Kitchen lighting

Layers of light

A well lit kitchen uses more than one kind of light. General lighting, often recessed fixtures, fills the room. Task lighting, usually under-cabinet strips or pucks, puts light on the counter where you chop and read recipes. Pendants over an island add light where people sit and give the room a focal point. In a bigger kitchen that opens to a family room, dimmers on each group let you change the mood in the evening.

Wooded lots around Briarcliff Manor can make kitchens darker during the day than you would expect, especially on the north side of the house. Good task lighting helps a lot in that case.

Recessed lights

HomeAdvisor puts recessed lighting at about $100 to $300 per fixture installed. Spacing depends on ceiling height and the room, and a lighting plan should keep fixtures away from where upper cabinets cast shadows. Modern LED fixtures run cool and use little power. If you are adding recessed lights to a ceiling with insulated attic space above, ask about fixtures rated for contact with insulation.

Pendants and under-cabinet lights

Island pendants should be sized to the island and hung high enough to see under. Two or three pendants over a long island is common. Plan them before the island is set, so the junction boxes land centered over the top.

Angi puts under-cabinet lighting at about $200 to $800. Hardwired LED strips give the cleanest look, and they are easiest to run during a remodel when the walls are open. Plug-in versions exist, but they leave cords and need outlets.

• Plan lighting with the cabinet layout, not after
• Put each type of light on its own switch or dimmer
• Ask whether the panel has room for new circuits
• Choose a consistent color temperature for all fixtures

Lighting a kitchen that opens to a family room

When the kitchen and family room become one space, plan the lighting for both together. Bright task light over the counters can feel harsh from the sofa in the evening, so separate switches and dimmers for the kitchen, the island and the family room give you control. Ask the contractor to mark every fixture and switch on the plan before the ceiling is opened, and check that the beam from a removed wall will not land where you wanted a light. Natural light matters too. If you are already opening walls, ask whether a larger window or a glass door to the yard is practical.

Leave the wiring to licensed electricians

All new circuits, fixtures and switches should be installed by a licensed electrician, and most new wiring needs a permit and inspection. Do not attempt electrical work yourself. Older homes sometimes need panel or wiring upgrades to support new lighting and kitchen appliances, so ask the contractor to check the panel early.

Typical kitchen lighting costs

Published national ranges, not quotes.

Ranges are rounded national figures from the sources below and are not quotes. Your price depends on the number of fixtures, wiring access, panel capacity and permits.

Sources: HomeAdvisor, recessed lighting; Angi, under-cabinet lighting