Indiana Pendant light, photo courtesy of perigold.com
The busiest room of the house no doubt requires the most attention to detail when it comes to lighting. Whether you’re dicing celery for soup or hovering over the kids’ homework at the island, the kitchen is the place where most of life happens. With that said, it is prudent to approach lighting in the kitchen in terms of layering for functionality, ambiance, and energy efficiency.
Katie Rainey of Katie Rainey Design of Annapolis works closely with her clients to ensure their kitchen designs are not only efficient and beautiful, but that they coordinate and complement their lifestyle.
“For layering kitchen lighting, I always emphasize a mix of task and ambient lighting to ensure both function and beauty,” Rainey says. “Task lighting, like focused pendants over an island or under-cabinet lights, ensures that prep work is easy and efficient.”
Photo courtesy of Katie Rainey Designs
On Trend
Following a time-honored recipe that starts with general illumination or what experts call “ambient” lighting, and adding in task, and then finally accent lighting, creates that layered approach.
Ambient lighting includes recessed lighting, flush-mount or semi-flush ceiling fixtures, large pendent, or even a chandelier (if space allows), and cove lighting for indirect illumination. Ambient lighting—whether from recessed fixtures, statement pendants, or even sconces—adds depth and creates a warm, inviting atmosphere.
linear pendant, photo courtesy of pooky.com
Top: Alondra Chandelier, photo courtesy of lightopia.com. Bottom: Oakley Ring Chandelier, photo courtesy crystalramalights.com.
When it comes to task lighting, pendants allow the best opportunity to inject the homeowner’s style and personality into the space. And the trend here to create a wow factor with statement lighting over an island or in a breakfast area is more popular than ever.
Rainey follows a mindful rule of thumb when concepting this type of lighting package for clients. “For kitchen island lighting, I’m really drawn to fixtures that offer a refined coastal influence—pieces that feel organic and timeless rather than overly ‘beachy,’ Rainey says. “With so many kitchens opening up to the rest of the home and capturing water views, lighting plays a crucial role in defining the space while maintaining an airy, natural flow.”
Pendant lights crafted from rattan, abaca, and seagrass are becoming popular because they add texture and warmth while complementing the surrounding landscape.
It’s All About the Proportions
Unless you’re working with an interior expert, choosing and hanging pendants above your island can be a tricky enterprise, so grab your ruler and learn the golden rules!
An accurate measurement of the space you will be lighting is required to ensure that the fixtures will work proportionally with the task area below and provide the optimal amount of light. Start by measuring the length and width of your island, so you can easily determine how many pendants you will need and the spacing that should go in between each.
Determine your hanging height by measuring the height of the island surface to the ceiling. To keep them from being too low or too high, stay in the standard span of 30 to 36 inches above your island countertop as your guide. To determine what size and scale your pendants should be, a general rule of thumb is to choose a fixture that is approximately one-third the width of your island.
Tip: Choosing a linear pendant or large chandelier as a fixture offers the advantage of creating a statement piece and provides even lighting from a single junction box.
When hanging multiple pendants make certain each fixture is spaced 26 to 30 inches apart for even spacing, and reserve 6 to 12 inches on each side between your pendant and the edge of your island.
On Task
Task lighting doesn’t always come from above, either. Many lifestyle situations can benefit from fixtures that illuminate less obvious places.
“One of my favorite recommendations for task lighting in both kitchens and bathrooms—something I’ve been specifying in all my new build and renovation projects lately—is toe-kick lighting,” Rainey explains. “It adds incredible functionality for clients of all ages, especially when it comes to individual lifestyle needs.”
In the kitchen, it provides a lighted path for open-plan scenarios when task lighting goes off after kitchen clean-up is done and you’re putting the living space to use. Plus, it adds a built-in nightlight for inevitable midnight snacking, and aesthetic appeal.
Accent lighting provides that final layer of polish to a room. If you have glass-front cabinetry adding LED strip lighting allows you to keep your favorite dishware and other keepsakes and collectibles on full-display day or night.
Upper left: Photo courtesy of aspectled.com; Bottom left: Photo courtesy of kateiraineydesigns.com; Right: Photo courtesy of sherwinwilliams.com
Probably the biggest trend in accent lighting right now in addition to decorative pendants, are eye-catching sconces. Like attractive bookends in a library, paired sconces on either side of the kitchen sink window put charm and style on overload.
Options in this category improve year over year as demand for customization and personalization of prime living spaces accelerates. Some designs we have seen don’t even require a nearby electrical outlet, as they run on re-chargeable bulbs, or light cells. One manufacturer, Pooky lighting, offers a variety of cordless base styles and a collection of shades that make installation a charming no-brainer.
Something we always feel adds that extra layer of style and panache to a kitchen is free-standing counter lighting in table-lamp form.
Another accent lighting option that many homeowners tend to overlook but shouldn’t, says Rainey, are dimmer switches.
“A key takeaway many homeowners might not realize is how essential dimmers are; they allow you to shift the lighting to suit everything from morning coffee prep to evening entertaining,” she adds.
And dimmers are not only versatile, but they’re also known for their energy-efficiency. Simply put, the less bright the light, the less energy it uses.
Not to mention, you can come off looking like the brightest bulb when you opt to wire and control your lighting options from your tablet or phone. Once installed, these on-the-go applications are probably the greatest innovation in residential lighting overall, which can make the place where most of life happens, the easiest place to manage.
