Top 50 Best Kitchen Island Lighting Ideas – Interior Light Fixtures
The kitchen island is the centerpiece of any great kitchen.
The kitchen island affords one ample space to create and savor the joys of cooking, as well as entertain and enjoy the company of guests.
Such a luxury deserves equally beautiful lighting, and today’s leading lovers of cuisine and interior design alike have created the best in kitchen lighting, which naturally includes the kitchen island.
A well-lit kitchen island ensures safety and clarity while prepping and cooking. It also allows the chef to show off his talents while keeping his companion equally engaged. Island lighting can lend ambiance to nighttime dinner parties, as well as a cheerful openness during morning feasts.
While dome fixtures evoke a vintage main street diner, recessed LED lights are ideal for islands with accompanying overhangs for pots and pans. A well-placed industrial bulb casts a chic factory air, while the nouveau light fixture is available in all artistic renditions. Great kitchen lighting gives you a chance to turn your kitchen into a personal gallery.
It’s no secret that lighting can transform a space entirely, either lifting it from dismal regularity or elevating it to unimaginable new heights. The kitchen is undoubtedly the heart of the home, where memories are made over mouthwatering cuisine.
Such a sacred place deserves to be cast in the best possible light. To spark your creativity, we’ve come up with the best kitchen lighting ideas. You’ll soon be able to create something equally special in your home. Let’s get started!
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1. Pendant Lights
Pendant lighting is the most common way to light up a kitchen island. These look fantastic and hang from the ceiling just over your island. They can be in many different styles of light fixture but usually have a lamp that focuses the light down below.
Depending on the size of your kitchen, you’ll probably need more than just one pedant light as you’ll want enough light to cover your whole area. For the most versatile and elegant of kitchen lighting ideas, you can’t go wrong with pendant lights.
2. Task Lighting
Task lighting is where you have lights directed over one specific area so you can do that task in the correct kitchen lighting. A pendant light can come into this category but some of them don’t have enough power to act fully as a task light.
If you wanted a mix of kitchen lights, then having a task light can be a great addition. As well as over your kitchen island, you could put it over a dining table, over a kitchen cabinet, or a preparation area. These lights allow you to focus on the task at hand.
3. Flush Mount Lighting
A flush mount light fixture is where you have a light fixture attached very close to the ceiling. You also have a semi flush mount which will hang a little lower. These are some of the best kitchen lighting ideas if you have a low ceiling that isn’t suitable for pendant lights but can also be a great way to compliment your pendant lights with brighter spotlights.
The other alternative to a flush mount is recessed lighting but flush mounts are great for those who still want something unique in their kitchen. Another variation is to have pendant lights that don’t hand very far from the ceiling.
4. Recessed Lighting
If you have a low ceiling or just don’t want your lights to be the main feature then a recessed light can be a great idea. This is where you have a ceiling light built into your existing structure so that it doesn’t protrude at all.
This type of recessed fixture is ideal for bright LED blubs that can illuminate your kitchen. One of the best kitchen lighting ideas is to combine your recessed lighting with another light fixture such as a pendant light which can give your kitchen added versatility.
5. Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is similar to task lighting in that they focus on one particular spot. The difference is that accent lighting is more for aesthetic reasons rather than anything practical. They are often used as a wall light but can be used for a kitchen island too.
Accent lights are great for setting a mood. If you had a dimmer switch then you can essentially turn your pendant task lights into accent lights by just turning them down a little. If you have an open plan area, this can be great for transforming your kitchen into a beautiful area once the cooking is done.
6. Cabinet Lighting
When working out your complete lighting solution, you need to think about how each light will complement the other. If you’re looking for great kitchen lighting ideas then a great effect is to have an ambient kitchen island light along with under cabinet lighting.
Undercabinet lighting can also double up as task lighting too as it shines a light on your workspace. For many people though, a cabinet light will be there for its aesthetic beauty rather than having much practical use.
7. Chandelier
Nothing says beauty and opulence quite like having a chandelier. This is a lighting fixture that can become the main focus of the room and get a lot of attention. There are many different types of chandelier so you can work out which one is best for you.
One of the obvious factors about a chandelier is that you need to have enough clearance to make it possible as your light fixture will hang down quite fae from the ceiling. There is no doubt that a chandelier can put the finishing touch on a beautiful kitchen.
8. Edison Bulb
One thing you might not have considered is the type of bulb that you wanted to use, they’re all the same, right? Well, that’s not true and the Edison bulb can be a brilliant addition. This is a classic type of bulb which has an industrial look.
A perfect way to complement your Edison bulb is with a cage light which is a more mechanical-looking pendant light. If you love the more industrial look then the cage light and Edison bulb can be an amazing combination. You can also opt for a cage light but with a traditional bulb, which also looks fantastic.
9. Track Lighting
If you have a longer space to cover then one of the best lighting ideas is to have track lights. These are essentially one light fixture that has a line of light bulbs. These come in many styles and can be a creative way of getting enough light.
They can also be called string lights and are a more modern type of chandelier. Along with this, you get the coverage of multiple pendant lights but encased in just one fixture. If you’re looking for creative kitchen lighting ideas, this is a great solution.
10. Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting is any type of lighting that is meant to set a mood. Ambient light isn’t usually great for completing tasks such as cooking but instead is great for when you are hosting guests and want a warmer level of illumination.
A great ambient light can work from dimmer switches that will change the color temperature of the space. This can add immense beauty to your kitchen island and make it a great social space for either family or friends.
FAQs
When it comes to overhead lighting, there are no set rules on how many light bulbs that you need. The right number of lights will depend on the length of your kitchen island. As a general rule, three pendant lights can look aesthetically pleasing but if it’s particularly big, then four or more may be needed.
As we’ve seen here, there are many different ways to light your kitchen island. You may choose recessed spotlights in your ceiling, pendant kitchen light fixtures, or perhaps you’ll want to make your kitchen design stand out with a beautiful chandelier. As long as you have light shining directly down onto your kitchen island, you can do whatever you want.
This will depend on what you’re using your kitchen island for. Some like to use it as a cooking and preparation area but for others, they will use it as a place to dine and socialize. If it’s the former, then you’ll want to have a pendant light that is bright enough for your tasks. If it’s the latter, then you can focus on the type of ambient lighting you’d have in a breakfast nook.
Pendant lights can come in all shapes and sizes. You want to choose one that fits in with the design of your kitchen while also giving you enough kitchen island lighting. If you have high ceilings and a large kitchen island, then it’s best to go for a bigger light fixture. If you’re worried about enough light, then you always have the option of installing brighter bulbs.
With pendant lights, you want them to be symmetrical and an equal distance apart. If you have an odd number of lights, then the middle light should be centered directly over the middle of your island. Each light beside it should then be an equal distance from every other light. This adds some beautiful symmetry and gives it the best visual effect.
