Collection: Kitchen Lighting

Ambient Lighting (General Illumination)

The ambient layer is the light you turn on when you walk in. It should cover the whole room evenly so no corner feels dim, and it should dim down when the cooking is over.

• Scope LED Gimbal Recessed Light by DALS: A low-profile recessed light with a gimbal head you can tilt toward a counter, a wall of cabinets, or open shelving. It comes in 2.5" or 3.38" sizes with a 30- or 40-degree beam and puts out up to 725 lumens. You pick the color temperature on site, from 2700K to 5000K at 90 CRI. It is wet-rated, IC-rated, airtight, Title 24 compliant, and Energy Star certified, in Black or White. Mood: clean ceiling, light exactly where you aim it.
• Cora 10259 Pendant Light by Gantri: Simon Schmitz's dome, split by a slot that reveals a patterned diffuser inside. It is made in the United States from plant-based polymers with water-based paint, and comes in 26 colors from Snow to Persimmon to Midnight. At 9.5" across, with a 48", 84", or 120" cord and an included 800-lumen, 2700K bulb, it works over a breakfast nook or as a run of soft glow along a ceiling. Mood: a sculptural dome in your favorite color.
• Larmes Pendant Light by ET2 Lighting: A glowing glass teardrop on a slim suspension. The small version is 4.5" wide and the large is 14.5" tall, and both adjust to more than 10 feet of drop. A 3000K LED is included, and it dims on ELV controls. Hang several at staggered heights to add a soft, scattered glow over a dining corner or a stretch of open ceiling. Mood: drops of light suspended in midair.

Task Lighting (Focused Work Areas)

Task light puts strong, direct light on the surfaces where you chop, measure, and read recipes. Over an island, look for shades that aim light down and keep the bulb out of sight from bar stools.

• Blizzard Pendant Light by Maxim Lighting: A slim steel and glass cylinder, 3.25" wide and 9.75" tall, on a suspension that reaches 131.5". It comes in Black, Natural Aged Brass, or Polished Chrome. It takes a standard E26 bulb and dims on TRIAC or ELV controls. Its narrow profile makes it easy to hang in a row of three or more over a long island. Mood: slim, simple, and easy to repeat.
• Piper Low-Voltage Pendant Light by Visual Comfort Architectural: A 2.5" wide, 10" tall cylinder that aims all of its light downward, which makes it ideal for an island or peninsula. It comes in five finishes and works with FreeJack, MonoRail, or MonoPoint systems. You can add an optional 485-lumen, 3000K, 90 CRI LED bulb. It is ELV dimmable and Title 24 compliant. Mood: a narrow pendant that lights the counter, not the room.
• Towner Mini Pendant Light by Generation Lighting: A mid-century, funnel-shaped steel shade on a sturdy downrod, 7" wide and 8.5" tall, in Brushed Nickel or Satin Brass. The optional LED bulb gives 800 lumens at 3000K and 90 CRI and is Energy Star rated. The fixture is damp-rated and Title 24 compliant, and the downrod reaches up to 123". Mood: retro diner style over a modern counter.

Accent & Statement Lighting (Atmosphere)

Accent light is what makes a kitchen feel finished. It brightens the dark band under the upper cabinets, adds a soft glow along the toe kick, and gives the room a mood after the main lights go off.

• Push Puck LED Undercabinet Light by DALS Lighting: A 2.81" puck, only 0.75" deep, that cycles through five color temperatures from 2700K to 5000K with a press of the lens. It puts out 210 lumens at 90 CRI with a wide, even spread. A single-wire quick-connect system simplifies installation, and it runs on a 24V driver, sold separately. It comes in Black, Gold, Satin Nickel, or White with a five-year warranty. Mood: push for bright, push again for warm.
• InvisiLED Dim-To-Warm LED Tape Light by WAC Lighting: A 0.38" wide tape light that can be cut every 4 inches, so it fits under cabinets, above them, inside glass-front uppers, or along a toe kick. It puts out 200 or 300 lumens per foot at 90 CRI and warms from 3000K or 3500K down to a candlelike 1800K as it dims. It is ELV and 0-10V dimmable, damp-rated, and Title 24 compliant. Mood: a soft line of light that warms like candlelight.
• Panthella 160 LED Rechargeable Table Lamp by Louis Poulsen: Verner Panton's 1971 mushroom lamp, now cordless and 9.4" tall. It runs about 8.5 hours on a full charge through USB-C, dims with a touch on top, and is IP44 rated for a splash zone. It comes in a wide range of colors in acrylic or polymer, and it can move from the counter to the dinner table to the patio. Mood: a small Danish icon wherever you set it down.

Kitchen Lighting Layer Guide

Put each layer on its own switch: Separate controls let you turn on only what you need, such as undercabinet lights alone for a late-night snack or pendants alone for dinner at the island.

Keep the main layers consistent: For a unified look, start with the same color temperature across ambient and task lighting, usually 3000K. Use warmer accent lighting on separate controls when you want a softer evening setting.

Frequently Asked Questions

What color temperature is best for kitchen lighting?

For most kitchens, 3000K is the best choice for the ambient and task layers. It is bright and clean enough for prep work without feeling clinical. If your kitchen opens into a living or dining space, 2700K keeps it consistent with the rest of the home. Cooler light, 3500K to 4000K, can work for a high-use cooking kitchen, but use it consistently across fixtures.

Should I choose puck lights or tape lights under the cabinets?

Tape lights give a continuous, even line of light with no hot spots, which looks best on a glossy or light-colored counter. Puck lights are easier to retrofit and put out more focused pools of light, which works well under deeper cabinets or when you want light at specific spots. Both typically need a low-voltage driver, so plan for where it will go.

Can pendants alone light a kitchen?

Rarely. Pendants light the island well, but they leave the perimeter counters and the space in front of the cabinets in shadow. Pair them with recessed or ceiling lights for overall coverage and undercabinet lights for the counters, so every work surface gets direct light.