Kitchen Lighting Ideas
When it comes to deciding which choice of kitchen lighting is right for you, it can be quite tricky and one of the hardest things to get right. There are many different options when it comes to kitchen lights, and each lighting option has different uses and needs.
Kitchen Lighting at a Glance
Good kitchen lighting is layered rather than a single source. It combines three types: ambient lighting for a soft overall glow, task lighting to light worktops and prep areas properly, and accent lighting to highlight features and add drama. On the bulbs themselves the choice has simplified considerably, because most halogen bulbs were banned from sale in the UK in September 2021 and most fluorescent lighting followed in September 2023, leaving LED as the standard. LED is the most energy efficient option, lasts longest, runs cool and comes in a wide range of colour temperatures. At Handmade Kitchen Company we design lighting into bespoke cabinetry from the start.
The three types of kitchen lighting
Lighting generally falls into three different categories, and a well-designed kitchen uses all three together rather than relying on any one of them.
Ambient
Ambient lighting gives off a soft, natural glow which is not too harsh on your eyes. It creates a comfortable atmosphere and is often referred to as 'mood lighting'. Ambient lighting can be achieved with track or recessed lights and dimmers.
Task
Task lighting illuminates particular areas of your kitchen where you will perform tasks such as cooking and cleaning. It is usually placed under cabinets, so it brightens up the worktops where you cook and prepare food. Task lighting includes downlights, pendant lighting and directional recessed fixtures.
Accent
Accent lighting creates more drama and draws attention to specific areas or objects in your kitchen. Popular types of accent lighting include recessed lights, track lights and lighting built into glass-fronted cabinets or open shelving.
Which bulbs should you choose?
This is an area where the answer has changed. For years the choice was between LED, halogen and fluorescent, and each had its trade-offs. UK regulations have since removed most of that choice. The sale of most halogen bulbs was banned in the UK from 1 September 2021, and most fluorescent lighting followed from September 2023, both as part of measures to cut energy use and carbon emissions. In practice that makes LED the standard choice for a new kitchen, which is no bad thing, as it was already the best performer on efficiency and lifespan.
LED lighting
LED lights make your kitchen look modern and simplistic whilst giving it a warm atmospheric glow. LEDs such as plinth lights are significantly small low-level lights that are generally installed into kitchen kick boards and under kitchen worktops. They fit in neatly with the surrounding décor and are highly popular as they can be a decorative feature themselves. Plinth lights are not too overpowering so they give your kitchen just enough light to see clearly without the intense brightness. A key feature of LED lights is that they are available in many different colours and tones. This is great for matching your kitchen colour scheme and adds personalisation. They also work wonders for highlighting different colours and textures in your kitchen, particularly your floor. Around 80% of the electricity used by an LED becomes light rather than heat, so very little energy is wasted and the bulbs run cool. They are durable and long lasting, the light they produce is close to natural, and there are different options such as warm white, cool white, pure white and natural white. You also have the option of coloured lights, which are brilliant for setting a theme or specific atmosphere.
What about halogen and fluorescent?
Halogen bulbs produced a warm, natural glow and reached full brightness instantly, which made them popular for kitchen spotlights. They were cheap to buy but expensive to run, converting most of the energy they used into heat rather than light. Most were withdrawn from sale in September 2021. Fluorescent lighting was more efficient than halogen and often chosen for its sleek, decorative fittings, but it contains mercury, which is hazardous if a tube breaks. Most fluorescent lighting was withdrawn from sale in September 2023. If you have existing halogen or fluorescent fittings, you do not have to remove them, and replacement bulbs for some specialist types remain available. When they do fail, though, an LED equivalent is almost always the sensible replacement.
Planning lighting into a bespoke kitchen
Lighting is far easier to get right when it is planned alongside the cabinetry rather than added afterwards. Wiring for plinth lights, under-cabinet strips and lighting inside glass-fronted cabinets all needs to be considered at the design stage. Our guide to
goes into more detail on the options built into the furniture itself.
Kitchen Lighting FAQs
What are the three types of kitchen lighting?
Ambient, task and accent. Ambient provides the soft overall glow, task lights the worktops and prep areas so you can work safely, and accent draws attention to particular features. A good scheme layers all three so you can change the mood of the room.
Are halogen bulbs still available in the UK?
Most are not. The sale of most halogen bulbs was banned in the UK from 1 September 2021, with some specialist types exempt. Existing fittings can stay in place, but LED is the standard replacement.
Are fluorescent lights banned in the UK?
Most fluorescent lighting was withdrawn from sale from September 2023, including common tube types. As with halogen, existing installations can remain, but new kitchens are lit with LED.
What is the best lighting for kitchen worktops?
Under-cabinet task lighting is the most effective, because it puts light directly onto the surface you are working on rather than casting your own shadow across it. LED strips are the usual choice, and they can be dimmed to double as ambient lighting in the evening.
Where does Handmade Kitchen Company design kitchens?
We design, hand-build and hand-paint bespoke kitchens, with lighting planned into the cabinetry, from our workshop in Essex, for clients across Essex, Hertfordshire and North London. Choosing the correct lighting for your kitchen is vital for setting the mood and atmosphere and for carrying out practical tasks. If you would like any more information about your kitchen lighting options, then please do not hesitate to contact us. We also have a fully functioning showroom where you can see different ranges of kitchen lighting in action. We look forward to hearing from you.
