How to Guides: Choosing a Light Fixture for Your Kitchen

It's common knowledge that lighting is an important part of design, because without lighting, your design just doesn't function properly. Inadequate lighting, especially in a kitchen, can make the room feel dank, dreary and just plain unwelcoming. Fortunately, when you have the right light fixtures, a kitchen can be a welcoming, well-oiled, well functioning part of the home.

How to Choose the Right Light Fixture for Your Kitchen

When it comes to designing a kitchen, it's important to focus on your tasks at hand rather than on pure decoration. While those lights inside the cabinets might look great while they're illuminating your fine china, they might not be all that practical (and they're a waste of electricity.

Instead, stop and think of where you work the most when you're in the kitchen: at the sink, the countertops or over a kitchen island. Also, if you have seating such as a bar area or a table, be sure to have some light fixtures for these areas as well.

Examples of Kitchen Light Fixtures

Kitchen Lighting: Under Cabinet Lighting

The easiest and quickest way to get light over the countertop is to use under cabinet lighting fixtures. Fortunately, this type of lighting is relatively inexpensive. Lighting Direct offers a set of two under cabinet lights by Sea Gull Lighting, with prices ranging from $48.74 to $71.10, depending upon the fixture finish (i.e. antique bronze, white, brushed nickel, etc.) Under cabinet light fixtures are ideal for creating light over countertop work spaces for tasks like cutting on a cutting board or making cookies.

Kitchen Lighting: Island or Bar Pendant Lights

If you have a kitchen island, a bar or even a small table, then a pendant or mini pendant may be the ideal type of light. Pendant lights, such as this contemporary single light mini pendant by Kichler, are ideal for providing adequate lighting over these areas. $99.00 with free shipping through Lighting Direct.

Modern Track Lighting for Kitchens

Track lighting, once out-of-date, is making come back. Track lighting can be used to highlight cabinets, but it can also be used as general lighting in the kitchen or over an island or bar. Today's track lighting is much more modern than the single straight, bulky line that they once were. This modern monorail track like from WAC Lighting features a rounded out track and is a great example of what to look for in today's track lighting market. $387.00 with free shipping from Lighting Direct.

Semi-Flush Mount Ceiling Fixture for a Kitchen

This semi-flush mount ceiling light from Kichler Lighting features a modern drum-shade style light with clean lines. This particular model features meshed screens mixed with an opal glass, so it's ideal as a general light source in the center of a kitchen. $198.00 through Lighting Direct, with free shipping.