Kitchen lighting ideas and recommendations

Step 1. A little bit of lighting math

The key to the good lighting in your kitchen is to find a balance between practical and ambient lighting. The key to a stylish kitchen is to find a pendant that is neither too small nor too large, and will blend in with other lighting fixtures and the interior as a whole. We will tell you how to choose the perfect kitchen pendant in terms of design, size and material, as well as how to plan a lighting scheme for comfortable cooking and cozy meals.

Going to the store thinking "I want a chandelier or pendant" is quite risky. The lighting may come out too bright or dim.
To understand how much lamp power you need and how much should be in a future pendant, you can: Use special online calculators like Dialux (they are free). They require a lot of data to be entered, but they give the most accurate recommendations for lighting power.
You can also do the calculations yourself, focusing on the recommendations from AS/NZS 1680: Interior & Workplace Lighting.

Step 2. Decide on the size and type of kitchen pendant

For a kitchen with low ceilings (2.4-2.6 m, or even lower in New Zealand), you should consider buying low or short pendant kitchen lights. Or, as an alternative, it is better to check on ceiling spotlights, wall lights, floor lamps and even table lamps for some type of the kitchens.

By the way, the ceiling light doesn't always have to be small for low ceilings. A flat, but sweeping kitchen pendant will look much more harmonious and might even expand the space visually.

If the ceiling height is 2.7 m and more, then the kitchen pendant can be the main dominant in the interior.
The most common mistake is choosing a pendant of small sizes for your kitchen if it has got high ceilings.
You should not be ashamed of choosing a slightly larger kitchen pendant - the larger model always looks more harmonious in spacious rooms. As an alternative option, you can fit multiple small ones on high hanger.

Step 3. Looking for a perfect space to install the kitchen pendant

The size of any kitchen pendant largely depends on its location. For example, if a lamp hangs over a table, island or bar counter, then it can be large and high. Mainly, that is because in such places no one can hurt their head. But, it is important to remember that the light from a kitchen pendant should not hit the eyeballs of those sitting at the table.

Usually, pendants are hung above the table at a distance of 70-90 cm.
A small kitchen will seem more spacious if you place several lamps along the walls around the perimeter of the room. It can be any lamps: floor lamps, wall lights, table lamps, spotlights.

This trick works best for kitchens with bright walls

To visually expand a narrow kitchen, you need to install wall lights or spotlights along one wall. Luminaires lined up in the middle of the ceiling will further narrow the space.

Step 4. Choosing the design and style of the kitchen pendant

The choice of a kitchen pendant design depends on the style of the interior and the atmosphere you want to create.

For classic and neoclassical kitchens:

For a festive classic kitchen, especially spacious and with high ceilings, a crystal kitchen pendant suits the best. The more pendants combined on one base, the more elegant the interior will turn out in the end.
If the classical style is flexible, then you can pick up a kitchen pendant with soft lamp shades or in the Flemish style, possibly made of wood or aged metal

For rustic kitchens:

For kitchens in Provence and country style, the great option would be to pick kitchen pendants made of forged metal and/or with ceramic shades. However, aged bronze/brass and crystal pendants would look stylish as well. For a country-style interior, a Tiffany-style pendant is also suitable.
If the classical style is flexible, then you can pick up a kitchen pendant with soft lamp shades or in the Flemish style, possibly made of wood or aged metal

For contemporary kitchens

For a modern kitchen, you can choose a kitchen pendant with a slick design - smooth or, conversely, strict geometric lines made of metal, glass and/or plastic.
A modern-style kitchen pendant can resemble a real art object or be very modest in shape but vibrant in color.

For loft-style kitchens

Kitchen pendants with incandescent bulbs without shades, as well as any ceiling or wall lamps made of metal (except for gold, perhaps), will perfectly fit into a loft-style interior. Luminaires with a directional light and an adjustable tripod will also work well.
A modern-style kitchen pendant can resemble a real art object or be very modest in shape but vibrant in color.

Step 5. Take kitchen light materials into account

When choosing a kitchen pendant, keep in mind that the lower it hangs, the better the materials, parts and fittings from which it is made should be. A low-hanging pendant should be good both on the outside and on the inside. If it hangs high, then buying a model from expensive materials is not necessary. For example, a crystal pendant can be replaced with a pendant with glass or even plastic pendants. The plastic hanging on the ceiling will not be scratched, but it will not age beautifully like real crystal.
A pendant in the kitchen, of course, should be practical and easy to clean, because periodically it needs to be cleaned of the inevitable greasy deposits and dust. Therefore, a glass or plastic model is preferable to a fabric one. Paper lamps are the most impractical as they cannot be cleaned without damaging them. A wooden pendant will work, but it should be varnished and a metal pendant with mastic. But lamps made of forged metal are difficult to wipe off dust, since they have a lot of bends and curls. Simple, geometric glass or plastic ceiling lights are perfect for the kitchen and are easy to maintain.

Important tips if you are on a Kitchen planning stage

You need to plan a kitchen lighting scheme before installation
It is best to do this at a stage when the location of the cooking area, dining table and storage area has already been determined.
The secret to a nice lighting in the kitchen is to use more than one light source at different levels
One central kitchen pendant on the ceiling creates harsh shadows, reduces space and makes it feeling uncomfortable. Add to it at least one wall light, floor lamp or other source of the light for the cooking area, and the interior will be transformed dramatically.
The temperature of the light in the cooking and other areas should be different
LED bulbs can produce warm, neutral or cold light. The ideal light for the work area is neutral white (as close as possible to natural daylight) or slightly cold. You should choose a shade that is not too cold, so under it the food would not look unappetizing. For lighting of the dining area and general lighting, it is better to choose yellowish or white warm light.
It is important to respect the safety distances
A few examples: Any lamp, socket, switch and wire must be at least 60 cm from a sink and water communications. Recessed ceiling lights should be installed at intervals of at least 30–40 cm from each other. A distance of at least 20 cm must be maintained from the corner of the wall to the luminaire.

Additional tips and ideas

When choosing a pendant for the kitchen, try to take into account the style of the lamps in other rooms as well. They do not have to be the same or selected from the same collection, but it is better that they have something to unite. For example, all lighting fixtures in a home may have bronze details to match the door handles.