Upgrading Your Kitchen Lighting

LED Lights

Under-cabinet lighting is one of the most effective ways to instantly brighten a kitchen workspace and enhance its look. It can also add a touch of ambiance and improve safety in kitchens needing more brightness than overhead lights provide.

Choose LED strip lighting for its waterproof options, seamless end-to-end mounting that eliminates dark spots, easy peel-and-stick installation, affordability, and long lifespan. Some are smart-home compatible and can even turn on and off with a motion detection switch.

Track Lighting

A popular way to highlight artwork and other features in your home, track lighting lets you easily change the look of your space with a simple flick of a dimmer switch. It works best in open spaces with high ceilings.

Linear track systems (named for manufacturers such as Lightolier, Juno and Halo) have lengths of metal with rectangular cross sections that snap into track heads to conduct power. These track heads have either a built-in transformer or a separate one that steps down the 120 volt current coming from your house’s wall outlets to a safer level for use with the fixtures.

Recessed Lighting

Often called downlights, recessed lighting adds light to a room without a visible fixture. Homeowners typically choose recessed lighting for general illumination or to draw attention to a focal point like a painting or sculpture. Unlike chandeliers and pendant lights, which are hardwired into your home’s electrical system, recessed lighting requires an electrician to install.

A recessed light’s trim determines its look and functionality. A basic smooth trim is standard, but recessed lighting also comes in different styles that manipulate the light to achieve different aesthetics. Examples include baffle trim, which features a ribbed interior to reduce glare, reflector trim that amplifies the illumination, and gimbal trims that rotate to aim the light, which is good for artwork or other wall decorations.

Pendants

Pendant lighting adds a decorative accent and mood-setting feature while also providing purposeful kitchen lighting. Depending on the fixture style and finish, you can match it to your existing design theme or create a unique look that complements other features in the room.

These fixtures hang directly over kitchen islands and are a great source of task light for the most important prep areas in the home. They come in a wide range of styles, from modern clear glass shades that incorporate the exposed bulb for a clean look to art glass and painted metal options that complement a variety of design themes.