Monday, August 23, 2010

Ideas For Tray Ceiling Lighting In A Kitchen

A pendant light can add a fun, decorative element to your kitchen's tray ceiling.


A tray ceiling provides interesting architectural detail and creates a more spacious feel for a room. It features multiple horizontal levels at various levels -- though the most common type of tray ceiling is the recessed tray, where the center is higher than the surrounding edges. While it provides an interesting look, a tray ceiling may present a challenge in your kitchen because of lighting issues. Fortunately, there are several options that not only work well with a tray ceiling's unique look but provide the type of lighting that is necessary for effective work in the kitchen.


Recessed Lighting


Recessed lighting provides a low-maintenance, subtle option for your kitchen's tray ceiling. As the name implies, these fixtures are installed in indentations in the ceiling so they are flush with the surface. They are ideal for use with a tray ceiling because they illuminate the ceiling itself to accent its decorative appearance. However, they are also effective in a kitchen because you can place them anywhere along the ceiling to provide concentrated light wherever you need it.


Track Lighting


Track lighting is an effective option if you want to add task lighting to your kitchen's tray ceiling. Task lighting helps illuminate work spaces, so you can better see what you are doing as you cook and prepare meals. Track lighting is ideal because it features individual lights whose heads can be adjusted to focus on a specific area of the kitchen. It also works well with a tray ceiling because the lights can shine in multiple directions over the ceiling to highlight the architectural detail and make your kitchen feel more spacious.


Rope Lighting


Rope lighting provides soft, ambient lighting for your kitchen. As its name name implies, the fixture consists of a clear PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or resin tube that contains a string of small lights. It fits neatly along the edge of a tray ceiling, and because its light is directed upward, it draws the eye to the ceiling. However, rope lighting is carefully concealed along the ceiling's seams, so the lights don't detract from the ceiling itself. They work best if you want to create a soft, warm atmosphere and do not need strong, direct tasking lighting for your kitchen.


Pendant Light


If you wish to add a decorative lighting element to your kitchen's tray ceiling, a pendant light is the ideal option. Pendant lights hang from the ceiling and feature shades in a wide variety of materials, shapes, styles and colors. By placing the pendant in the center of your tray ceiling, it becomes the highlight of the room and draws attention to the ceiling itself. A pedant light is a particularly attractive option if your kitchen has a center island because it creates a focal center for the room and provides direct lighting for the island's work surface. You may also hang several pendant lights in the same style side-by-side for added drama.

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