Kitchen Lighting Ideas: Under Cabinet, Pendant, and Layered Lighting for Your Kitchen

Lighting is one of the most overlooked parts of a kitchen renovation. It is also one of the first things you notice once the kitchen is finished.

Good lighting makes prep work safer, makes your cabinetry look better, and changes how the room feels at night. On Vancouver Island, where winter days are short and often grey, it matters even more.

At Harbour City Kitchens, we plan lighting alongside our custom kitchen cabinetry in Victoria BC, because the two work best when they are designed together.

Why Kitchen Lighting Should Be Planned Early

Lighting decisions affect wiring, cabinet design, and ceiling work. Once cabinets are installed and walls are closed, changes become harder and more expensive.

Planning lighting during design lets you:

• Run wiring before walls are closed
• Build channels or recesses for lighting into the cabinetry
• Place switches where you actually need them
• Avoid visible cords and add-on fixtures

Lighting is part of a well ordered plan. See how it fits into our kitchen design and installation process in Victoria BC.

The Three Layers of Kitchen Lighting

Most well lit kitchens combine three types of light.

Ambient lighting provides general brightness for the whole room. This usually comes from ceiling fixtures or recessed lights.

Task lighting puts focused light where you work, such as counters, the sink, and the cooktop.

Accent lighting adds depth and atmosphere, such as lighting inside glass cabinets or along toe kicks.

Using all three avoids a kitchen that is either too dim to work in or too harsh to relax in.

Under Cabinet Lighting: The Most Useful Upgrade

If you add only one type of lighting, make it under cabinet lighting.

Ceiling lights are behind you when you stand at the counter, so your body casts a shadow on your work. Under cabinet lighting puts light directly on the surface in front of you.

Things to consider:

• LED strips with a diffuser for even, dot-free light
• A recessed channel or light rail so fixtures are hidden
• A consistent colour temperature across all fixtures
• Dimmers so the same lights work for cooking and evenings

Under cabinet lighting also shows off your backsplash and countertop.

Pendant Lighting Over Islands and Peninsulas

Pendants combine task lighting and style. They are often the visual focal point of the kitchen.

When planning island pendants, think about:

• The length of the island and how many pendants it can support
• Hanging height so lights do not block sightlines
• Shade style and how much light it lets through
• Whether the fixtures match or contrast with your hardware

Your pendants and cabinet hardware are often seen together. Browse our cabinet pull hardware options to coordinate finishes.

Lighting Inside and Around Your Cabinets

Cabinet lighting adds function and polish.

Popular options include:

• Lights inside glass front cabinets
• Motion activated lights in deep drawers and pantries
• Toe kick lighting for a soft night light
• Lighting on open shelves

Many of these are easiest to add when the cabinets are designed for them. Explore our cabinet accessories for more ideas.

Choosing the Right Colour Temperature

LED lights come in a range of colour temperatures. Warmer light feels cozy, while cooler light feels crisp and bright.

Most kitchens look best with a warm white to neutral white range. More important than the exact number is consistency. Mixing very warm and very cool fixtures makes cabinets and countertops look like different colours in different spots.

Colour temperature also affects how your cabinet colour reads. Read our cabinet finishes guide before you finalize either.

Ready to Light Your Kitchen Properly?

Great lighting turns a well designed kitchen into one you enjoy using every day. See how finished projects come together in our custom kitchen gallery in Victoria BC.

To plan lighting and cabinetry together, book a meeting through our kitchen design consultation page.

Harbour City Kitchens designs kitchens across Victoria BC that work as well at night as they do during the day.