LED lighting has revolutionized kitchen lighting. With LEDs, you can illuminate your kitchen in ways that simply weren’t possible with older lighting technologies. LEDs open up new possibilities, allowing you to leverage light in your kitchen design like never before.
In this article, we’ll explore 12 brilliant ways to light your kitchen using LEDs. We’ll cover clever uses of task lighting, accent lighting, under cabinet lights, and more. Read on to learn how to design the LED-lit kitchen of your dreams!
Choose the Right Color Temperature for Your Goals
The color temperature of your LED lights, indicated in Kelvins (K), dramatically impacts the feel of your kitchen. Selecting the right color temperature is crucial for creating your ideal atmosphere.
Warm White (2700K – 3000K)
Warm white LEDs emit a soft, inviting glow that is flattering and cozy. This color temperature range is perfect for relaxing, casual kitchens. Warm white makes an ideal choice for overall and accent lighting. It pairs beautifully with natural materials like wood cabinets and granite countertops.
Bright White (3500K – 4100K)
This range imparts a crisp, clean illumination well-suited for task lighting. Bright white LEDs provide excellent visibility for food prep and cooking tasks without feeling overly clinical. They also showcase colors accurately. Bright white is ideal for under cabinet lighting.
Daylight (5000K – 6500K)
Daylight LEDs produce a brilliant, energizing light similar to natural outdoor light. This intense illumination is ideal for minimalist modern kitchens with glossy surfaces. Daylight LEDs render colors vividly and are fantastic for task lighting. Just take care not to overdo it, as large areas lit with daylight LEDs can feel stark.
Tunable White
Tunable white LEDs allow you to adjust color temperature to suit changing needs. This flexibility enables you to use warmer tones for dining and socializing, while dialing up cooler daylight tones for cooking tasks. Tunable white LEDs do come at a premium, but provide the best of both worlds.
Illuminate Task Areas With Under Cabinet Lights
Strategically placed under cabinet lighting illuminates countertops, providing ideal visibility for food preparation and cooking tasks. Position LED strip lighting or puck lights under upper cabinets to direct light right where you need it most.
Perimeter Task Lighting
Concentrate under cabinet lights along the kitchen perimeter to illuminate countertops without competing with overhead lighting. This approach provides great task lighting for minimal visual clutter.
Complete Coverage
Maximize visibility by installing under cabinet LED lighting along the entire run of base cabinets. This enables clear sight lines for any kitchen tasks. Just take care to avoid shadows from your body as you work.
Over Sink
Don’t forget to highlight the sink area. High-quality waterproof LED strips with diffusers are available to provide glare-free illumination over the sink for washing dishes and preparing ingredients.
Accent Architectural Features and Decor
LED accent lighting enables you to selectively illuminate decorative features, artwork, collections and architectural details. This strategic lighting draws attention to aesthetics you want to showcase without overpowering the space.
Light Open Shelving
Illuminate distinctive open shelving using rail lighting or mini LED spotlights. This showcases your favorite serveware like art while providing a decorative accent.
Backlight Niches
LED strip lighting attached to the rear edge of niches provides eye-catching backlighting. The surrounding surfaces fade away, making displayed objects appear to float and glow.
Spotlight Collections
Miniature LED spotlights allow you to precisely highlight curated collections, from vintage kitchenware to cherished cookbooks. Keep the light source hidden for a clean look.
Accent Textures
Graze lighting placed near walls adds dimension by casting angled light across textured surfaces like brick, wood plank walls or tile backsplashes for added visual interest.
Install Cove Lighting for a Luxurious Glow
Nothing imparts a sense of luxury like the soft, ambient glow of cove lighting. This lighting derives its name from being recessed into coves, typically where walls meet the ceiling. The indirect lighting it produces can make any kitchen feel like a high-end restaurant.
Perimeter Cove Lighting
Position linear LED strips to wash walls with a delicate glow from above perimeter cabinetry. The space will feel bathed in a warm, welcoming light.
