An essential guide on kitchen lighting | More Kitchens

Published: 10 December 2020 · Last Updated: 31 May 2024

Lighting is a crucial element that can be compared to that of the role of a catalyst as it contributes heavily to the success of a kitchen.

It provides light, making the room brighter and more spacious.

As you know the kitchen is where most of the magic happens in a home, from family dining, cooking, and most importantly entertainment.

In a nutshell, the kitchen plays a big part in the overall kitchen functionality.

So as you can imagine, we must make the right choice.

That is why our team of experts at More Kitchens have teamed up and compiled their extensive knowledge of lighting and created an in-depth guide on kitchen lighting, providing readers with the best kitchen lighting for kitchens and other recommended lighting for kitchens.

Types of kitchen lighting

Let’s just into all of the different kitchen lighting that we have at our disposal and get an early feel for the ones that we prefer depending on the type of kitchen personality you want your design to portray.

Ambient lighting (general illumination)

Ambient kitchen lighting can set the overall mood in kitchen design, providing a balanced level of brightness across an entire kitchen.

This type of lighting allows individuals to perform their everyday kitchen tasks efficiently thanks to the adequate lighting that is provided.

Users can feel safe with ambient lighting as the light is sufficient enough for them to navigate the kitchen with clear visibility, reducing the risk of accidents.

Even though it provides lighting throughout the kitchen, it does it may not be enough and could require task lighting in certain areas of the kitchen.

Task lighting

A great option to complement the ambient lighting is to use task lighting in a kitchen.

The sole purpose of task lighting is to focus on specific areas, to help increase visibility by providing a direct source of light on the area.

With task lighting installation your eyes can be thankful as the lighting minimises eye strain by providing a targeted illumination.

The brilliance of task lighting is that it can be positioned in places that the users would need to get into the zone.

Accent lighting (highlights specific features)

The next option we are going to be diving into is accent lighting for the kitchen. It is mainly used to draw attention to a certain area of the kitchen to spark visual interest and add depth to the room design.

You can compare it to the task lighting but with more of a focus on an area to display the creative expression.

This type of lighting would be fit to highlight the stand-out kitchen features to draw attention. These are usually the kitchen island, putting LED lights under the cabinets, or even under the cabinets to create a mood and glow in your kitchen.

You have to be careful not to overdo the amount of accent lighting that you want to install as it will create an uninvited cluttered look to the room.

Decorative lighting (adds visual interest)

Decorative lighting is designed to increase the aesthetic appeal of a kitchen. Usually placed in focal areas to draw visual interest.

While functionality is important within the kitchen, decorative lighting bridges the gap, to blend both style and functionality.

Most of all decorative lighting allows you to express your personality, and there a multiple options available from chandeliers, pendants, LED lighting, spotlights and more.

Factors to consider when choosing kitchen lighting

Kitchen size and layout

Prior to making a final decision for your kitchen you first need to understand the size of your kitchen and layout and know exactly what you want for the final light fixtures.

The layout of the kitchen is crucial as it has a massive influence on the functionality and efficiency of the room for the users. The size of the room then comes into play as you’ll want to make sure that there is enough light to spread across fixtures. So the size determines the overall amount of lighting that is needed.

The layout of the kitchen is key as it will guide your workflow of the kitchen so you need to ensure that you have enough of the right light fixtures that will provide enough brightness across the designated kitchen zones, such as the worktops, stove, making it much easier for you to see what you’re doing.

Cabinetry and countertop materials

Kitchen cabinets and worktops have a huge effect on how your kitchen design is perceived both visually and emotionally and your kitchen lighting choice enhances that feeling and can be the difference in whether your kitchen gets the the attention it deserves or not.

It is a balancing act of trying to project the right emotion and visual appeal when it comes to picking the kitchen lighting.

Typically lighter coloured worktops and cabinets reflect more light and can give you the feeling of feeling more spacious.

On the other hand, darker cabinets and worktops soak up the light and can create a moody atmosphere.

Aside from them both affecting us emotionally and visually, the placement of lighting needs to be strategically placed in the correct areas that will allow individuals to carry out tasks effectively.

For example, pendant lighting is fantastic for the kitchen island as you’ll be able to see exactly what you’re doing could be food prepping or eating, but at the same time is an attractive design touch.

Desired ambiance and functionality

Throughout this article, we have been pretty set on how kitchen lighting is a key component to the kitchen.

Lighting has the power to dictate the warmth and atmosphere of the room and whether a room is inviting, sociable and enjoyable.

This can be further enhanced with design features being showcased to stand out with lighting features such as accent lighting, to enhance the overall kitchen design.

Good lighting is essential in areas of the lighting to reduce potential eye strain and it makes it easier to see the ingredients to a recipe and spot the sharper objects.

Budget and energy efficiency

As with anything budget comes into the conversation as this will determine which lighting fixture you decide to go for.

This also applies to the energy consumption of the

There are a large amount of kitchen light fixtures that are available that we can integrate as part of our kitchen designs.

We are living in an era where people are more environmentally conscious than ever and opting for energy efficiency can help to lower electricity bills and carbon dioxide emissions.

In the long run, you’ll be economically better off and have put less strain on the environment.

That is why the popularity of LED lighting fixtures has grown in recent years due to their efficiency, wasting very little energy.

However, lighting fixtures costs for the kitchen can range from cost-effective options to the higher designer pieces that people may desire.

Having a budget will help to see which light fixtures you can include.

You could start by fitting in the basic features and then look to make changes if there is an extra budget left and purchase the light fixtures that your heart desires.

Lighting solutions for different kitchen styles

Kitchens can be designed to meet individuals' and their families' design and functionality as part of the concept.

We are fortunate that thanks to design there are numerous kitchen styles that we can have fit in our home.

