Kitchen Lighting Ideas That Shine in Style

Kitchens are ground zero for delectable meals, family gatherings, and creative design opportunities, which means they should certainly shine. Enter: kitchen lighting ideas, an essential prerequisite for cheffing it up. From ornamental pendants to unobtrusive track lighting, the options for kitchen light fixtures are endless. Today's top designers have predictably led the way in illuminating different design possibilities, proving that sconces, blinged-out chandeliers, and dimmers all have a seat at the kitchen table.

Just like living rooms and bedrooms, the tried and true rules of layered lighting apply to the kitchen. By intentionally layering light, you can harness that power and create a well-lit, well-balanced kitchen interior. To start, employ task lighting like sconces and chic lamps above cooking hot spots for more clarity. Next up, evenly-dispersed ambient lighting can help further create balance. And, of course, don’t discount a statement piece. Be it a tole chandelier or a Murano glass fixture, statement lighting can work in a kitchen, too.

Read More : How to Choose the Right Amount and Types of Lighting

If you’re currently in the midst of cooking up a lighting scheme for your own kitchen, here are 35 kitchens that exemplify a considered and purposeful approach to lighting. Get inspired by how these designers lit up these kitchens, whether you have a small layout or a space with low ceilings.

Out of the Blue
For a sleek mid-century modern-inspired kitchen, Brian Watford suspended a trio of glass globe pendant lights above a marble-topped kitchen island.

Minty Fresh
In this farmhouse-inspired kitchen designed by Young Huh, mint green cabinetry provides a striking backdrop for a trifecta of simple glass pendants.

Be In The Pink
Red pendants lend the perfect amount of vibrancy to this coral kitchen designed by Elizabeth Drake.

Mix and Match
Playfulness is on full display in this ultra-patterned kitchen designed by Bachman Brown.

Easy Breezy
The navy blue and gold-accented island steals the show in this sun-filled kitchen designed by Creative Tonic, while a quintuplet of sconces provide directed countertop light.

Struck Gold
In this sophisticated kitchen designed by Beth Webb, gold pendants blend seamlessly with a mosaic backsplash and weathered wood island.

Old Fashioned
Vintage hanging lanterns impose Victorian-esque charm in this sunny and airy kitchen teed up by Dodson Interiors.

Double Duty
In this kitchen cued up by Douglas C. Wright, a shaded pendant illuminates the wood kitchen island, while a gold picture light sheds light on a book-filled hutch.