Before planning your kitchen lighting, read 10 of the best ideas. This includes images and products. Sally Storey shares her top kitchen island lighting ideas and some of the best light fittings to help you make the most out of this room, which is at the center of your home.
The kitchen lighting scheme should be the most flexible in the house to reflect the many functions performed today. Kitchen lighting must adapt to the different uses of the kitchen. It can be used for a general, bright light during the day to supplement daylight in darker kitchens, for homework and tea with children at dusk, or intimate dining in the evening. The key is to position the kitchen lighting fixtures correctly.
Task lighting
My top kitchen lighting idea is to install task lighting underneath your cabinets or shelves. It is essential to have the best light possible for your work. Etta Eyelid Under cupboard lights, such as those shown here, are ideal.
Positioning downlights
Never install downlights on a grid. Place them only where needed as part of the kitchen lighting scheme. Use a low-glare downlight like Polespring 50 to direct light toward the front of kitchen units. It will provide soft, reflected light in the room and inside your cabinets when opened.
Kitchen Island
It would be best to always light up the center of your kitchen island with LED downlights or decorative pendants. This will allow you to see what you are doing. These can be placed on a different circuit from your perimeter lights to give you more flexibility. A pair or two of Polespring LEDs can look great for added impact. Or, consider the square double LED for a more contemporary look.
High Ceilings
Add low-hanging pendants above the island in a kitchen with high ceilings to lower the scale visually. It can also be used to define the space within an open-plan kitchen. You can add pole spring LED uplights between the pendants for good task lighting below the work surface.
Uplighting
Add uplights to the cabinets above the kitchen sink to provide more general lighting. It will also help reduce the number of downlights needed. The light will reflect into the above space while adding a Contoured LED HD27 strip.
Add additional layers of light
Add additional layers to create drama in your kitchen lighting scheme. Use a Contour LED strip to create a floating look under your island. Or, add Cazallafloor washers in a kick plinth for a light that skims across the floor.
Skylights
Consider adding light around your skylights so they don’t look like black holes at night. Hide the Contour LED strip from view around the skylight.
Lighting Control
An on/off button should not control your kitchen lighting. You cannot adjust the mood to suit the occasion, whether it is bright during the day or a subdued atmosphere in the evening. Install dimmers instead, or if you have the money to spare, a preset control system can be changed at the push of a button.
Circuiting
Please don’t put all your lights on one circuit, which will restrict your flexibility. Wall lights, under cabinet lights, downlights, and feature lighting should all be on separate circuits to control each one separately. Take a look at all the lighting controls available.
Lighting Beyond
Remember that many kitchens lead to gardens. So, pay attention to the outside space. This will allow you to avoid curtains and increase the sense of space in the kitchen. See garden lighting ideas.
Also, read our Dining Room lighting ideas.
