Kitchen lighting: A guide to lighting in the kitchen
- Søren Rasmussen
- Last updated2. June 2026
The kitchen is one of the rooms in the house where we spend many hours and is often the heart of the home. When designing the kitchen, it is therefore essential that the room is a pleasant and inviting space to be in.
Proper lighting plays a crucial role here. The right kitchen lighting helps set the mood, and it is important to have multiple light sources in the kitchen to provide good task lighting for cooking, while also making the room cozy and inviting.
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Søren Rasmussen
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Are you considering new lights for your kitchen? In general, we say that to ensure optimal kitchen lighting, you need to include these 3 types of lighting:
General lighting – Evenly illuminates the entire room, creating a welcoming and functional atmosphere.
Cosy lighting – Soft, subdued light that creates a relaxing and comfortable atmosphere, ideal for unwinding.
Task lighting – Focussed and stronger lighting designed to improve visibility and concentration in workspaces.
When choosing kitchen lamps, it’s important to consider how they will illuminate your kitchen counter and the areas where you spend the most time. Below, we explain in more detail and give you some tips on what to consider when designing your kitchen with optimal lighting that combines functionality with stylish design.
General lighting for the kitchen
General lighting is the light that illuminates the entire kitchen. The obvious choice, and what we see in the vast majority of kitchens, is that the general lighting consists of integrated spotlights, but it can also be another type of ceiling light.
Spotlights in the kitchen are an elegant and effective solution for creating both mood and functionality. These small but powerful light sources can be discreetly recessed into the ceiling or under cabinets for a clean and modern aesthetic. What’s unique about spotlights is that they not only focus light exactly where it’s needed, such as over the kitchen island or countertop, but also diffuse light in a way that softly illuminates the entire room.
Dimmable kitchen lighting
Often, spots in the kitchen are installed so that the light can be dimmed or brightened, depending on what is needed in the kitchen. For instance, if you are about to do a thorough cleaning, it’s advantageous to be able to turn the light up fully, illuminating every nook and cranny with sharp light, so you can see every detail. On the other hand, if you want to create a cozy light in the evening, the light can be dimmed.
There are several variants where it is possible to adjust the light. On some kitchen lamps, you can control the brightness, while others have what we call Dim to Warm, where you can adjust the color temperature.
With Dim to Warm, the light can often be dimmed from 3000K to 1800K, allowing you to go from warm white light to a more yellowish light. Read more about Kelvin here.
You can choose spots where you can change the light source, meaning you use LED bulbs, but you can also get spots with integrated light sources, which all of ours come with.
When are spots a good choice for kitchen lighting?
Spotlights can be a great solution for general kitchen lighting, as they provide an even and functional light throughout the room.
Recessed spotlights create a discreet look, as they are integrated into the ceiling, while ceiling-mounted spotlights and ceiling lamps can be a good alternative if you prefer a solution with more visibility in the interior.
The most important thing is to choose a solution that suits the size of your kitchen, the type of ceiling and the need for flexible lighting.
Would you like to see specific solutions? Explore our selection of lamps for the kitchen.
Cozy lighting
Comfortable mood lighting for socializing and good times
Cosy lighting in the kitchen helps make the room feel more inviting, especially when the kitchen is also used for spending time together, morning coffee or quiet evenings around the dining table.
Pendants, wall lamps and smaller decorative light sources can help create a softer light that complements the general kitchen lighting.
Kitchen pendants work especially well above a kitchen island, a dining area or a smaller table, where they can provide practical everyday lighting while also adding atmosphere to the room.
Which lamps are good for cozy lighting?
When choosing cosy lighting for the kitchen, it is a good idea to consider placement, light direction and the option to dim the light.
A dimmable lamp gives you flexibility, allowing the light to be adjusted to different situations – from practical tasks during the day to a more relaxed atmosphere in the evening.
In this way, kitchen lamps can become a natural part of both the interior design and the way the room is used.
Task lighting
Proper lighting for cooking and practical tasks
When we talk about kitchen lighting, task lighting is one of the most important things to get right. It is the light that makes it easier to cook, prepare packed lunches, do the dishes and tidy up in everyday life. It is not only about how bright the light is, but also where it is placed.
A classic mistake is placing the light in the centre of the room instead of where the work actually takes place. If the light comes from behind you, you risk casting a shadow on the worktop while you are working. That is why task lighting in the kitchen should be placed directly above or close to the most important work zones – for example the worktop, sink, hob or kitchen island.
Also consider whether the light falls evenly across the entire work surface. A single light source may be enough in a small kitchen, while larger kitchens often require several light sources to avoid dark corners or areas with shadows. When cooking, colour rendering also plays an important role. A good CRI value helps the colours of ingredients appear more natural, which is an advantage in a room where the lighting needs to be both practical and pleasant.
How do you choose good task lighting for the kitchen?
Good task lighting in the kitchen can be created in several ways, depending on the layout of the kitchen, the ceiling height and how visible you want the lamps to be in the room.
Pendants can work well above a kitchen island or a freestanding work area, where they also become part of the interior design. Spotlights and surface-mounted spotlights are ideal if you want a more discreet solution with even light distributed across several zones.
