Lighting a kitchen is probably one of the most creative design challenges you’ll face at home. A kitchen has to be well-lit in order to prepare food just the right way, but it needs ambient and natural light to be inviting day in and day out. If you have an open plan kitchen that’s visible from your home’s main living spaces, that’s a whole challenge in itself. No worries! You’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together some great kitchen lighting fixture ideas that’ll balance utility and style for any open plan kitchen.

4 Lighting Tips and Ideas For Your Entire Kitchen

Kitchens are likely the most-lived in spaces in all of our homes. They’re where we start our days with a cup of coffee or tea and where we end up, gathering with friends and family for weeknight dinners and special occasions alike. Naturally, we all want to make them as warm and inviting as possible.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Plan your task lighting, accent lighting, and ambient lighting.
2. Consider lighting that looks great at any time of day.
3. Mix and match. There’s always a balance with a contrast of fixtures and styles.
4. Consult an electrician for complex wiring jobs. 

Three Types of Lighting Your Kitchen Needs

Before diving too deep into the creative rabbit hole of kitchen lighting fixture ideas, you’ll need to plan out the types of lighting that your kitchen needs:

• Task Lighting: This is the most focused and utilitarian lighting your kitchen will need. They won’t be the most prominent fixtures, but they should be the lights that help you read recipes and prepare food safely. Great task lighting can be found as commonly high-wattage recessed lighting overhead or under cabinets directly over countertops.
• Ambient Lighting: This is the main source of light for the room at night. Natural light is obviously great during the day, likewise light should be warm, pleasing to look at, and cast the entire room in an ambient glow.
• Accent Lighting: Accents like flush mount button lights or sconces are the flourishes that help balance your kitchen’s lighting. They can also help reduce glare or shadows in spaces left out by task and ambient lighting.

Ideas for Pendant Lighting Over a Kitchen Island

For open kitchens, pendant lights over an island are some of the most stylish kitchen lighting fixtures you can find. Pendant lights look amazing in any home, and their clean, minimal lines complement modern houses and more traditional interiors alike.

You can even design your own pendant light. What’ll make your pendant light stand out is the number of ports and the colors and finishes you choose. Stay minimal with one or two ports or go over the top with up to 17 ports!

Kitchen Table Lighting Ideas

If your kitchen has enough room for a table, include this area as part of your lighting design. Whether you love putting together a creative tablescape for holidays and special occasions or you just appreciate some soft lighting for weeknight dinners, consider these kitchen table lighting ideas:

• Customized Pendant Chandeliers
• Overhead pendant lights
• Plug-in pendant lights with a bulb cage
• Electric candles

Lighting Design for Creative Homes

Color Cord Company is the definitive leader in creative lighting for any home.

With a complete library of resources and tutorials, we want to help professionals and creatives everywhere find the best instructions and design inspiration to reinvent their spaces with.

We also have all the supplies you need to get started on your next project. Discover our signature cloth-covered electrical cord available in 75+ colors along with easy-to-install light fixtures, lamp parts, and light bulbs.

Want even more inspiration and lighting ideas for open kitchens? Check out the rest of our tutorials!