The kitchen is the busiest room in the house, and your kitchen island is at the middle of it all. Make sure your island is supported by layers of light that showcase every role it needs to play, from serving as a casual meeting location for your family to more countertop space for food prep. Today, trusted kitchen contractor DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen of Reno shares four tips for effective kitchen island lighting.

Important Lighting Tips

1. Find out the size of your kitchen island. Once you know its dimensions, you can determine the amount of light and the intensity of the bulbs required for your kitchen island. A good rule of thumb is to provide 35 to 50 lumens per square foot over the island. So, if it measures 15 square feet (3 feet by 5 feet), the total lumens that your lighting fixture needs to produce are from 535 to 750. When it comes to placement, the lighting fixture must be hanging at the center of the island to provide even light dispersion. 

2. Pick your lighting fixture. It’s easy to become overwhelmed by all of the options for lighting a kitchen island. Your kitchen remodeler, however, may recommend one of these three choices:

• Pendant lights. These are by far the most common choice for kitchen lighting. Because their light shines directly down, pendants are natural task lights. You have the option to install two larger pendants or multiple smaller ones, each with fewer lumens. Pendant lights can add dramatic flair to your island and the kitchen space as a whole.
• Linear chandeliers. These are multi-light fixtures that are usually elongated. Linear chandeliers work best over large islands and areas that demand attention. In the kitchen, putting a linear chandelier next to a pendant is not a good idea. You could, however, combine it with recessed lighting.
• Recessed lights. These lights are ideal for anyone who enjoys a clean line of sight across their kitchen. They provide adequate task lighting without taking up valuable headspace. Recessed lighting works well if you have a low ceiling, which can make pendant lights or linear chandeliers look obtrusive.

3. Consider the number of light fixtures. Follow the rule of three when it comes to lighting your kitchen island. This rule is based on the concept that objects ordered in threes are more aesthetically balanced than objects arranged in even numbers. In some cases, clusters of five or seven pendant lights may be preferable over three.

4. Add ambient light. Aside from hanging a lighting fixture above the island, you should also think about the whole island itself when exploring light. You can enhance your kitchen’s aesthetic appeal by adding accent lighting around the island’s underside, preferably hidden behind the cupboards. If you love to entertain guests and host dinner parties, taking advantage of LED profile lighting can add a touch of elegance and style to your island and the entire kitchen.

Let’s Start a Conversation!

You don’t need to search “kitchen contractor near me” when you have DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen of Reno on speed-dial! Count on us to provide superior home remodeling services using a proven process and a personalized approach. Call us today at (775) 522-7888 or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment. We proudly serve homeowners in Reno, Sparks, Incline Village, Spanish Springs, Verdi, Truckee, Lake Tahoe and Carson City.