Spend a bit of time perusing kitchen lighting options and you may well find yourself dazed and confused. There are lights for up high (impressive groups of pendants, for example) and lights for down low (cleverly hidden lighting to illuminate the floor tiles). There are lights for the wall and lights to make the counters look more homey. It is a lot to think about, and because good lighting is so critical to a beautiful and practical kitchen, it can feel daunting and leave us wondering whether we need to call in the professionals.
But like all things, it can be broken down into simple steps. You need to think about three things: task lighting, mood lighting and the natural light in your kitchen. And you need to understand how you plan to use the space, explains Nina Anastasopoulou, a designer at the bespoke kitchen company Tom Howley: “You’ll need task lighting above your worktops for food preparation, and soft, warm lighting over the island where family and guests get together. Even though these areas might be only a couple of metres apart, getting the lighting right can really elevate the atmosphere for both cooking and socialising.”
Once you’ve established where you need light, and what you need it for, you can start shopping around. Some lights are designed to be admired, while in other areas — under cabinets, for example — you want to enjoy the light but keep the source out of sight. Some lights have multiple functions: pendants add drama but can also light a dining table or island, while wall lights can illuminate pictures or open shelves, but also lift the eye and make a room feel larger.
Here are our suggestions on the best ways to light up your kitchen this year:
Lighting in cabinets
In this Tom Howley kitchen, under-cabinet lighting not only adds warmth and ambience, it also highlights beautiful kitchenware. The Kavanagh collection in Nightshade, from £25,000, tomhowley.co.uk
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Consider unusual materials
This pendant from Lyngard is made in the UK from fine bone china, which works wonderfully with the porcelain in the glazed cupboard behind it. £225, lyngard.com
Oversize your pendant
A large pendant is impactful, dramatic and when a material such as rattan is used gives a big boost of softness and texture. Halo lamp, from €295 (£253), caravane.co.uk
Understand how to use wall lights
Wall lights have many uses, from lighting areas of the room where there is no space for a table lamp, to making a room feel bigger by drawing the eye up to a painting, as seen here. Renwick wall light, £129, and Pitti table lamp, £135, lightsandlamps.com
Plinth lighting
Plinth lighting (used at the base of cupboards) is concealed and can add another layer of light or help soften a functional room.
Here the carefully concealed Contour LED strip (from £42 a metre) adds layered lighting and washes light across the floor below, johncullenlighting.com
Do find space for a table lamp
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In a scheme by Sarah Vanrenen, huge ceramic lights, sourced at Paolo Moschino, up the atmosphere while the silk shades (by Vanrenen) give a soft, warm glow, sarahvanrenen.com
Apply the rule of three
You’ll often see three pendants over an island or dining table, but the rule of three can also look fabulous when applied to walls, as seen in this kitchen by John Lewis of Hungerford. The three wall lights are from Pooky. £112, pooky.com
Inject some fun
Add softness and warmth with some high-end fairy lights, like these gemstone ones. £49.95, sparkle.lighting
Use lighting to create a nook
Breakfast and dining nooks are really popular at the moment and the right pendant lamp can help to define this area as a separate zone of the kitchen. Marina pendant light, £250 (launching March 7), neptune.com
Mix and match styles
Don’t be afraid to mix and match different types of lights. In this deVOL kitchen, the Heirloom Gaselier light (£1,260) and the mini Creamware wall light (£240), both also by deVOL, have been used alongside lamps from Pooky, devolkitchens.co.uk