If you have wall cabinets, under-cabinet lighting can be an effective supplement, as the light is placed close to the worktop and makes it easier to see what you are doing.
In kitchens without wall cabinets, ceiling lamps, wall lamps or adjustable spotlights can instead help direct the light towards the areas where it is needed most.
A good tip is to combine several types of kitchen lighting rather than relying on one lamp to do it all.
The kitchen is the central gathering point
In many Danish homes, the kitchen is the central gathering point, just like in the rest of Scandinavia. Today, we build houses where the kitchen is no longer separated from the dining room, but rather the kitchen-dining room, where the family gathers around food and cosiness. Our guests are also warmly welcomed in our kitchen-dining room, where everyone is part of the cosy gathering without the host having to stand in the kitchen and thus not be part of the party.
That’s why kitchen lighting is so important for both everyday and festive occasions. Good lighting in the kitchen is essential as it has many functions and helps to create atmosphere and warmth in the kitchen.
Kitchen lighting is not just spotlights in the kitchen, but also lamps over the kitchen island, kitchen wall lights, kitchen pendants, recessed lights, and much more.
How do you choose the right kitchen lighting?
The right lighting in the kitchen is essential. There’s no set list for the perfect kitchen lighting lamp, as it all depends on the kitchen itself. Every kitchen is different, both in terms of interior design and the personal touch you want to give your kitchen.
When choosing lighting, it’s just important that you think about it from the start, making sure you’ve got the general kitchen lighting, task lighting and cosy lighting under control. Kitchen lights have different looks and functions. Spotlights can help to emphasise different elements or areas, while pendant lights and other more decorative lights provide more expression and atmosphere.
In addition, it’s a good idea to choose good quality lights to ensure a longer lifespan and better light quality.
How do I ensure the best kitchen lighting?
To ensure good light in your kitchen and that you choose the right kitchen light for your needs, follow our advice above. We’re happy to provide more advice on lighting for larger projects and businesses.
For more complex solutions, we recommend contacting an electrician to ensure that the installation is carried out correctly.
Our collection - kitchen lighting
We hope this guide has given you inspiration for how to incorporate lighting into your kitchen – whether it is for task lighting, atmosphere or the overall experience of the room.
The right kitchen lighting is not just about one lamp, but about finding a solution that suits the layout of the kitchen, its functions and the way the room is used in everyday life.
Once you have a clear overview of your needs, you can explore our selection of lamps for the kitchen. Here you will find different types of kitchen lamps, including pendants, spotlights, ceiling lamps and wall lamps, which can be used on their own or combined depending on the size and function of the room.
More inspiration - lamps in other rooms
The right lighting can also make a big difference in other spaces – both in the home and in commercial settings. With us, you’ll not only find inspiration for kitchen lighting, but also for many other areas. Discover more about home lighting in these articles:
You can also read more about commercial lighting on these pages:
Frequently Asked Questions about kitchen lighting
When planning kitchen lighting, you should start with the functions of the room. Look at where you cook, wash up, work and spend time. Then place the light according to the most important zones, such as the countertop, sink, hob and kitchen island. This creates a more functional solution than simply placing light in the middle of the room.
General lighting is the light that gives you an overview of the whole kitchen. Task lighting is more focused light placed near the areas where you cook, wash up or use the countertop. Mood lighting is softer light that makes the room more pleasant to spend time in, for example in the evening or when the kitchen is used for socialising.
How many lumens you need in a kitchen depends on the size of the room, ceiling height, colours, surfaces and how many light sources are used. Work areas such as the countertop, sink and hob typically require more light than areas mainly used for spending time together. That is why it is often best to combine general lighting with more targeted task lighting.
For kitchen lighting, many people choose a warm white or neutral white colour temperature. Warm light can make the kitchen feel cosier, while a slightly more neutral light can be an advantage in work areas where you need clear and functional light. If the kitchen is used for both cooking and spending time together, dimmable lighting can provide extra flexibility.
To avoid shadows on the kitchen countertop, the light should be placed close to the areas where you work. If the light only comes from the middle of the room or from behind you, you may cast shadows on the countertop yourself. Task lighting should therefore be placed above or close to the countertop, sink, hob and other work zones.
Yes, it is often a good idea to combine several types of kitchen lighting. Ceiling lamps or spots can provide good general lighting, while pendants, wall lamps or lighting under wall cabinets can add task lighting or atmosphere. A combination of several light sources makes it easier to adapt the light to cooking, tidying up and cosy moments.
Spots can be a good solution in the kitchen if you want discreet and even lighting. They can be used as general lighting or as targeted light for specific work zones. It is especially important that spots are placed according to the countertop, sink, hob and kitchen island, so the light reaches the places where you need it.
When choosing lamps above a kitchen island, you should consider the size of the island, ceiling height and how the island is used in everyday life. Pendants can provide a decorative and focused light, while spots or ceiling lamps can be a more discreet solution. The most important thing is that the light reaches the work surface without causing glare or shadows.
Yes, dimmable lighting can be a good idea in the kitchen, because the room is often used for many different things. You can turn up the light when cooking or tidying up, and dim it when the kitchen is used for dining, conversations or a calmer atmosphere.
