Read More
The benefits of natural light are plentiful, whether that’s lifting your mood or lowering your energy bills. Kitchens that are designed to maximise daylight do much more than open up a space and make it feel bigger. Natural light reduces energy consumption and acts as a serotonin boost for healthier wellbeing. Especially suited for kitchens on the petite side, our kitchen lighting ideas are here to help you accentuate natural light into each corner of your kitchen.
A well-designed kitchen is more than a statement piece — it’s a bustling family hub and a place that should extend a warm invitation to gather. Choosing the right lighting for your kitchen can change the dynamic and mood of the space, setting the tone for family gatherings and focused homework time.
Encouraging natural light throughout your kitchen starts with a few key design elements which includes neutral colour schemes, open shelving and reflective surfaces, to name a few. Our bespoke kitchens are streamlined and suave, offering plenty of space for natural light to come into play. Your kitchen is a space for living and entertaining, and creating an environment bathed in daylight is an important ingredient in any welcoming atmosphere.
Implementing our natural kitchen light ideas to increase the daylight in your space, whether you have a modern kitchen, shaker kitchen or a traditional kitchen, comes without a total kitchen remodel. Rather, consider making these simple swaps that will have your space radiant with the natural rays of the sun.
If you’re aiming to brighten your kitchen with natural light, consider glass a good friend. Glass windows and doors not only invite natural light in, but act as buoyant reflectors for natural light to leap off of. Replacing solid cabinet doors for those with reflective glass panelling will not only add variance to the collective surfaces in your kitchen, but exaggerate the sweep of natural light even into the darkest of corners.
As a general rule, light reflects light. Work surfaces that fall into a bright colour pallet, such as cream or beige, entice light in and around your kitchen. Those that would adore a marble kitchen at the centre of their home will be happy to know this is a work surface that does the work for you when it comes to swelling the natural light in your kitchen. Request our brochure to browse inspiring applications of work surfaces, such as quartz and marble, and see which reflective surface is the perfect match for your home.
Kitchens of a bright, neutral esteem have a habit of welcoming natural light a seat at the table. If opening up your kitchen is the aim, you’ll want to avoid deep, rich shades. According to colour theory, dark colours absorb light, creating an atmosphere that feels as if it’s closed off and cosy.
Natural, pastel paint colours to the tunes of white, off-white, blue, green and stone colours are natural shades that reflect wonderfully in the kitchen. Within a minimalist kitchen layout, plan to incorporate soft neutral colours for a sleek kitchen design that makes light work of maintaining an airy, breathable atmosphere. Open shelving in place of cabinets is another element that will keep counters clear of clutter and attract natural light to wash over every surface.
The only type of flood you’d ever want on your kitchen floors is a flood of natural night. Tile or laminate flooring will encourage this — so long as you stick to soft shades. Porcelain tiles with a natural veining, for example, would add texture to your space and make for a durable kitchen floor that’s ready to withstand the ins-and-outs of daily life, while acting as a sprightly surface to enhance the reflection of natural light.
Avoiding dark carpet runners and wooden flooring of a deep wash will be essential if you want to focus on opening up your kitchen. The shade of your floor plays an important role in keeping your kitchen bright, so it’s important to avoid opting for colours that will absorb natural light as soon as it enters the room.
When you’re ready to optimise natural light in your kitchen, contact our skilled designers for their expertise on taking advantage of the opportunities for natural light in your kitchen.
While our luxury bespoke kitchens accomplish a timeless sense of place and purpose, none would be complete without the proper lighting.
Once your custom kitchen design has been carefully considered to suit the needs of your family’s lifestyle, it becomes time to polish the design with lighting. Whether your spacious kitchen island will become an afternoon worktop for your children, or you desire a space that exudes warmth for hosting family and friends, the right lighting can not only enhance a room but become an essential feature.
Finishing a space with a feature pendant light can accentuate a space with more traditional design components. The warm glow of a pendant light bulb in the evening evokes a warm and inviting space fit for socialising, extending a tone of tenderness beyond the kitchen and throughout an open plan kitchen layout.
LED kitchen lighting may be the most versatile lighting option, as these cool-toned lights are bright and able to complement the day’s most productive hours in the kitchen spent cooking or working. These lighting options are especially useful when applied as task lights, giving you the bright, clear light needed for home working during the day or to cook up an extravagant family feast in the evenings.
Layering lighting in your kitchen gives you a variety of options to accentuate the different uses of your space. Give yourself the option of different lighting schemes for each moment of the day, whether preparing the family for the day ahead or dimming the lights at night before rest.
Wall lighting falls under the ambient lighting category, which serves as general illumination of a space. Wall lights generally light the walls of your kitchen, often in the form of sconces, highlighting the entrance and giving the impression of a welcoming space.
When it comes time to prepare a meal or settle the children into focus for their schoolwork, task lights will become essential to your kitchen design. These lights are typically brighter, creating a spotlight on work surfaces such as countertops, islands and sinks, affording you to direct light exactly where it is needed.
Downlights add softness to a kitchen lighting scheme, as they serve to reflect light wherever needed, making them ideal for kitchen island lighting, for example. Directional lighting integrated above your island invites togetherness, as a relaxing and romantic charm is cast by the glow.
In a space of food connoisseurs, quality kitchen under-cabinet lighting maximises the efficient navigation of countertops. LED lights sequentially placed underneath the cabinets makes it easier to reach for essential tools and cookware, and are an ideal way to fully illuminate important worktops. When accentuating small kitchens, lighting ideas could include the application of led light strips underneath open shelving for the greatest impact of light reflection, giving the kitchen a larger feel, overall.
Our designer’s kitchen ideas are meant to complement the needs of your home life and stand the test of time through quality components, such as timeless light fixtures. For an inspiring look at kitchen lighting ideas tailored by the craftsmanship of our designers, request a brochure. Our skilled John Lewis of Hungerford designers would gladly connect with you over meaningful guidance and advice to reflect the needs of your space and family.
We value your privacy
We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized ads or content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to our use of cookies.
