Known as the heart of the home, the kitchen is where you spend time with your loved ones bonding – sharing memories and meals. We all want a beautiful, well-designed kitchen. However, a complete kitchen must consider function, as well as decorative elements!

Photo By: MacLaren Kitchen and Bath

When designing a kitchen most homeowners place a strong emphasis on the sleek appliances or beautiful cabinets to install, but it is also important to consider proper lighting and ventilation like what they did at apartments for rent in oxnard ca.

KITCHEN LIGHTING

To ensure safety and cleanliness while preparing food, adequate lighting is essential. The illumination of your kitchen lighting sets the mood whether you want a bright room for a family meal or dim room to entertain. Recessed, pendant, and LED lighting are the most common choices for modern kitchens. 

• Recessed Lighting – Recessed lights are semi-flush or mounted flush. They work best if the home has a low ceiling or in a small space. 
• Pendant Lighting – Pendant lights hang over a large or kitchen island from the ceiling. The ambiance from eye-catching pendant lights provide function and perfect for task lighting. Although, pendant lights are not practical in homes with low ceilings or in small spaces.
• LED Lighting – The most energy-efficient and versatile lighting on the market today. LEDs produce less heat and last four times as long as a traditional bulb. LED track lighting not only provides customized task lighting but you can also install LED lights under kitchen cabinets and around baseboards to add a touch of flare.

KITCHEN VENTILATION

During the cooking process, toxic substances accumulate – such as – smoke, steam, and grease and release into the air affecting the air quality in your kitchen. If you use combustion-based appliances another threat is Carbon Monoxide (CO.)  CO is a colorless, odorless gas that in a small concentration can cause loss of consciousness, coma and even death. A CO detector will warn of any impending problems but prevention is the best policy and the best prevention is a range hood. 

TYPES OF RANGE HOODS

Duct/Vented Hoods – The most efficient and effective hoods available are duct/vented range hoods. Although, you may need a HVAC engineer to help design the ventilation to ensure capability to your home. It is easier to consider duct/vented hoods as part of the original design instead of an afterthought because it may not be an option during a remodel.  

Ductless Hoods – The most affordable solution to kitchen ventilation is a ductless range hood. Ductless hoods use a carbon filter to filter the air through and return the clean air back into the kitchen. The carbon filter will need to be cleaned regularly – most are dishwasher safe.  

Downdraft Hoods – Downdraft hoods require unique design plans and are often used over a stove top on an island in the kitchen.

Sometimes circumstances do not allow for a kitchen range hood. For instance, a tiny rental apartment may not have room for a hood so you can use a small fan, preferably in a window, to remove the stale air or a portable HEPA air filtration system. Although these will not work as well as a kitchen range hood to help control grease settling on surfaces, they can improve the air quality in your kitchen.

AUTHOR’S BIO

Michael Tobias is the founder and principal of Nearby Engineers and New York Engineers, which is an Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Company in America. He leads a team of more than 30 mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineers from the company headquarters in New York City, and has led numerous projects in New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, and California, as well as Singapore and Malaysia. He specializes in sustainable building technology and is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council.