The difference between a kitchen that looks good and a kitchen that looks great isn’t how you decorate the space, it’s how you light it. Even the best designed kitchens feel lackluster with inadequate lighting. But a few stylish, well-placed lights can make even an ordinary kitchen come alive. And, of course, good lighting plays a role in how well you can see while you’re working. So if you think you can get away with one flimsy overhead light, you’re wrong on two fronts. Not only will inadequate lighting keep your kitchen from looking its best, it’ll also keep you from making the best use of your space.
Overhead Lighting
The bare minimum lighting for a kitchen is one bright light in the middle of the ceiling, meant to cast light over the whole kitchen. The problem with this setup is that the light you get is never quite where you need it. In order to get all-over coverage, the light is located as far away from your actual workspace as possible; in order to reach the far walls, the light these fixtures produce is often excessively harsh and bright. Replacing a single flush-mount fixture with several can-style recessed lights is a good first step. They produce a more moderate, even light, and can be positioned strategically near your work surfaces. They also illuminate your kitchen from all angles, rather than from a fixed point. Bonus: if you put them on a dimmer switch, they can double as mood lighting when you don’t need bright lights to see by.
Task Lighting
If you do a lot of cooking, it can also be worthwhile to actually install separate lights directly over your workspace, either mounted to the ceiling above the cabinets or mounted to the underside of the cabinets above your counter. These lights are purely functional, chasing back the shadows and making it easier to see while you’re working. They can be particularly worthwhile if you have deep cabinets or a kitchen that doesn’t get much natural light. That said, good task lighting should illuminate key areas of your kitchen, like a spotlight. The lights built into range hoods are a good example: they make it easier to see while you’re cooking, but a good one will also add a warm glow to the area around your range.
Under Cabinet Lights
Under cabinet lights offer a nice combination of style and function. They can be used, as I mentioned above, for brightening up your counters and making it easier to work. But spaced throughout your entire kitchen, they can also be used to draw attention to the small strip of wall between the bottom of the cabinets and the countertop. This works best if you have textured walls or a decorative tile backsplash; a few small cabinet lights mounted beneath your cabinets not only chase back the shadows, but will make your kitchen seem to glow, highlighting the color and texture of the wall.
In and Over-Cabinet Lights
The same goes for in-cabinet and above-cabinet lighting. In this case, they aren’t remotely necessary or functional, but they can add depth and character to your kitchen. Open or glass-fronted cabinets that are illuminated from the inside are incredibly eye-catching. Like spotlit museum displays, they draw the eye and turn your everyday dinnerware and dishes into something that stands out. Alternately, small lights placed on top of your cabinets are great for accentuating the height of your kitchen, especially if you have gabled ceilings or exposed beams. Both types of light draw attention to areas typically lost to shadows.
Using Lighting As An Anchor
In a large kitchen, or one with an open floor plan that connects to a larger greatroom, layering different types of lighting fixtures can also help give your space definition. Good over-all lighting will ensure that no part of your kitchen is dark. Hanging a large, decorative lighting fixture directly over a kitchen table, dining table, or kitchen island will help set it off from the rest of the space, even if there aren’t any physical barriers between the different “zones” of the room. In the same way a good area rug can tie together a living room set, a hefty light can make a few pieces of furniture left adrift in a large space really feel like they belong there.
Statement Lights
Good layered lighting is mostly about the lights you don’t see: recessed lights, hidden spotlights, tiny accent lights, and so on. These lights give you fuller coverage and fill the gaps left by larger single fixtures. The flip side is that if you’re not relying on a single fixture for all your light, you have more freedom to get creative with its style. A prominently placed chandelier, a large island light, or even a series of decorative pendants can be a major design feature of your kitchen. When the hidden fixtures take care of the actual lighting part, a big, bold fixture can really stand out and shine, giving you the best of both worlds.
