Lighting Guide: The Kitchen

Lighting is a fundamental part of kitchen design. The right lighting transforms your kitchen from a bright, functional hub for cooking during the day to a cosy, welcoming space for evening catch-ups over wine or late-night snacks. To get that balance just right, you need a blend of technical planning and creativity. This guide will help you understand how to layer, style, and control your kitchen lighting like a pro.

1. Understanding the Layers of Light

A well-lit kitchen doesn’t rely on a single source of light - it’s all about layering. These layers will maximise functionality, helping transition the kitchen from day to night.

Ambient Lighting:
This is your base layer, the general light that fills the room and helps you navigate the space. Think recessed ceiling lights or a sleek central fixture. Ambient lighting sets the tone - bright and fresh during the day, softer and more ambient in the evening (especially if dimmable).

Task Lighting:
As the name suggests, task lighting lights areas for specific activities, offering focused light where precision is key. Kitchen task lighting can include pendant lights over an island or under-cabinet lights for countertop tasks. Think bright, shadow-free illumination where it matters most.

Accent Lighting:
Accent lighting adds depth and personality in an interior, whether it’s a subtle glow from cabinet lighting, wall sconces that highlight a tiled backsplash, or LED strips that create mood under floating shelves. It’s the final part that makes the room feel complete.

2. Kitchen Islands: A Statement with Purpose

The island is often the centrepiece of the kitchen, so it deserves lighting that’s both eye-catching and effective. Pendant lights are a firm favourite here; not only do they add style, but they provide much-needed task lighting for prep and dining. Here’s how to get the details just right:

How Many Lights?
It depends on the size of your island. For longer islands, go for a row of three or five pendants (odd numbers tend to look more balanced). For smaller islands, a single pendant or a cluster of mini pendants can do the trick. And don’t be afraid to think beyond pendants - a statement chandelier can work beautifully in the right space.

Size Matters
Choose fixtures that feel proportionate to your island. Oversized pendants can look stunning, but too many can overwhelm a smaller space. For a sleek look, try mixing a bold light with smaller, more understated fittings elsewhere in the room.

Get the Spacing Right
Leave around 18 to 24 inches between each pendant to keep things looking balanced and intentional. You want your lights to feel evenly distributed - not too crowded, not too sparse.

Perfect Height
Hang your pendants about 30 to 36 inches above the countertop.  It’s the sweet spot that gives you ample task lighting without blocking sight lines or conversation.

03. The Bulb Lowdown

Given the practical nature of this space, kitchens require a higher level of light. Choose LED bulbs with a high lumen output - these bulbs are energy-efficient and bright, making them perfect for the kitchen.

Pick bulbs with a colour temperature between 2,700-3000 Kelvins. This range will give you a nice, clear light that’s perfect for cooking and preparing meals but also warm enough to carry you through to cosy evenings. Here at Heathfield & Co, we love Tala light bulbs. 

04. Smart Control: Circuits & Dimmers

Lighting isn’t one-size-fits-all and your control setup should reflect that. Breaking up your lighting into different circuits gives you the flexibility to light your kitchen based on how you're using it.

• Ambient lighting (like ceiling spots or flush fixtures) should be on its own circuit - ready to light up the whole space with one switch.
• Pendant lights over the island or dining area deserve a separate switch so you can control them independently.
• Accent lighting, like under-cabinet strips or shelf LEDs, should be on their own circuit too, giving you the option to turn them on for a soft glow when the rest of the lights are off.

Dimmers are your best friend. Adding dimmer switches gives you full control over brightness levels, letting you shift from task-focused intensity to relaxed ambiance with ease. All our products are compatible with dimming systems proving the correct light bulbs are used.