Kitchen lighting: combining practicality and atmosphere

Three zones, three kinds of light

A kitchen needs more light than the other rooms, but not everywhere. There are three distinct zones:

• The worktop, where you chop and cook: strong, shadow-free light, around 300–500 lux.
• General lighting, for moving around, putting things away and cleaning.
• The island or the table, where meals are shared: warmer light, often decorative.

Each zone has its own circuit: you cook under bright, clear light, then dine under the pendants alone.

A shadow-free worktop

The most common mistake is spotlights in the middle of the ceiling. When you cook, you have your back to the room and your body casts a shadow over the worktop. The solution: light the area in front of you.

• Under the wall cabinets, an LED strip in an aluminium profile with a diffuser, fitted towards the front of the cabinet so that it lights the whole worktop right up to the splashback without being seen.
• Without wall cabinets, a row of ceiling spotlights aligned above the front edge of the worktop.
• Near the sink and the cooker hood, spotlights that withstand splashes and steam.

For the worktop, 3000–4000 K light stays crisp without being cold. Aim for a CRI (Ra) of 90 or higher: food, meat and vegetables keep their true colours.

The island and the table: pendants at the right height

Above an island, hang the pendants about 75–90 cm above the surface. Two or three pendants spaced 60–80 cm apart, centre to centre, or a single linear pendant will cover a standard island. Leave a margin of about fifteen centimetres at each end so that the light does not spill over.

Above a dining table, allow about 70–80 cm above the tabletop. Choose warm light (2700–3000 K) and, if possible, a dimmer: dinner takes on a softer, gentler feel.

General lighting and atmosphere

For general lighting, a few recessed spotlights or a magnetic track are enough, ideally running along the cabinets rather than in the centre. For atmosphere, an LED strip in the plinth under the base units, or under the overhang of the island, gives a soft light that is perfect in the evening or at night for pouring a glass of water without switching everything on.

Display cabinets and open shelves can take a strip in a profile: crockery and objects become part of the decor.

Planning the controls

• One circuit for the worktop, one for the island or table, one for atmosphere.
• A switch near each entrance to the kitchen.
• A dimmer on the table pendants.
• A sensor in the storeroom or pantry.
• LED strip power supplies kept accessible, never shut away without ventilation.