dimmer by your builder. The western natural light coming in through the window over the sink and the lights on the hood fan are also good light sources.
You should have up to 5 different light sources in your kitchen since this is an area that has so many functions. The ceilings light are for nights, dark days and clean up. Pot lights can be installed - each 5 inch 50 w halogen throws about a 6 ft. beam spread - when 8 feet off the floor - your 9 x 12 kitchen needs only two pots min.-I would add one over the sink and one over the fridge as well. This will require a licensed electrician pulling new wires from the panel for the additional power.
Another solution with even more flexibility is a three or four head track light with 50 watts each. This will give you plenty of light and you can use the existing wiring. Your builder can hook this up.
The key to the light improvement project is that the quality of the light will improve not only ease of seeing, but it improves the look of the items it lights. The halogen filters out the red rays and gives a more realistic rendering of colour - not tinted by yellow of tungsten (normal A lamps) and the blueness of fluorescent. The Halogen is a hot light and though LED has not been perfected, it and fluorescent is a more efficient light. By using a number of light sources, it enables you to control the moods of the lights. The only down side is - you and your friends may never want to leave the kitchen!