Sub-Blogs

Appliance Notes is a blog where I file all the new and interesting kitchen appliances I see in the course of my work. I also include articles on choosing appliances here.
Kitschy Kitchens is a blog where I critique the worst of the worst in kitchens. Poor design, an assault on the eyes, wrong colors, wrong materials; they all can be found there. Take an amusing detour to discover what you DON'T want in a kitchen.

Monday, September 07, 2009

100% Fluorescent Kitchen Lighting

I am having a discussion with another kitchen designer on an industry forum:

Charles is resistant to the idea of using fluorescent lighting; saying he can't achieve the drama with fluorescent that he can with incandescent. Just as we California designers had to learn how to use fluorescent, now the rest of the country is faced with the task. I can honestly say it has been YEARS since I specified an incandescent light in a kitchen I designed. Most of the kitchens I design use 100% fluorescent lighting, and lately, LED lighting.

Here is a kitchen I recently helped to design with 100% fluorescent lighting...There ARE a couple of LED downlights in the adjacent breakfast nook, but they aren't visible at all in the images (and LEDs are even more efficient than fluorescent).

Pretty dramatic, isn't it? Warm, isn't it?

This shows that fluorescent doesn't have to look ghastly cold and green. By carefully choosing the fluorescent lamps (bulbs), we can achieve drama, warmth, even the coziness that once only characterized incandescent lighting. And all the while saving precious energy.

The times they are a-changin'

Peggy

P.S. The contractor on this Silicon Valley project was Ivan Martinovsky, of Martinovsky Construction. A superb remodeling contractor, in case you need one.



3 comments:

  1. Peggy, I love this kitchen. Good job on the use of fluorescent lighting.

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  2. I am so impressed. I was in complete agreement with Charles but your photos prove otherwise. I saw that NKBA was offering a lighting course - has anyone taken this and did it spend much time on flourescents?

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  3. That's lovely, Peggy. Beautiful kitchen. After doing so many, I forget that the rest of the country hasn't caught up yet.

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Dear comment writer,

I welcome your input, as long at it pertains to the post you are commenting on.

I DO moderate all comments personally, so "Comment Spam" will not be posted and is a waste of your time and mine.

Peggy