The Best Kitchen Lighting & How to Choose Yours

What's the Best Lighting for a Kitchen?

This is a common question from customers shopping for LED lighting and one that is challenging to answer. As with lighting for any room, selecting the "best" lighting comes down to personal preference and three considerations: brightness, color when illuminated, and fit. With that in mind, here are some tips to help you choose the best lighting for your kitchen.

Determine How Bright Your Kitchen Should Be (Look for Lumens)

It is a common misconception that watts determine brightness, but it is in fact lumens that measure the brightness of a bulb. The higher the lumens, the more light a bulb emits. So how many lumens does it take to properly light a kitchen? It depends on its size. 

Here's the standard lumens per foot recommendation:

• For kitchens and dining rooms: 30-40 lumens per square foot (3,000 - 4,000 lumens per 100 square feet)
• For kitchen work areas: 70-80 lumens per square foot (7,000-8,000 lumens per 100 square feet)

Keep in mind that these are only general recommendations. Depending on the layout of your kitchen, the height of your ceilings, and even the color of your walls, your scenario may differ. In addition, some people ultimately prefer very bright, well-lit kitchens while others prefer softer lighting. 

Where to look for lumens →

When shopping for bulbs on our marketplace, look for lumens in the product description right next to the bulb. In stores, this information can be found on the bulb's packaging.

Note: The bulb's Kelvin value, wattage, and base type can be found here too.

Decide on a Bulb Color (Consider Kelvins)

Just like lumens are a measure of bulb brightness, Kelvins are a measure of bulb color. The lower the Kelvin value (or temperature), the "warmer" (more yellow) the color of the light. The higher the value, the "cooler" (more blue) the light. Bulbs commonly range from 2,200-6,500 degrees Kelvin. So what lighting color is best for the kitchen?

Switch to LEDs

If your home is equipped with old incandescent light bulbs (you know, the ones that get really hot and burn out quickly), you may be using far more electricity to light your home than you have to.

Here's a general guideline to help you decide:

• Up to 3000K (Soft White): This light is very warm, cozy, and on the yellow end of the scale, and is often used in living rooms and bedrooms.
• 3000K-4000K (Warm White): Warm white light is a cross between white and yellow and is very often used in kitchens and bathrooms.
• 4000K-5000K (Neutral-Cool White): Neutral to cool white lighting leans towards the blue side of the scale and provides an energetic feel. This is often used in work spaces, including the kitchen.
• 5000K+ (Daylight): This very cool, blue, daylight-imitating light is ideal for reading, working, or applying makeup and is rarely used in kitchens.

Make Sure it Fits (Check the Base)

The final factor in choosing bulbs, make sure they fit into your fixtures! Many wall, ceiling, recessed, and hanging lighting fixtures accommodate bulbs with standard screw-bases (E26). To know for sure, take out your current bulb and check out the base. 

More Tips for Improving Kitchen Lighting

If you've upgraded your bulbs and still feel your kitchen lighting is not up to par, don't hire an electrician just yet! There are simple, cost-effective ways to brighten up your kitchen on your own.

• Put a lamp on your kitchen counter to brighten up a dark corner.
• Place stick-on or rope lights beneath your cabinets to give yourself more light for food prep (or to softly illuminate your kitchen at night).
• Paint. Lighter walls, cabinets, and trim can make the whole room feel brighter.
• Make use of natural light. Move furniture away from windows, open curtains and blinds, and decorate with mirrors to reflect the natural light.