Kitchen lighting: how to plan the light in your kitchen

The kitchen needs more light than any other room in the house. You chop, read recipes and work next to a hot hob here — good kitchen lighting is first a question of safety and comfort, and only then of design. Here is how to plan it step by step.

The three layers of kitchen light

One ceiling light is never enough in a kitchen. A working scheme has three layers:

• Ambient light — even base light for the whole room (recessed and ceiling fittings).
• Task light — directed at the worktop, sink and hob.
• Accent light — mood and detail (under-cabinet strips, display cabinets, dining table).

The same logic applies throughout the home — see lighting layout.

How much light does a kitchen need?

Area	Recommended level
Kitchen, ambient light	250–350 lm/m²
Worktop, sink, hob	500+ lm/m²
Dining table	200–300 lm/m²

Example: a 12 m² kitchen × 300 lm/m² = ~3600 lumens of ambient light. Do not put that on a single fitting — spread it across several. The worktop needs its own light on top of that. See lumens and watts for the calculation.

Worktop lighting — the part that matters most

The most common mistake is a light behind your back. Your own body then casts a shadow on the worktop and the chopping board sits in the dark. The fix is light directly above the work area, usually under the wall units.

• Use a LED strip POWER, 24VDC, 14.4W/m (from ~9.6 W/m; 14.4 W/m works well over a worktop).
• Always mount the strip in an Profile Siler — it draws heat away, protects the strip and gives an even line without visible dots.
• Place the strip towards the front edge of the cabinet, not against the back wall, so the light lands on the worktop rather than the wall.
• Choose a frosted diffuser so the diodes do not glare on a glossy worktop.

A profile also extends the strip’s life — heat is the main enemy of LEDs, see LED lifespan.

Which colour temperature suits a kitchen?

The work area suits neutral white 3500–4000 K — it keeps you alert and shows colours naturally. Above the dining table, warmer 2700–3000 K is more inviting.

Colour rendering (CRI) matters too. In a kitchen choose CRI 90 or higher — at low CRI vegetables and meat look unnatural. More on this: how to choose colour temperature.

Placing recessed downlights

• About 60–80 cm from the wall, so the light reaches the worktop rather than the cabinet fronts.
• 80–120 cm between fittings, depending on ceiling height and beam angle.
• A separate row or strip above the worktop — ambient light will not replace it.
• Above the hob, remember the extractor: its own light is often weak.

If you may want to redirect or add light later, track lighting is the flexible option: fittings slide along the track with no rewiring.

Moisture and safety

A kitchen is not as wet as a bathroom, but moisture and grease matter near the sink and hob. Right next to the sink choose at least IP44. Under-cabinet strips are best run on 24 V — safer, and more even light over long runs.

Common mistakes

• A single fitting in the middle of the ceiling — shadows and dark corners.
• A worktop with no light of its own.
• Light that is too cold (5000 K+) across the whole kitchen.
• A strip without a profile — visible dots and faster dimming.
• Planning the lighting only after the units are installed.

Related products

• LED strip POWER, 24VDC, 14.4W/m
• Profile Siler
• Ceiling light GU10