A kitchen works best with three layers of light. Ambient light fills the room, task light falls on the counters, sink and island where you cook, and accent light adds warmth to shelves, cabinets and the ceiling. Plan all three together and the room works as well at 7 am as it does at dinner.
Island pendants
Hang island pendants 30–36 inches above the countertop and space them 24–30 inches apart. As a rule, use two pendants on islands up to 6 feet and three on longer islands. A single linear pendant works well over islands of 7 feet or more.
Recessed lighting
Recessed downlights give even ambient light without taking headroom. Space them about half the ceiling height apart – roughly 4 feet on an 8-foot ceiling – and keep them 24–30 inches from the wall so the light lands on the counter, not behind you.
Under-cabinet lighting
Upper cabinets cast a shadow right where you chop. LED strips mounted near the front edge of the cabinet light the whole counter evenly and use very little power.
Color temperature
Choose 3000K for a warm, welcoming kitchen or 3500K for a brighter, cleaner look. Keep every fixture in the room at the same color temperature so the layers blend.
Dimmers
Put pendants and downlights on separate dimmers. You get bright light for cooking and a softer glow for eating, with the same fixtures.
