Don’t Cook Your Illumination: 5 Kitchen Lighting Mistakes to Avoid
A well-designed kitchen is a seamless blend of beauty and functionality. You’ve likely spent countless hours choosing the perfect countertop, the ideal cabinetry, and the right layout to make it work for you. But there’s one aspect that can make or break the entire space—and is hard to change down the road: your lighting.
Based on our years of experience creating custom lighting plans, we know that a great design can be diminished by subpar lighting. We’ve seen firsthand the most common regrets people have with their kitchen lighting choices. Here’s our guide to the five mistakes to avoid, and how to get it right.
1. Relying Solely on Overhead Lighting
One of the biggest lighting mistakes is relying on a single overhead fixture for the entire kitchen. A single light source often creates harsh, uninviting light that casts unwanted shadows, making it difficult to perform tasks and affecting the feel of the entire room.
The Solution: Great kitchen lighting requires a layered approach. We recommend layering different types of task and ambient lighting to create a better distribution of light. By adding under-cabinet lighting, decorative pendants, or wall sconces, you can achieve a more calming atmosphere and ensure every part of the kitchen is properly illuminated.
2. Skipping Dimmable Fixtures
Another frequent oversight is skipping dimmable fixtures, which limits your ability to create different moods. Dimmers are a simple addition to any room, and they have a surprisingly large impact on how you use your kitchen.
The Solution: Install dimmable switches for your kitchen lighting. This versatility allows you to cater the room’s mood to your needs. You can have bright, focused lighting for meal prepping and then easily adjust to a softer, more intimate glow for a quiet evening or a dinner party.
3. Not Paying Attention to Scale
Scale is a critical factor when choosing the right fixtures for your kitchen. A fixture that is too small for its space will get lost, while one that is too large can make the entire kitchen feel unbalanced and crowded.
The Solution: Take thorough measurements that consider the size of your island, the height of your ceilings, and the overall dimensions of your kitchen. When the scale is correct, your lighting will work as a sculptural, aesthetic component in the room while providing the function that layered lighting offers.
4. Ignoring Color Temperature
Color temperature is a subtle but impactful aspect of getting kitchen lighting just right. Choosing a color temperature that is too cool can make the entire room feel harsh and exposed, while one that is too warm can feel dingy and dated. Another common mistake is mixing color temperatures between different light sources (e.g., cool overhead lights and warm under-cabinet lights), which creates inconsistent and jarring lighting.
The Solution: We recommend choosing a consistent color temperature across all your lighting sources to create a cohesive feel. This ensures your kitchen feels inviting, balanced, and perfectly lit.
5. Forgetting Convenient Switch Placement
Forgetting to consider light switch placement will affect your everyday life in the kitchen. The final location of a switch should be based on your unique workflow and how you use the space, not just on what is convenient for the contractor during the wiring phase.
The Solution: We believe in a collaborative process. We work with you to review and finalize switching locations before we begin wiring, ensuring you can easily control all your lighting sources in the most convenient way possible. This helps us to get it right the first time.
