How to Plan Lighting for a Kitchen Renovation

Kitchen renovations can be incredibly exciting: the mood boards coming to life, the tile samples covering every surface, and the dream of a beautifully designed space starting to take shape.

But amidst the thrill of choosing worktops and cabinet colours, there’s one crucial detail that is often left until the very last minute: the lighting.

Too often, kitchen lighting is treated as an afterthought – something to sort out right before the plastering happens. But leaving it late can result in harsh shadows over your prep spaces, lighting that doesn’t quite fit the scale of the room, or a space that feels flat when the sun goes down.

To create a space that feels as good as it looks, your lighting needs to be planned early. In this kitchen lighting guide, we’ll walk you through how to approach your layout and create a considered lighting scheme that works beautifully for everything from morning coffees to evening dinner parties.

Why does planning your lighting matter so much?

When it comes to the most important kitchen renovation tips, planning your lighting before your electrician begins their ‘first-fix’ is at the top of the list.

First-fix is the stage where all the hidden wiring is put into your walls and ceilings, long before the plasterboard goes up. If you wait until your cabinets are being fitted to decide where your pendant lights should hang, it’s usually too late (or very expensive) to move the wiring.

By planning your kitchen lighting layout early, you ensure:

• Light falls exactly where you need it for cooking and prepping
• You have the right number of switches in the most practical places
• You can create different moods for different times of the day

The importance of layered lighting for a beautiful kitchen

Understanding a few basic lighting concepts makes a big difference when designing your kitchen. Rather than relying on a single row of bright ceiling spotlights, the best spaces use a technique called ‘layering’.

Layering your lighting involves including three different types of lighting in your scheme:

1. Task lighting

Task lighting is your focused, functional light. In a kitchen, you need clear, bright illumination over your worktops, hob, and sink so you can chop and cook safely. Under-cabinet LED strips and carefully placed wall lights are perfect for this.

2. Ambient lighting

This is your base layer of light, providing overall illumination so you can move around comfortably. Dimmable ceiling spotlights or flush mounts usually provide the ambient layer, replacing natural daylight when evening sets in.

3. Accent and mood lighting

This is where your kitchen’s personality shines. Accent lighting highlights architectural features, open shelving, or artwork. Mood lighting focuses on how the space feels. It could be low-hung pendants over a dining space or a small table lamp tucked onto a side counter to create a soft, inviting glow.

For more guidance on layering your lighting and why it matters, see our guide on how to create a layered lighting scheme.

Image courtesy of Amazing Productions

How to get your kitchen island lighting right

The island is the natural centre of a modern kitchen. It’s where you prep meals, answer emails, and gather with friends. Because it draws the eye, it’s the perfect place for statement lighting – but getting the scale and spacing right can sometimes feel tricky.

Here are a few simple simple rules to hang your kitchen island lights just right:

• The height: As a general rule, hang your pendant lights so the bottom of the shade sits around 75cm to 90cm above the worktop. This keeps them out of your eye line while you’re chatting, but low enough to feel intentional and intimate.
• The spacing: Leave around 60cm to 75cm of space between each pendant so they don’t feel cluttered.
• The edges: Make sure the pendants on the outside sit at least 30cm in from the edge of your island.

Tip: If your island is on the smaller side (under two metres), two larger statement pendants often look much more balanced than squeezing in three smaller ones.

Image courtesy of @callertonkitchens

Choosing the right switches and dimmers

Be sure not to overlook your light switches: these are just as important as the lighting itself. If you wire all of your kitchen lights to a single switch, you lose control over the atmosphere. You’re forced to choose between practical brightness or total darkness.

Instead, ask your electrician to put your different layers on separate, dimmable circuits. This allows you to have your bright task lights on while cooking, and then dim the ceiling lights and rely on the soft glow of your island pendants when it’s time to eat.

Swapping standard white plastic switches for more high-end alternatives is also an incredibly effective way to transform your kitchen on a budget. It adds an instant touch of luxury to the room that you will physically interact with every single day.

Don’t forget to choose the right materials and finishes

When choosing your fixtures, think about how the materials and finishes will feel alongside your cabinetry and hardware.

If you have deep green or navy cabinets, warm metallics like solid brass and antique copper add beautiful warmth and contrast. If you prefer a more minimalist Japandi or Scandi feel, soft linen shades, natural wood, or smoked glass can help soften the room.

Choosing designs that make a difference turns your lighting from purely practical into the focal point of your kitchen.

Your kitchen lighting checklist

Before you sign off your layout with your electrician, run through these questions to make sure nothing has been missed:

• Have you planned task lighting directly over your main prep areas?
• Are your island pendant wires positioned based on where the island will actually sit, not just the centre of the room?
• Are your ceiling spotlights spaced away from the cabinets so they don’t cast shadows while you work?
• Have you included dimmer switches to control the mood?
• Do your switch finishes match your cabinet handles, plug sockets, and taps?

You don’t need to be an interior designer to get your lighting right. By planning early, understanding your layers, and choosing fixtures that bring you joy, you can create a kitchen that is practical by day and atmospheric by night.

Ready to find the perfect fixtures for your project? Shop kitchen lighting

Related guides

• Guide to the best kitchen lighting
• Kitchen makeover ideas

Featured image courtesy of @callertonkitchens