45 Kitchen Lighting Ideas That'll Transform Your Space

Julia Engel of Gal Meets Glam Charleston, SC Home Blue and White Kitchen
Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Lizzie Cullen Cox

Lighting sets the mood and tone for your space before guests even enter the room. Let's face it, you spend most of your time in the kitchen cooking meals or gathered with family and friends sharing a sweet treat. Kitchen lighting is crucial in a home—it's vital to illuminate the one room in the house that is inhabited the most. A poorly lit space can set the wrong tone for guests. You certainly don't want to spend time in a room that's too dimly lit or blindingly bright.

Lighting is a great decorative accent, but in the kitchen, it's especially important to get the lighting balance right for your safety and comfort. We found great ways to showcase statement lighting while also being practical and functional for your kitchen. From golden glows to bright whites, we've compiled the best ways to illuminate your kitchen to make it look like a beaming masterpiece. Trust us—with these lighting tips, it'll be hard to leave your radiant space.

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Three's a Crowd Pendant Lighting

Blue Herod Kitchen
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Adam Fortner

Three's certainly not a crowd with fixtures that match the number of seats at the counter. If you're not keen on a chunky overhead light, go for matte gold fixtures to provide a radiant look.

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Textured Fixture Lighting

Textured Kitchen Light Fixtures
Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

In a classic white kitchen, adding texture and shape is a beautiful thing.

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Light Blue Pendant Lighting

Kaynor Home in New Orleans
Laurey W. Glenn

A light blue clouded pendant is the perfect accessory for any white kitchen.

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Small Pendant Lighting

Fran Chaiprakob Kitchen
Annie Schlechter

For a simple statement, go for high numbers. This open kitchen draws your eyes up with 18 small pendants as the main light source.

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Small Modern Pendant Lighting

Heather Chadduck Hillegas Blount Springs, AL Lake House Kitchen
Laurey W. Glenn

Small, streamlined pendants against shiplap walls bring a breath modern farmhouse style to any kitchen space.

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Glass Fixture Lighting

Glass Kitchen Light Fixtures
Photo: Annie Schlechter; Styling: Matthew Gleason

Vintage glam meets modern finishes with large brass-accented glass pendants.

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Long Lighting

Heather Chadduck Hillegas designed open kitchen in WaterColor, FL
Annie Schlechter; Styling: Page Mullins

The long rustic lines draw eyes up and lengthen the room, making the light and bright kitchen feel even more open.

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Shaded Lighting

2022 Idea House cheery kitchen
PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAUREY W. GLENN; STYLING BY KENDRA SURFACE

Add a unique flare to your kitchen with hanging, patterned lamp shade fixtures.

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Lamp Lighting

Dining Nook with Window Bench
Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Antique lamp fixtures can make kitchen eating feel refined yet relaxed.

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Pendants With A Pop Of Color

Allison Allen Atlanta Home Kitchen 1

Brian Woodcock; Styling: Page Mullins

This kitchen is all white everything, save for a few finishing touches. This gives the kitchen a very clean look, with added spots of brightness thanks to the pendants, the cushions and the color of the island.

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Laid-Back Pendant Lighting

Julia Engel of Gal Meets Glam Charleston, SC Home Blue and White Kitchen
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Lizzie Cullen Cox

Add a relaxed, yet polished air to any kitchen island by pairing built-in overhead lights with bohemian statement pendants.

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Mix and Match Lighting

The Kitchen
Photo: Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

We almost don't know where to look first. Mix and match fixtures, like this high coral pendant sandwiched between modern, longer globes.

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Flexible Spotlight Lighting

Hanna Seabrook Louisville, Kentucky White Kitchen After
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Elly Poston Cooper

A flexible spotlight can illuminate the sink or counter, but it's also handy to move when needed.

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Complementing Colors Lighting

Green and Pink Kitchen
Jessica Klewicki Glynn

Don't shy away from complementing color in the kitchen. Here, a grapefruit pink pendant gets playful against tropical green.

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Gold Pendant Lighting

Lindsey Cheek Wilmington, NC Home White Kitchen with Teal Tile and Banquet Seating
Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Industrially glam and wonderfully geometric, these large gold fixtures brighten up a space before you even flip the switch.

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Neutral Nodes Lighting

Maison Studio WaterColor, FL Neutral Kitchen with Shiplap Wall Backsplash
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Intricate in design and abundant in lights, these pendant lights contain 4 miniature lamps within them.

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Industrial White Lighting

Industrial White Kitchen Lights
Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

These white industrial pendant lights add a vintage edge to this playful kitchen.

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Nook Lighting

Julia Engel of Gal Meets Glam Charleston, SC Home White Breakfast Nook
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Lizzie Cullen Cox

Nooks are great for natural sunlight, but when the sun goes down a country-chic pendant can keep the candle burning at any hour.

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Petite Pendant Lighting

Kentucky Farmhouse White Kitchen
Photo: Jonny Valiant; Styling: Gena Sigala

An elongated, petite pendant easily showcases the height of the ceilings and cabinets.

