One of the questions I get asked often is, “Where do I put lighting in my kitchen? Just in the ceiling and decorative?” The simple answer is yes and no. The reason being is because yes you do need lighting in your ceiling and its always nice to have decorative lights too, however you should have under counter lights as well. There are so many layers of lighting when it comes to the kitchen to help you see what you are doing. The last thing you would want to do is not have enough light and cut yourself while prepping.

So, how do you determine how and where to put the lighting? Well, if you are working with a kitchen designer, they can help you with this, however if you aren’t here is how I lay this out. First, start off with determining the type of lighting you want to use. Here are the options (Lets hope I don’t forget any):

1) Recessed Lighting (aka high hats, cans, general lighting)

2) Pendant Lighting (typically over an island or peninsula)

3) Under counter Lighting (task lights, lights that are under your upper cabinetry)

4) In cabinet lighting (if you have glass front cabinets)

5) Wall washing lights/ directional lighting (to highlight art, to light an island brighter)

Once you have decided the types of lighting you need, next is the layout. Some of the listed lighting is a given as to where to put them, ie under cabinet lighting. Others have a difference of opinion, however this is how I typically lay them out. In a 8’ or 9’ ceiling height, I try and put the recessed lighting about 3’-4’ apart and about 2’ off of the wall. these should line up with the edge of the countertop. These will be your general lights and you don’t want them too far off of the wall as they will start to cast a shadow on the countertop. The under counter lighting will light the counter and the pendants will be more of an ambiance light depending on the fixture. If budget allows it, I like to add wall washers (or any directional light) over the island on either side of the pendants to help light the surface. If you have glass cabinetry you can light the interior of the cabinet from the front back. This is the best way to light a glass cabinet evenly. if you have a light in the top, you have to use glass shelving in order to light the entire cabinet, which the lighting will dissipate and not light the entire cabinet evenly.

There are also times you can add more decorative lighting then just pendants and hanging fixtures. Sometimes you can add scones or library style lights over a window. These are purely decorative and don’t provide enough lighting for your work surface, so keep that in mind when deciding on lighting layouts.

When deciding on in cabinet or under cabinet lighting, I always prefer an LED tape light. They can come in a variety of colors, warm, or cool lighting and even colored lights! I try and stay in the warmer tones, but its a personal preference when it comes to lighting colors. If you are using a polished countertop, try and use an extrusion or diffuser with the LED tape lights as you won’t see the reflection of the diodes (or the small light output). These add depth and will need to be accounted for when ordering your cabinetry.

Another question I am asked often is how low/high do you hang pendants or chandeliers. A good rule of thumb is anywhere from 30-40” above the countertop height. In some cases you may want it higher or lower depending on the room, how high the ceilings are, how big the fixture is, etc. I like to have pendants just high enough that you can see under them when standing, so that if you are entertaining you can still have a conversation with your guests.

As I mentioned earlier, not all lighting will lay out like this. It is always best to work with a professional whether it be a designer, architect, or lighting specialist to give you optimum lighting. There are always ways to make sure you light the space well enough to see, but also add accent lighting.

All images on this blog post were taken by Linda McManus Photography.