An outdoor kitchen is often the hub of backyard entertainment and family time. In order for the kitchen to take you from alfresco breakfasts to late-night parties, this hard-working space needs the right lighting. Here’s a quick guide to outdoor lighting for the outdoor kitchen on Long Island, NY.
Related: 4 STYLE OPTIONS FOR THE MODERN OUTDOOR KITCHEN IN HUNTINGTON AND SAG HARBOR, NY, AREAS
The right landscape lighting is both practical and artistic. It will illuminate the space without harsh, blinding lights that shine in guests’ eyes and cast awkward shadows in and around the kitchen.
Illuminate Your Work Space
Overhead lights are an effective way of illuminating your work surfaces, grill, and bar area. You’ll want to make sure there is enough lighting so that no area of the kitchen is left in the dark, and that the lights are positioned high enough so that the cook won’t cast shadows on the workspace—and just as importantly, that anyone sitting at the bar won’t be blinded.
Overhead lighting tends to be ideal for outdoor kitchens that are sheltered by a pergola or pavilion, where the lights can be mounted high and oriented in multiple directions to thoroughly illuminate all work surfaces.
They also offer flexibility: Overhead lights with a dimming feature can set the mood and allow you to de-emphasize the kitchen once you’re done cooking.
If your outdoor kitchen is not under a pergola or pavilion, you could illuminate work areas by using lights mounted to the backsplash. In this case, your landscaper may want to ensure the backsplash is tall enough so that the light shines from above onto the prep areas.
In addition, if the kitchen is close to the home, you could have light fixtures mounted on the siding or under the eaves to offer illumination for your kitchen—the lights will need to be oriented in such a way that the cook or guests aren’t blinded.
Add Ambience
Decorative sconces installed on walls or pillars can define your kitchen area while also offering enough illumination for a dining area. Because the sconces direct light upward, they will add soft ambient light rather than direct task lighting.
String lights can add a wonderful ambience to your dining area. They don’t offer enough light for task lighting—for this, you’ll want more powerful overhead or backsplash lighting—but they can be perfect for a romantic or festive dining experience.
The color temperature of the lights you choose is crucial to creating the right ambience. Cool and warm light temperatures (think bluish or yellowish) can make a big difference in the feel of the space. On work spaces, you want a brighter light that mimics the sun (i.e., white light).
Once the cooking is done, you may want to tone down the brightness and use warmer, amber-toned lighting that gives enough illumination for dining and moving around, but without any glare.
Safety
In and around an outdoor kitchen, fixtures rated for indoor use are generally not appropriate. While it may feel like a room in your house, an outdoor kitchen is exposed to the elements. Fixtures in a fully exposed or pergola-covered outdoor kitchen should be rated for a wet location. Fixtures in an outdoor kitchen under a pavilion rated for a damp location.
Firelight
Additional ambience around your outdoor kitchen can come in the form of firelight. Whether you opt for a wood-fueled fire pit or fireplace or prefer the ease of natural gas or propane, a fire will add illumination to your outdoor cooking/dining area.
Related: HOW MASONRY CAN BE USED TO ACCENTUATE A PERGOLA ON LONG ISLAND, NY
