45 Kitchen Lighting Ideas to Brighten Your Space in Style
Ranging from modern to farmhouse, find the best lighting fixtures for your layout.
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The kitchen is considered the "heart of the home" for a reason — it's the central gathering place for family and friends, plus it's where you spend hours preparing and enjoying your favorite meals. Not only can lighting completely transform a kitchen design, but choosing the right fixtures make food prep, cooking and cleaning much easier. Whether you've got a small kitchen setup or spacious open-concept layout, we've rounded up kitchen lighting ideas for every home size and style.
From ornamental pendants to unobtrusive track lighting, the options for kitchen light fixtures are endless. Think striking chandeliers over the kitchen island, sleek wall sconces above shelving and retro-inspired flush mounts (a great option for low ceilings). No matter if your style is modern, country, industrial or minimal, we've found lighting ideas that will add personality to your space. And don't be afraid to let lighting be your focal point — especially with fixtures over the kitchen island.
As with any interior, it's important to layer lighting in the kitchen — which means using multiple light fixtures to ensure a balanced, well-lit room. Use ambient lighting, like chandeliers or flush mounts, as the kitchen's primary light source. Employ task lighting like LED strips under uppers cabinets to illuminate your cooking space. Next, incorporate accent lights, like picture lights or wall sconces. Don't worry: If you're not sure where to start, steal inspiration from these stylish kitchens that prioritize proper lighting.
Alicia Mies is an editorial intern at Chairish, an online marketplace for vintage home decor. Before covering interior design for Chairish, she completed journalism internships at local newspapers and earned her B.A. in Urban Studies from Brown University. She is based in the Bay Area where she eats plenty of pho and Korean barbecue.
Alyssa Gautieri (she/her) is the associate lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers all things home and interior design. Prior to joining GH in 2022, she wrote for publications including ELLE Decor, Chairish, BobVila.com, Unique Homes Magazine and LODGING Magazine, in addition to crafting product copy for home brands like BrylaneHome and VIGO Industries.
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