Kitchen Lighting Ideas
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Versatile lighting design is crucial for todays kitchens.
The primary use of a kitchen space may still be to cook but the ever popular ‘open-plan’ way of living has transformed this area into one of the main spaces for entertaining and socialising in the home. Because of this, we not only need to consider practical task lighting but also provide a layer of atmospheric, mood lighting to add drama, create a relaxing, cosy space and to make the room feel less ‘functional’.
1. Break up your space with Pendant Lighting
If you have a breakfast bar, kitchen island or a dining table in your kitchen space; this is a lighting opportunity that cannot be missed!
Hanging two or three pendants in a line or a cluster high above a kitchen island creates a focal point in the workspace to break up the monotony of wall mounted cabinets and cupboards. They’re an opportunity to make a style statement in the work zone and also provide a practical source of task lighting over an important cooking/prepping area.
Browse over 200 pendant lighting designs here: Kitchen Pendant Lights
Only have one electrical supply above your counter, islands or table?
Don’t panic - Bar Pendants are the solution! These fittings have multiple hanging lights whilst only needing one electrical supply. Nice and easy!
Check out our collection of Bar Pendants in every style: Kitchen Bar Pendant Lights
LIGHTBOX KITCHEN PENDANT BEST SELLER: Magnus Glass Pendant
Our Industrial Glass Pendant is one of our all time best sellers for Kitchen islands and breakfast bars - a timeless style with a classic industrial aesthetic makes it suitable for almost all kitchen looks; from ultra modern cabinets to classic shaker styles; when hung in two’s or threes and paired with warm, glowing decorative filament bulbs it is hard to beat!
LIGHTBOX KITCHEN BAR PENDANT BEST SELLER: Sarah Bar Pendant
The same beautiful design as above but available in an easy to install bar pendant, multi light version!
Not quite sure what style you want to go for yet? Browse our lighting collections below to see what ‘look’ could fit with your kitchen scheme:
TIP: We always recommend putting the decorative pendants on a dimmer switch if possible; this flexibility in light level enables you to get that all important practical task light whilst preparing dinner and still create an atmospheric glow for socialising later into the evening when they’re dimmed right down.
2. Embrace Feature/Statement Lighting
Over the last year or two we’ve seen an increasing trend for including feature/statement lights (ones you’d usually consider for the living room, hallway or bedroom) in the Kitchen.
If your kitchen has an island or breakfast bar as well as a dining table, use pendants as mentioned above and then compliment them with an impressive feature light over your table! This is a fantastic way of differentiating between the different zones in open plan living spaces and an opportunity for some stylistic flare.
Browse our collection of Feature Lighting here: Feature Lighting
3. Add a layer of flexible task lighting
From work surfaces to sinks, there are always places in the kitchen that could do with some targeted lighting. A layer of task lighting is absolutely critical for todays kitchens.
Recessed spotlights were all the craze for the last 10 years of basic kitchen lighting design but time and time again we see them only create a clinical lighting effect that floods the room with light resulting in a flat, harsh feel - exactly what we DON’T want.
Instead, we like to layer up and combine feature lighting and/or pendant lighting (as mentioned above) with flexible surface mounted spot lights or under counter lighting.
Often under counter lighting is the easiest way to solve the practical task lighting problem and this will usually be offered by your kitchen provider/fitter.
However, if you’re struggling to get light where you need it, try using flexible surface mounted spotlight plates or bars. This is a stylish and functional solution to boosting the lighting in specific areas of the kitchen.
Each spotlight head usually rotates with around 320 degrees of motion to enable you to point light exactly where you need it.
Boosting your kitchen lighting with carefully placed adjustable spots is a great task lighting solution. We have curated a selection of spotlight plates and bars in a range of styles, from modern minimalist to classic industrial, take a look: Kitchen Spotlights
LIGHTBOX KITCHEN SPOTLIGHT BEST SELLER: Country Spotlight Bar
4. Introduce Wall Lighting
Wall Lighting is too often ignored when planning Kitchen spaces yet its an easy way to take your scheme to the next level.
Flick through any interior magazine or blog and you’ll see Industrial or Scandi Wall Lights washing light onto kitchen walls and work surfaces. If you can have this circuit on its own switch, the wall lighting can be a nice, soft amount of light to flick on and off when nipping in and out of the kitchen later in the evening.
Browse our extensive collection of wall lights: Wall Lights
TIP: Wall lights work especially well in smaller kitchens, especially ones with little natural light or opportunities for feature lights or pendants.
LIGHTBOX KITCHEN WALL LIGHT BEST SELLER: George Vintage Stone Wall Light
Give a modern kitchen an industrial twist with our industrial glass wall lights:
We COULD go on and on…the kitchen space is one of our favourite areas to light in the home - it presents so many opportunities for interesting lighting effects and for stunning decorative fittings! If we can advise any further, feel free to visit our Scarborough showroom and have a chat with us - we’re open Tuesday to Saturdays 10am - 4pm!
