Lighting is one of the most commonly under-planned parts of a kitchen renovation. It’s easy to focus on cabinets, benchtops and finishes and treat lighting as an afterthought — but retrofitting lighting after a kitchen is installed is far more disruptive and expensive than planning it up front. The position of downlights, the colour temperature you choose, and where power is run for pendants or under-cabinet strips all need to be decided before cabinetry goes in, not after.
Why Lighting Needs to Be Planned Early
Electrical work — new cable runs, recesses for LED strips, switch positions — is far easier to do before walls are closed up and cabinets are fitted. If lighting is added as an afterthought, you’re often limited to whatever positions are already accessible, which rarely gives the best result. Raise your lighting plan with your designer at the same time as your cabinet layout, not after it’s finalised.
Warm or Cool Light: Why the Colour Matters
The colour temperature of your globes affects how the space feels, not just how it looks in photos:
- Cool/white light (around 4000K) is closer to daylight, keeps the space feeling alert and functional, and suits task areas like the bench and stove.
- Warm light (around 2700–3000K) is more relaxed and works well for ambient or decorative fixtures, especially in an open-plan kitchen that flows into a living area.
Mixing both isn’t a mistake — task lighting over the bench can run cooler while a pendant over the island runs warmer — but it’s worth deciding this deliberately rather than defaulting to whatever globes came with the fittings.
The Five Layers of Kitchen Lighting
A kitchen that only has one type of light source — usually a grid of downlights — tends to feel flat and can leave shadows exactly where you need light most. A well-lit kitchen typically layers several types together:
Ambient lighting sets the overall light level in the room. Relying on downlights alone often creates shadows over the bench from your own body as you work; spacing them properly, or adding a secondary source, avoids this.
Task lighting is essential over food prep areas. Overhead cabinets cast shadows onto the benchtop below them — LED strip lighting fitted under the cabinets is the most common fix, since it lights the work surface directly rather than from across the room.
Accent lighting highlights specific features — a splashback, open shelving, or a feature wall — rather than lighting the whole room. It’s easy to skip because it’s not “necessary,” but it’s usually what makes a kitchen feel finished rather than just functional.
Decorative lighting — pendants, chandeliers — adds style in its own right, separate from how much light it actually throws. Choose these for how they look in the space, and let the other layers handle the actual lighting load.
Natural light should be planned around too, particularly for how it interacts with your finishes. Direct sun on dark cabinetry or stone can cause fading or heat buildup over time — window treatments or glazing choices can manage this without blocking the light entirely.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- A single central light fitting, which throws shadows across the workspace instead of lighting it evenly.
- No task lighting under wall cabinets, leaving the benchtop in shadow from the cabinets above.
- Choosing decorative pendants that don’t match the style of an adjoining open-plan living area.
- Leaving lighting decisions until after cabinetry is installed, when running new cable is far more disruptive.
Planning Lighting as Part of Your Renovation
Lighting works best when it’s planned alongside your cabinet layout rather than bolted on afterwards — cabinet height, bench depth and where appliances sit all affect where task and accent lighting should go. If you’re working through a kitchen renovation with us, this is something we talk through at the design stage, so electrical provisions are in place before cabinetry is fitted.
FAQ
What colour temperature should kitchen lighting be?
Cooler light (around 4000K) suits task areas like the bench, while warmer light (2700–3000K) suits ambient or decorative fixtures. Many kitchens mix both deliberately.
Do I need under-cabinet lighting?
If you have wall cabinets above your benchtop, yes — without it, the cabinets cast a shadow over exactly where you need the most light.
When should I plan my kitchen lighting?
At the same time as your cabinet design, before any electrical work is finalised. Retrofitting lighting after installation is far more disruptive.
Can I mix different lighting styles in an open-plan kitchen?
Yes, but keep the overall style consistent with the adjoining living space so the transition doesn’t feel jarring, especially with dimmed ambient lighting in the evening.