Since we are focusing on kitchen lighting today we’ll be matching the kitchen lighting options that will suit the designs that we are putting the spotlight on.

Modern

In a modern kitchen design, you’ll most likely have features that are sleek and handless with clean lines and a crisp finish but mostly focus on minimalism.

The lighting options that go well with a modern kitchen design include:-

> Under-cabinet lighting:

This could include fitting LED strips underneath the cabinets which is a step into the future of kitchen designs, especially how they can be remote-controlled and allow you the options to control the mood of the kitchens.

> Pendant lighting:

This lighting option for a modern design is more for if you have a kitchen island that is part of your kitchen design.

Pendant lighting are low-hanging lights that focus on focal points such as the kitchen island, to truly give it the attention and appreciation that it deserves.

> Recessed lighting:

A classic choice for a modern design is opting for recessed lighting also known as accent lighting can be installed within niches or kitchen cabinets, and can usually be dimmed to affect the room's mood.

Traditional

As for traditionally styled kitchens they are designed to capture the timeless elegant beauty of traditional features to create a classy design.

The lighting is no different and some of the lighting fixtures you’ll see in a traditional kitchen design include:-

> Pendants with glass shades:

This kitchen lighting design is just like the normal pendant lighting however to suit the traditional style it typically comes with a glass shade or an alternative vintage charm that offers a warm inviting glow.

> Chandeliers:

Chandeliers are closely related to traditional designs and the kitchen is no different. They give the kitchen a touch of class and an added ambience of vintage for additional traditional character.

> Cabinet glass lighting:

A huge consideration for choice is if you have glass cabinet doors then you could want small LED lights on the inside of the cabinet that will not only affect the mood of the room, but it give you a chance to showcase your glasses and dishes that you can proudly put as a focal point.

Classic

A classic kitchen design is a mixture of traditional and modern fixtures that beautifully blend and create a timeless design that can seamlessly fit into any home.

You’ll usually find shaker-style hand-painted doors with modern appliances that fit throughout the design. To give that nice combination.

What is brilliant about the classic kitchen design is that it will stand the test of trends and remain in style.

> Recessed lighting:

This kitchen lighting option is a great versatile choice as it can be used in both modern and traditional kitchen designs.

They are good at dominating the mood of the kitchen and therefore need to be spread across the kitchen smoothly and evenly to get a good balance.

> Pendant lighting:

Another one that is popular in both modern and traditional kitchen designs, not only provides a great source of light but can help to highlight the standout features of your kitchen design such as:-

> Breakfast bar

> Kitchen island

> Sink

> Dining room

> Accent lighting:

Perfect for the timeless elegant design. Accent kitchen lighting can draw attention to features in the kitchen, especially the most likely installed shaker-styled cabinetry.

Just like the recessed lighting, they also hold the power to dictate the mood and create a warm inviting atmosphere, great for evening meals and gatherings.

Accent lighting can help your kitchen from being bland as it can fit in shelves artwork and other kitchen features.

Tips for planning and installing kitchen lighting

Now that we have gone through the kitchen lighting options and the designs that go hand in hand with them.

You hopefully have a rough idea of what kind of kitchen lighting you want for your kitchen design.

In this part of the article, we are going to be going through tips, and planning for the installation of the kitchen lights.

Creating a lighting plan

Knowing the layout of your kitchen and the flow of the food prep area, where you work and eat is a crucial aspect of the kitchen light plan.

It is also important as it will help to make the kitchen space feel and look brighter and it can even make it seem bigger if it is cleverly planned to be fit in places that allow for this.

You must factor in the safety and functionality when you’re creating this plan. Look to put into place proper lighting in the area where you are cooking, reading and socialising, or any place within the kitchen where activity will take place.

We have mentioned in many of our articles that the kitchen is the heart of the hub of the home so it needs to be well lit more so in areas where people will be socialising.

We would recommend focusing on areas that will involve activities to be the focus of the kitchen light area and a focus on the decorative items that are placed around your design.

If you need help we also recommend contacting experts such as ourselves at More Kitchens or others within the industry to help create the kitchen plan.

Choosing the right fixtures and bulbs

Before deciding which kitchen light options you will go for as part of your kitchen design, you must bottom out your design desires and needs.

You then need to determine exactly what you’ll be using the kitchen for, it will help decide the level of brightness that is needed for that activity-based area like where you prepare food, socialise and read recipes!

To keep the design synergy throughout the kitchen design, you should opt for kitchen light fixtures that go well with the overall kitchen design. Some of the lighting options we have provided in this article are for traditional, modern and classic kitchen design.

Even though there is a huge amount of available kitchen lighting options we advise keeping an eye out for the most energy-efficient fixtures and going for those as these fixtures will save you money in the long run and put less strain on the environment.

Working with a qualified electrician

Hiring an electrician offers huge benefits as it seems that some jobs even if they are small. The entire process of kitchen lighting could be complex.

From the beginning of the planning of the kitchen lighting having the electrician there, they will help you to fully optimise your plan, and advise on the complexities of the project, which might involve wiring.

Most importantly they will have the in-depth knowledge, and experience to carry out the job to a professional standard whilst abiding by electrical regulations.

Can we help you choose light fixtures for your new kitchen design?

That completes our guide on kitchen lighting and the steps you’ll want to take to choose the light fixtures that match your design, contribute to the functionality and most importantly meet your desires.

At More Kitchens, we have a team of kitchen experts who help customers throughout their journey of acquiring a new kitchen design. The team will help you to decide the best kitchen lighting options for your kitchen design as part of the full design and fit service that we offer.

If you’re based within the Yorkshire area, you can book a free design appointment for one of our designers to visit and go through the initial design stages of our full project-managed service.

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