Lighting
Lighting plays a vital role in contemporary kitchen design, significantly impacting the overall atmosphere and functionality of the space. A well-lit kitchen not only enhances the joy of cooking and dining but also eliminates the inconvenience and limitations that come with poor illumination. The right lighting choices highlight the texture, colour, and style of your selected door finishes, helping your kitchen look its best while preventing darker cabinetry from overpowering the room. At Preston & Co, we offer expert advice on the wide variety of lighting systems available, working closely with you to ensure the most effective lighting scheme is chosen for your needs. In essence, there are three main types of kitchen lighting to think about, each serving its own purpose, and the most effective kitchen designs typically combine all three for a balanced result.
Kitchen Task Lighting
Just like using a reading lamp or desk light for focused tasks, kitchen task lighting is designed to improve visibility where it’s needed most, making food preparation and cooking much easier. This type of lighting delivers targeted illumination to specific zones within the kitchen, such as worktops, the hob, and sink areas.
A great example is lighting built into the underside of wall units, which offers excellent clarity for the surfaces below, without relying on dated tracks or pelmets. Other effective task lighting options include pendant lights over an island to brighten the surface beneath, internal shelf or cabinet lights for better visibility of contents, and extractor units above hobs that come with integrated spotlights to illuminate the cooking area directly.
Ambient Kitchen Lighting
Ambient lighting in the kitchen is typically softer and more diffused than task lighting, providing illumination across the entire space rather than targeting specific areas. Its primary role is to shape the mood and overall aesthetic of the room, whether you’re aiming for something warm and traditional or sleek and modern. In a contemporary kitchen, recessed ceiling downlights, pendant fixtures, or uplighting above cabinets all contribute to a balanced, even glow that enhances the room’s character.
These lighting options come in three white tones , cool white, warm white, and daylight, so you can fine-tune the atmosphere to suit your taste and lifestyle. At Preston & Co in Wiltshire, we also recommend integrating dimmable controls, allowing you to easily shift from a bright, everyday kitchen feel to a more relaxed and intimate ambiance, perfect for hosting dinner guests or enjoying a quiet evening in.
Accent & Feature Kitchen Lighting
Accent or feature lighting serves a decorative function, drawing attention to specific elements of your kitchen that you’d like to highlight. This could include illuminated wall cabinets, glass shelving, light-up drawers, or subtle plinth lighting. For a sleek and modern touch, LED strip lighting around a mirrored splashback or beneath a kitchen island worktop can create a striking visual effect, or even give the impression of a floating island.
Thanks to their energy efficiency, long lifespan, and flexibility for tight spaces, LED lights are a perfect choice for achieving a contemporary look while showcasing standout kitchen features. When paired with ambient lighting, accent lighting adds depth and dimension to your kitchen’s overall tone. Like task lighting, many accent lights offer adjustable colours and dimming features, allowing you to shift the atmosphere as needed. They don’t have to be used constantly or all at once, making them an ideal option for those who want their Preston & Co kitchen in Wiltshire to feel truly special, especially when entertaining guests or creating a show-stopping visual impact.
Small Kitchen Lighting
Lighting plays a key role in shaping the atmosphere of a room, and in a compact kitchen, choosing lighting that creates the illusion of more space is essential. Light gloss finishes are excellent for bouncing light around the room, but even darker matt units can look stunning when paired with the right lighting in the right places. At Preston & Co in Wiltshire, we’ll help you plan a tailored combination of task, ambient, and accent lighting to achieve the most effective outcome for your smaller kitchen layout. We understand which tones and shades of lighting best enhance different finishes, and we know exactly where to position each light to open up the space visually. It’s often the finer details that complete the room, like a subtle line of LEDs along the worktop edge, internal drawer lights, uplighting above tall cabinets, or decorative plinth lighting for added flair.
Make Light Work Of It
The kitchen serves as both a functional workspace and a social hub, so its lighting must strike a balance, being practical where required while also reflecting personality and style through thoughtful design choices.
As the most used room in the home, your kitchen says a lot about you. From task lighting to ambient and feature lighting, there’s a wide range of options to explore. At Preston & Co in Wiltshire, we encourage you to consider every possibility when designing your new kitchen. The most successful kitchen layouts are those that thoughtfully combine all three lighting types, delivering a space that’s not only practical and safe but also full of character and visual appeal.
What Makes Preston & Co. unique
Bespoke design service tailored to your home
Expert guidance through every stage of the project
Installation carried out entirely by our own team
Consistent communication and dedicated project management
Get Started: Free Home Visit & Quote
Ready to reimagine your kitchen? Get in touch with Preston & Co today to schedule your free home consultation and quote. Our approachable team will take the time to understand your vision, evaluate your space, and offer tailored guidance on designing a kitchen that elevates your home. Let’s turn your ideas into reality.