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Oversized and Rustic Lighting

Kitchen Pendant Light
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Frances Bailey

Emphasize high ceilings and beams with an oversized, glass pendant light.

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Glass Globe Lighting

Glass Globe Lighting Kitchen
Marili Forastieri; Styling: Barbara Schmidt

Glass globe lights captivate attention without taking away from other details in your kitchen, like beautiful backsplashes, wallpaper, or seating.

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Coastal Blue Pop Lighting

Coastal Blue Kitchen Lights
Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller

Finish any color scheme with light to match, like these coastal blue statement lights.

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Hanging Lighting

White Kitchen with Green Soapstone Counters
Photo: Laurey W. Glenn

Etched glass brings an air of sophistication above a sink, no matter how dirty the dishes are below.

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Colorful Statement Pendant Lighting

Whitney McGregor Greenville, SC White Kitchen
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Lizzie Cox

Who says pendants can't have a pop of color? A dark teal fixture can add character above any kitchen sink.

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Wide Fluorescent Lighting

Chelsea Meissner Kitchen
Jillian Guyette

Black matte pendant lights can blend with any kitchen color combination.

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Under Open Shelving Lighting

Hidden Lights
Photography Charles Walton IV / Styling Scott Martin

Open shelving just might be here to stay. Illuminate your neatly placed dishes and glassware for guests to easily grab what they need.

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Under Cabinet Lighting

Under Cabinet Lighting
Southern Living

Add extra light to prep spaces while highlighting your favorite countertop decor with under cabinet lights.

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Balancing Glow

Large White Kitchen with Farm Table Island
Jeff Herr

Balance an oversized island pendant with small sconces by the sink.

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Galley Kitchen Lighting

Galley Kitchen Lights
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Frances Bailey

Keep things clean with a simple glass fixture. But, if you want an additional glow, add a lamp to the counter and use colorful string lights by the window.

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Accent Lighting

Accent Lighting
Laurey W. Glenn

Use accent lighting to highlight collections and artwork in your kitchen.

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Task Lighting

Task Lighting

Directional downlighting illuminates your work surface to make your time in the kitchen safer and easier on your eyes.

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Natural Lighting

Ideas for Southern Homes: Kitchen Cabinet Details
Photo: Erica George Dines

Windows are a healthy and energy-efficient way to add light to your kitchen. Traditionally, there is a window located above the sink.

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General Lighting

Neutral Highlights

General lighting provides overall illumination to a space. Use decorative ceiling fixtures supplemented by recessed lights for style and even light.

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Casual Warm Lighting

2021 Idea House Kitchen with White Walls and Painted Floor
Marta Xochilt Perez; Styling: Page Mullins

Brighten the kitchen space with overhanging warm lighting.

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Caged Lighting

Idea House 2020 Kitchen with White Island and Dark lower Cabinets
Robbie Caponetto; Styling: Kendra Surface

Who says lighting can't double as storage? Hanging pots and pans from the copper light fixture above the island saves storage space and adds to the contrast seen throughout the kitchen.

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Grid Pendant Lighting

2019 Idea House Kitchen
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Liz Strong

A grid of pendants, rather than the ubiquitous pair, hangs over the island. The overhang into this kitchen's pathways helps to widen and brighten the space.

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Brass Pendant Lighting

26897_KatieDavis_Houstonchen

Everything in this kitchen has texture and warmth. Brass hardware and pendants offset textured neutrals, like the Palecek stools.

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Display Lighting

Open Kitchen and Dining Room with Round Table and Pops of Purple and Green
Hector Manuel Sanchez; Styling: Kathleen Varner

Illuminate your kitchen with a show-stopping light fixture. This Italian Murano bubble glass chandelier hangs overhead a custom white lacquered table.

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Warm Up a Dark Space

Kingfisher kitchen
Photography by Brian Woodcock; Styling by Natalie Warady

Brighten a darker space with airy, oversized lighting.

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Single Overhead Lighting

The Wren’s luxury kitchen
Photography by Brian Woodcock; Styling by Natalie Warady

A single, overhead light softens the space and showcases a stunning, oversized farm sink.

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Matte-White Pendant Lighting

Lake Wylie Kitchen

Brie Williams  Styling: Jennifer Berno Decleene

Matte-white pendant lighting and appliances finish this space with a custom look.

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Oversized Lanterns

Adaptive Cottage House Plan Open Kitchen
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kathryn Lott

Light up a large island with pendants that match the scale of the space.

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Slim Fixtures for Small Spaces

Jessica Stambaugh designed galley kitchen with apartment-size appliances and white cabinetry
Alison Gootee; Styling: Suzonne Stirling

Work a slender lighting source into a small kitchen to illuminate any space. This bent fixture draws eyes up and completes the room's brass touches.

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Vintage Hanging Pendant Lighting

White Kitchen with Dark Island in Lake House
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Matthew Gleason

Create contrast with deep tones by applying vintage hanging pendant lights to your kitchen space.

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Colorful Caged Lighting

Soft Coastal Color Kitchen
Brie Williams; Styling: Page Mullins

The oversized pendant is a cerused white oak island that's topped with gray-blue Arabescatus marble. 

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