1. Choose a Kitchen Light Fixture That Creates a Focal Point
Before you pick out new kitchen light fixtures, it’s best to make a plan. It may not be as fun as the shopping part, but brainstorming different kitchen lighting ideas saves you a lot of headaches. Decide where the focal point of the kitchen will be. This is where your eyes will land when you walk into the room, and a large kitchen light fixture commands attention. You’ll choose all the other kitchen light fixtures around it, so this decision needs to happen first.
When it comes to kitchen island lighting ideas, Pendant lighting complements a kitchen with a central island. Narrow galley kitchens look best with light fixtures that are close to the ceiling — like flush mount lighting or semi-flush mount lighting. These kitchen ceiling light ideas prevent the room from feeling too closed in.
No matter what kind of kitchen you have, using a kitchen ceiling light as the focal point is your chance to make a statement. Don’t be afraid to go with that modern gold chandelier, or the bold black farmhouse chandelier you’ve been eyeing. Choose the right kitchen chandelier, and you’ll smile every time you walk in.
2. Use Kitchen Lighting to Define Your Style
Being able to see the kitchen from other areas of the house is great for entertaining, but it also means the style of the light fixtures needs to coordinate across multiple rooms to achieve a cohesive flow.
Do you prefer farmhouse, eclectic or modern finishes? Figuring out what design style you like best narrows down your options when it comes time to pick out new hanging lights for your kitchen. Things like the architectural details of your home, your furniture and the color of your hardware all play a role in the style of kitchen lighting that’ll look best.
If you aren’t sure whether you should go with a sleek gold pendant light or a rustic farmhouse pendant light, try something in between like a matte black island light that blends seamlessly with multiple styles.
3. Pay Attention to Scale When Buying Kitchen Light
The larger your kitchen, the larger your light fixtures should be. Choosing kitchen light fixtures that are too small for your space will instantly take away from a designer look.
When looking at kitchen lighting ideas, take things like the size of your kitchen island into consideration. This will be the basis for the size and number of light fixtures you need. Three evenly spaced pendant lights over your kitchen island typically look best, but you can also use two if your island is on the smaller side.
Choose light fixtures with clear glass shades like teardrop pendant lights to provide enough light to illuminate the entire kitchen. They’ll also allow your home’s natural light to pass through them, making the space feel even bigger.
4. Add Mood Lighting with Under Cabinet Kitchen Lights
Bright light is great when you’re whipping up a new recipe, but what about after the cooking is done and the kitchen is cleaned up? The light in your kitchen can easily affect the mood of the rest of the house. Doing things like putting your kitchen lights on a dimmer switch and adding kitchen under cabinet light bars will help set the mood when it comes time to have friends over or unwind for the night.
Installing under cabinet lighting in the kitchen will offer just enough brightness while also highlighting your cabinetry, backsplash and countertops with a warm glow. Note that there are two kinds of under cabinet lights: traditional hard-wired sets and remote-controlled battery-operated lights that attach with double-sided tape and make for an easy do-it-yourself option. You’ll be able to set the mood in your kitchen with the touch of a button.
5. Use Light Fixtures to Highlight the Most Used Areas of the Kitchen
Add in another layer of light with a set of strategically placed wall sconces or kitchen track lighting. A set of sleek swing-arm sconces will add ambient light to the space while illuminating the areas you need to see the most. If you already have hanging kitchen lights or a farmhouse chandelier, opt for kitchen sconces with a metal shade, as opposed to clear or frosted glass, to ensure the light points down toward your workspace.
Kitchen track lighting is a versatile option to spotlight kitchen areas that need extra light. Flexible and lightweight, the tracks can hold two lights over a kitchen sink or several heads to brighten up countertop areas. Track lights are also adjustable and easy to update as your kitchen style changes.
These accent lights will help shed light on the most frequently used areas of your kitchen, like over the sink, pantry and bar area. They’ll also make your kitchen look intentionally designed and well put-together.
6. Choose the Right Light Bulbs for Your Kitchen Light Fixtures
Even if you’ve chosen the perfect combination of light fixtures, something as simple as selecting the wrong light bulbs can ruin the whole look.
When it comes to your focal point light, you’ll want complete illumination so you can see what you’re doing when you’re chopping and sauteing. Look for light bulbs that say things like cool and bright white on the package. Under cabinet lights and accent lighting can handle warm light bulbs since they aren’t the main source of light in the room.
Light bulbs not only come in different shades but in different shapes too. For fixtures like these mini pendant lights exposed light bulbs or vintage Edison-style light bulbs offer an elevated look and bring even more attention to your kitchen light fixtures. Taking the time to select the right light bulbs will tie the whole look together.
The best kitchen lighting has a variety of light fixtures that coordinate with one another seamlessly. The recipe for combining bright light, ambient light and accent lighting starts with taking into consideration factors including your kitchen layout, your home’s style and the functionality you desire. From there you’ll be able to create a kitchen lighting design that’s cohesive and eye-catching.
For more information on light bulb options, see our Light Bulb Buying Guide.