Ceiling Coves
For a bolder look, install cove lighting higher on walls or recessed into ceilings. Curved ceilings are particularly well-suited for this treatment. Visually, your kitchen will feel much taller.
Indirect Cabinets
Strip lighting inside upper cabinets equipped with glass doors becomes indirect cove lighting. The contents of the cabinets appear beautifully illuminated while the kitchen enjoys a romantic ambient glow.
Add Striking Lighting Effects
Beyond standard illumination, LEDs enable you to add layers of light for drama and interest. Uplights, downlights and even underwater lights can transform the kitchen after dark.
Downlights Over an Island
Recessed LED can lights situated over a kitchen island provide both task lighting and a striking lighting effect. The island surface glows in contrast to the darker surroundings for high visual impact.
Under Cabinet Uplighting
Strip lighting mounted above base cabinets, facing upward, can make a baseboard appear to float while creating a halo of light along the ceiling. This unexpected uplighting grabs attention.
Underwater Sink Lights
LED lights installed underneath a transparent sink base or draining board provide a futuristic underwater glow. This mesmerizing lighting effect is sure to impress guests. Just avoid brightly colored or flashing lights.
Illuminate Displays with Shelf Lighting
Proudly show off prized dishware, glassware or cookbooks with dedicated shelf lighting. Aim LED tape lights or miniature puck lights upward from shelves or down from above. Items on display will shine.
Under Shelf Downlighting
Discreet LED strip lighting pointing down from beneath glass-door wall cabinets or open shelving highlights contents attractively. Items feel spotlit from above.
Shelf Kick Lighting
Tiny LED lights recessed into the front edge of base cabinets shine light vertically onto the bottom shelf face, adding depth while showcasing items you want guests to notice.
Lighted Curio Cabinets
Outfit glass-front curio cabinets with small interior LED spotlights to showcase collectibles or antique kitchenware without competing with surrounding task lighting.
Set the Mood with Dimmers
Today’s LEDs boast full dimmability, allowing you to set just the right mood and adapt lighting levels effortlessly. Don’t overlook this invaluable feature when designing your LED kitchen lighting.
Breakfast Nook Dimmers
Include dimmable LED recessed lights or pendant lights over breakfast nooks and banquettes. You can turn the lights down for romantic dinners for two or up full for family meals.
Under Cabinet Dimming
Install dimmable LED tape lighting underneath upper cabinets and perimeter countertops. Adjust lighting levels higher for cooking or dim for late night snacks and drinks.
Evening Ambiance
Use dimmable LED lighting to set a relaxed vibe in the evenings. Keep task lighting bright while dimming overhead and decorative lights down low to foster togetherness.
Replace Dated Fluorescents
Fluorescent lights are functional but impart an institutional vibe not well-suited to most residential kitchens. Replacing fluorescent under cabinet lighting and overhead box fixtures with LEDs instantly upgrades a kitchen’s aesthetic.
Swap Under Cabinet Tubes for LED Tape
Ditch old tube fluorescents for slim LED tape lighting under cabinets. You’ll gain energy efficiency and great illumination with attractive, low profile fixtures.
Retrofit Overhead Box Fixtures
Overhead fluorescent kitchen fixtures can be retrofitted with LED panels or kits. This update reduces boxiness and glare for a cleaner visual. New trim kits can even add a touch of style.
Avoid Harsh Fluorescent Light
Fluorescent lighting casts harsh, flat illumination that is unflattering for faces and food. The warmer, omni-directional glow of quality LED lighting is far more appetizing.
Use Portable LED Lighting
Portable LED lighting allows you to move and direct supplemental light anywhere it’s needed most. These lights provide perfect temporary illumination with minimal setup.
Magnetic Strip Lights
Flexible strip lights with magnetic backs stick to metal surfaces for instant illumination anywhere. They’re ideal for temporary supplemental lighting inside cabinets or under shelves.
Rechargeable Cabinet Lights
Slim rechargeable LED lights can be stuck inside cabinets, then moved and peeled off as needed to provide portable illumination anywhere inside or around your kitchen.
