Overhead lighting is a crucial design element that brings abundant illumination into kitchen spaces. With the right overhead lights, you can highlight key areas, set the mood, and enhance aesthetics and functionality.
But with so many overhead kitchen lighting options–from dramatic chandeliers to sleek track systems–how do you choose what’s best for your needs and style? We cover everything you need to select the ideal fixtures to brighten up your cooking space.
Types of Overhead Kitchen Lights
Flush Mount Fixtures
Flush mount ceiling lights feature full covering bases that mount directly against the ceiling surface for a clean, integrated appearance. Without dangling pieces or gaps, these subtle fixtures provide unobtrusive ambient lighting ideal for kitchens with low headspace.
For smaller kitchen layouts, flush mount lights give the illusion of higher ceilings compared to bulky hanging pendants that consume vertical space. Flush mounts like LED discs or panels output sufficient lumens for general lighting tasks.
Strategically place flush mount fixtures over sinks, stovetops, and other task zones where headspace is at a premium. Avoid suspending them too high or their subtle lighting effects will be lost.
Pendant Lights
Pendant lighting offers brilliant task and accent illumination from single or multi-pendant fixtures suspended from ceiling-mounted cords, rods, or chains. Glass, metal, and woven pendants impart eye-catching style when hung alone or in linear formations.
Islands and dining nooks especially benefit from pendant illumination. Allow 30-36 inches between pendant bottoms and island tops for comfortable passage and visibility. For dining areas, scale wider rectangles or circular fixtures appropriately to pendant size and table proportions.
Utilize dimmer switches with pendant fixtures to create a romantic glow for evening dinners and adjust brightness as needed for food prep tasks.
Dazzling Chandeliers
Nothing imparts showstopping style like a sparkling, light-filled chandelier anchored to your kitchen ceiling. While opulent traditional chandeliers suit classical spaces, contemporary slimline iterations better complement modern aesthetics.
Consider placing kitchen chandeliers over dining nooks or islands without overhead cabinetry. This transforms the fixtures into dramatic focal points. For adequate clearance, allow 32-36 inches between chandelier edges and tabletops or countertops below.
Oversized wide-spanning chandeliers make jaw dropping statements in great rooms with soaring two-story ceilings. Proportion chandelier size to room scale for proper fit.
Flexible Track Lighting
Track lighting offers wonderful flexibility in kitchens, providing ambient and task illumination precisely where needed. Systems feature linear tracks housing electrical conduits and accessories like aim-able spotlights, pendants, or hanging rods that slide and lock anywhere along the tracks’ lengths.
ELV and LED track heads spotlight countertops, islands, bookshelves, and other focal points while directional monopoints, multipoints, and linear lights handle general and task lighting needs.
Consider track lighting to subtly highlight open shelving displaying glassware, dishes, and decorative items without aggressive downlighting. Draw the eye to featured displays with strategic accent lighting from above.
Recessed Can Lighting
Recessed canister downlights, known as recessed or can lighting, efficiently distribute ambient luminescence from sunken housings in ceilings. Cans take up zero floor space, making them excellent options for low profile, unobtrusive overall illumination in kitchens with standard ceiling heights.
While recessed lighting casts subtle glows ideal for general lighting, adjustable trims allow directing multiple beam angles to hit work areas. LED recessed kits offer energy efficiency and long lifespans well-suited for kitchen use.
Position recessed lighting to evenly wash ceiling and wall planes in luminosity without harsh shadows. Place additional adjustable cans over sinks, stoves, islands, and other work zones to supplement task lighting as needed.
Kitchen Ceiling Height Considerations
Standard kitchen ceiling heights measure 8 to 9 feet. For spaces in this range, most overhead lighting options appropriately fit without looking undersized or overwhelmingly large. Though for rooms exceeding 12-foot ceilings, consider upgrading fixture proportions so lights don’t get lost against towering overhead planes.
Conversely, ceiling heights lower than 8 feet–common in cottages, older homes, or spaces with ductwork–require careful fixture selection. Overhead lights must illuminate while occupying minimal vertical volume. Flush mounts, recessed cans, low profile track heads, or smaller pendants work best here by not impeding traffic, visibility, or headspace.
Task Light Recommendations by Ceiling Height
- 8 feet: pendant lights (30-36″ length), line voltage track lighting
- 9 feet: extra-long pendant lights (48″ length), line voltage track lighting
- 10-12 feet+: oversized statement pendants, long stem pendants (60″+ length), monumental chandeliers
- Under 8 feet: flush mounts, recessed lighting, low voltage rail systems
Lighting Layout Tips
When planning kitchen lighting layouts, think about typical tasks performed in key areas.
For example, prep and cooking zones require abundant task illumination while ambient fills offer overall glows throughout the space. Use different fixtures strategically based on lighting needs and activities associated with specific areas.
1. Layer Lighting
Effective kitchen lighting combines several layers:
- Ambient: General background lighting washing ceilings and walls
- Accent: Directional beams highlighting artwork, architectural details
- Task: Focused functional lighting for food prep, cooking, clean up
Balance ambient illumination from recessed, flush mount and pendant fixtures with task lighting like undercabinet lighting and track heads.
2. Zone Lighting
In open concept kitchens encompassing multiple zones, designate separate lighting to define individual spaces that compose the whole.
For example, floating pendants distinguish kitchen islands while recessed cans wash living areas and directional beams spotlight dining nooks. Control zones independently via separate switches.
Other Overhead Lighting Considerations
Beyond assessing basic spatial needs, factor these specifications into overhead kitchen lighting selections:
Brightness
Calculate required lighting output for adequate kitchen illumination. Measure room square footage and multiply by lumens needed per square foot based on space function:
- Kitchens: 20-50 lumens/square foot
- Kitchenettes: 30-40 lumens/square foot
- Large kitchens: 50-80 lumens/square foot
This gives the total lumen output overhead fixtures must emit for well-lit kitchen tasks and safety.
Light Beam Angle
Look at beam angles describing fixture light distribution. Wider floods (120-150 degrees) provide soft ambient fills while spotlights (20-45 degrees) intensely concentrate beams. For general use, opt for lights with beam angles between these ranges.
| Beam Angle | Light Distribution |
| 20-45 degrees | Narrow spotlights |
| 60-90 degrees | Medium-wide spotlights |
| 120-150 degrees | Wide floodlights |
Style and Finish
Choose overhead kitchen lighting finishes and designs aligning with your interior decor scheme. For contemporary spaces, sleek metallic pendants or recessed LED discs add to modern minimalist aesthetics. Traditional kitchens suit vintage filament bulbs in caged pendants and antique brass finish chandeliers with heirloom appeal.
Smart Technology
Today’s overhead kitchen lights integrate seamlessly with smart home systems, allowing app and voice control activation. Smart fixtures let you set custom lighting scenes optimizing brightness and color temperature levels for cooking, dining, or prep tasks.
Dimming Capabilities
Overhead lights with dimming capabilities let you adjust ambient brightness to set the perfect mood. Certain fixtures work with standard dimmer switches or 0-10V electrical dimming while others require proprietary hubs. Ensure system compatibility before installing your overhead kitchen lighting.
The right overhead lighting helps make kitchen tasks more enjoyable while setting the stage for memorable moments around mealtime gatherings. Evaluate your space, lighting needs and interior design to determine the perfect blend of fixtures that both illuminate rooms effectively and reinforce aesthetic visions.
Flush mounts, pendants, chandeliers, tracks, and recessed lights each impart distinct advantages. Use our tips to confidently choose overhead lighting to brighten kitchens that leaves you glowing.
