How To Create The Best Kitchen Lighting

It wasn’t too long ago when the kitchen was meant simply for cooking, rather than a common area in the home. People would use their kitchen to cook and then clean up. Many people say the reason for this was due to poor lighting options in the past. It wasn’t as relaxing and pleasant to eat in these conditions, but things have clearly changed!

One of the more popular lighting options during the old days was hanging fluorescent tubes. They were placed in the middle of the ceiling to maximize light throughout the entire room. As bright as these lights were, they didn’t provide the cozy feel home owners were looking for.

Once lighting was changed in the kitchen, home owners started spending more time in this room with friends and family. The options now available for use in the kitchen have made it more appealing as a social room. The modern additions of things like kitchen islands and bars as well as flat screens in the kitchen make it more inviting.

The lighting has come a very long way since fluorescent light tubes, but most kitchens do miss some key aspects in properly lighting the kitchen. Most kitchens rely on recessed lighting now, which do a great job at lighting the room. However, these ceiling lights usually don’t provide enough light for other things like reading recipes or prepping food. The recessed ceiling lights will typically create a shadow hovering over the counter due to the way most walls and counter tops are positioned.

The most effective way to give off lighting in the kitchen is definitely ceiling lights, but you still need to provide the support of additional lights. There are several different styles and options to choose from.

Pendant lights and strip lighting (for wall units) are two of the most popular options. Pendant lights will give you some bright lights as they hang over your prep area or your breakfast bar while creating a chic look. Strip lights go great in or even under a wall unit to provide some extra light on the counters.

LED lighting will provide a great glow in your room. They even look great inside of a glass wall unit for a nice modern touch. LED lighting can be used as track lighting or as part of any of the options I mentioned above.

As you shop around, do not rush the process. There are many different ways to add light to your kitchen and once you’re complete with this project you’ll enjoy cooking and lounging in the kitchen even more!

See more of this author’s advice on items like the mini pendant lights and kitchen pendant lights.