Portable Standing Lamps
Freestanding rechargeable LED lamps provide brilliant, adjustable supplemental lighting you can move around your kitchen and position as required. Use them as temporary standing task lights.
Install Creative DIY LED Lighting
With LED strip lighting and individual diodes, you can add fun, DIY lighting effects that show off your personality. Get creative with these innovative approaches:
Lighted Shelves & Cabinets
Use adhesive LED strip lighting to backlight interior shelves, cabinets, andtransparent glass panes for a cool modern look. Include a dimmer for customizable ambient glow.
Outdoor String Lights
Create a festive bistro vibe by mounting waterproof LED string lights underneath a covered patio or pergola just outside the kitchen. Use clip-on hooks for easy installation and removal.
Light Up Collections
Show off a prized plate or mug collection by using acrylic risers affixed with LED strip lighting. Place the lighted display on open shelving against a painted wall for dramatic effect.
Choose Flattering Wall Washing
LED fixtures designed to graze adjacent walls with mellow, indirect light can make any kitchen glow. This flattering wall washing effect should be considered for kitchens with textured or distinctive wall materials.
Stone Accent Wall Lighting
Graze small stone, faux brick or textured tile accent walls with linear LED lighting to showcase unique materials, add dimension, and impart a soft glow throughout the kitchen.
Wood Paneling Lighting
Wall-wash vertical wood paneling using LED strip lights for an inviting rustic-modern look. The wood grain and texture will seem to come alive bathed in this angled side-lighting.
Painted Wall Glow
Aim LED tape lights up the wall from below upper cabinets to make painted walls visually pop. Try pairing a bold accent wall color with this flattering LED wall washing technique.
Compare LED vs Older Lighting
If you’re still not convinced that LEDs are the best choice for kitchen lighting, this comparison should seal the deal. LEDs beat older lighting on almost every metric.
Energy Efficiency
LEDs use a fraction of the electricity of inefficient incandescent bulbs. This saves significantly on utility bills over time.
Long Lifespan
LEDs can last up to 50,000 hours compared to 1,000 hours for many incandescent bulbs. This longevity translates to decades of use rather than frequent replacements.
Durability
Solid state LEDs have no filament or glass to break. They hold up better than fragile incandescent or CFL bulbs in hot or vibrating environments like kitchens.
Light Quality
The warm, vibrant light of modern quality LEDs is vastly superior to the harsh, glaring light emitted by fluorescents and bland illumination from incandescents.
Dimmability
Fluorescent and incandescent lights are notoriously difficult or impossible to dim smoothly. LEDs offer flawless and extensive dimming capabilities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about lighting your kitchen with LEDs:
How much under cabinet lighting should I install?
As a general rule, you’ll want linear LED strip lighting providing an average minimum of 300 lumens per square foot. Include task lighting over all major kitchen work areas.
What color temperature is best for kitchen ceiling lights?
Aim for bright white light between 3500K-4000K for ceiling lights to provide inviting overall illumination. You can add other accent colors as desired.
Should I choose smart lights for my kitchen?
Smart LED lights are a great option, allowing you to control lighting via smartphone and automate it on schedules or with motion sensors to suit your lifestyle.
Are LED lights worth the higher upfront cost?
Absolutely. The energy savings and decade-long lifespan of LED lighting provides a fast payback on the initial investment. LEDs are by far the most cost effective lighting choice overall.
Can LED tape lighting be used outdoors?
Yes, provided you choose waterproof LED tape lights rated for outdoor use. These weather resistant LEDs hold up great outside under eaves and covered patios.
Conclusion
The possibilities for amazing, innovative kitchen lighting using LED technology is nearly endless. Following the tips in this article will help you leverage LED lighting in your own kitchen design to create a space that is uniquely functional and beautiful.
With the right mix of task lighting, accent lighting and ambient lighting using modern LED fixtures, your kitchen can be the most stylish, welcoming and usable room in your home. Bring your kitchen lighting dreams to life with LEDs!
