The Best Kitchen Lighting Ideas

Kitchen lighting serves both practical and aesthetic functions. You need bright, even light for food preparation, task lighting over the sink and stove, and ambiance lighting for when the kitchen is part of an open living space. Getting all three right is what separates a well-designed kitchen from one that is merely functional.

Under-Cabinet Lighting Changes Everything

Under-cabinet lighting is possibly the single best upgrade you can make to a kitchen. It illuminates the countertop directly where you are working, eliminating the shadows cast by overhead lights. LED strip lights or puck lights mounted under the upper cabinets are relatively inexpensive to install and the difference in functionality is dramatic.

Pendants Over the Island

Pendant lights over a kitchen island or peninsula serve both functional and decorative purposes. They provide task lighting for the island surface while creating a visual anchor and design statement. Install pendants so the bottom of the shade hangs 30 to 36 inches above the countertop for the right balance of light coverage and headroom.

Recessed Lighting Layout

Recessed lights should be planned so they do not cast shadows on the countertop — which means placing them a few inches in front of the upper cabinet line rather than centered in the room. A lighting designer rule of thumb: place recessed lights so the beam of each light overlaps with the next for even coverage.