Kitchen Lighting Ideas丨5 Ways To Brighten Up Your Kitchen

Lighting is incredibly important in ones home, but perhaps more so in the kitchen. This is because, first and foremost, it’s where you’ll be preparing delicious meals. Secondly, contemporary kitchens today often serve as entertainment spaces, so you’ll want to ensure you have lighting that creates the right atmosphere too. You can also play around with your lighting and make it a key feature in your kitchen decor, use it to highlight focal points or illuminate your kitchen space and make it feel more voluminous – the possibilities are endless. Now, with so many possibilities available, it might be difficult to know where to start. That’s where these kitchen lighting ideas come in – these five ideas will help you brighten up your cooking space while adding a little character too. 

What is the best lighting for a kitchen? 

When it comes to kitchen lighting, you may have heard of the four-layer rule, which refers to the types of lighting you should have in your kitchen to illuminate the space. These layers are: 

  • Task: This type of lighting is used to brighten up your kitchen workspace. Accent: These fixtures highlight the dimensions of the kitchen. Decorative: This is the lighting that you can have the most fun with as it’s used as an ornamental feature in the kitchen. Ambient: This is often a soft light that adds to the kitchen’s atmosphere. 

Kitchen Lighting Ideas

When it comes to choosing the right lighting, you want it to create the right ambience but still serve its purpose. With these kitchen lighting ideas serving as inspiration, you’ll have the perfect lighting in no time. 

Mix & match

Bringing multiple types of lighting into your kitchen is not only a great way to illuminate the space, but it’s also a great way to add an eclectic touch to your decor. Now, this is not to say that you should go absolutely crazy with the different types of lighting. Instead, have a core theme or tone and then mix and match different shades or shapes. 

Use your lighting as a focal point

If you love bespoke, designer items, then this lighting idea is for you. Consider positioning a larger, single light fixture in the centre of the kitchen or over the kitchen island. This look works especially well in large, open-plan kitchens. Do keep in mind that the size of the light should be in proportion to the room – if it’s too big, it’ll draw attention from the rest of your kitchen, but too small and it will become lost. 

Use feature lighting to make your neutral colour palette pop

A neutral colour scheme in your kitchen will be timeless. However, if you want to make things pop, we suggest using your lighting as a feature item that ties the whole design together. Now, you can either go for darker fixtures to contrast with the lighter colour palette, or you can even choose to add a pop of colour to your decor. 

Choose lighting made from reflective materials

Be it mirrors, metals or glass, using reflective materials in your light fittings (or kitchen in general) is a clever way to bounce light off of the surfaces, illuminating the room. What’s great about this kitchen lighting idea is that it will reflect light come day or night, so you’ll be able to find a good balance between natural and artificial lighting. 

Incorporate LED strips for extra hidden lighting 

LEDs are wonderful as they provide ample lighting, and their compact size means they can easily be hidden from view – you’ll want to talk to your kitchen designer, though. When done properly, the warm light of LEDs can add a layer of depth to your shelving or cabinets while creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.