Team KBB

Where is the best place to put lighting in a kitchen?

Posted on 24th April 2025

Planning your new kitchen? It’s important to factor in lighting in the early stages of your project to ensure it is properly illuminated for cooking, dining, and socialising.

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and it has multiple uses, from preparing meals and entertaining to becoming a work-from-home spot or little ones’ play area. So, lighting is a key element in how well your space functions – and feels.

To help you figure out where to start lighting your kitchen, KBB journo Francesca Seden has put together her top tips…

Kitchen design with wood furniture, white cabinets, and layered lighting scheme. — The Butler collection in Anise and Tudor Oak, from £25,000, Tom Howley.

Types of lighting

When thinking about what lighting is needed for, and where it needs to go, there are three key elements: task, ambient and statement or decorative lighting.

Sycamore Lighting’s marketing manager, Angela James, says task lighting is essential for highlighting areas of the kitchen to be used for preparing food or cooking.

Kitchen island with three pendant lights above it and dark wood finishes. — Lodes Suspension lamp in Cream and Bronze, around £193.42 (226€), Nedgis.

Other lighting can then be added for interest, depending on your kitchen design. Modern task lighting usually comes in strip LED form and can be placed under cabinetry or inside breakfast cupboards.

But directional spotlights work well, too. By angling them to reflect off walls and cabinets, you direct the light in front of you, preventing shadows while you work. The main spotlighting also comes under this category, and it should illuminate the room evenly.

Drinks cabinet with automatic lighting. — Modern painted Shaker pantry, Higham Furniture. Kitchens start from £35,000. Photography: Paul Craig.

How many lights you need and how they’ll be positioned depends on the room’s size and architectural features. The main spotlights can be in the ambient section, too, just ensure they’re dimmable and that different circuits highlight certain features.)

Kitchen design with spotlights, pendants and under-cabinet lighting. — In this set-up by Sycamore Lighting, LED surface-mounted lights under the cabinets illuminate the worktop. LED strips under the island and within the shelving create ambience. The pendant adds additional interest.

The temperature

When choosing the lighting, its ‘temperature’ is important. Create warmth and light in a north-facing room by opting for an armed pendant light or one made of glass to enhance light reflection. “Pair this with a strategically placed mirror that captures natural light, and you’ll achieve a soft, warm glow from morning to night,” says Peter Legg, new products development manager at Där Lighting.

Classic cabinetry painted in blue with a freestanding wood island, butler sink and wall lights. — The balanced proportions of this kitchen tap are characteristic of Perrin & Rowe brassware. The Southbank monobloc sink mixer in Satin Brass is a simple single-lever mixer without a pull-down rinse. Priced £700.08.

Balance style and function

In terms of the placement of your statement lighting, consider the aesthetic value you can add to your kitchen. Bold pendants over the dining table or island create a focal point while enhancing the functionality of these zones. Alternatively, striking wall lights above kitchen counters can introduce unique lighting dimensions – ideal in smaller kitchens.

Lastly, you can use strip lights along plinths or under wall cupboards to add a touch of luxury when the main lights are down after the cooking is done.