How to plan your kitchen lighting

Essential for preparation and cooking, lighting can also be used to create mood and atmosphere at the flick of a switch. Beautiful Kitchens talks you through the different types

One of the first things you'll need to consider when planning your new kitchen is the lighting, as electrics and fittings have to be installed at the start of the project, before plastering, decorating and the fitting. It's an integral part of any scheme and this is your one chance to get it right.

The key to a successful scheme lies in layering the effects, so you should try to zone the lighting according to its use - working (task), dining and mood (ambient) and creating the wow factor (feature). It's important to concentrate on all three and consider dimmable solutions for even more flexibility.

‘Plan the lighting when you're thinking about the plumbing,' advises Sally Storey, design director at John Cullen Lighting. ‘As a rule of thumb, allow as much budget for your lighting as you would the flooring. Your choices will depend on the size of the space and whether your room has a high or low ceiling.'

Installing ceiling lighting can pose some difficulties, but it is possible to illuminate a kitchen without using any ceiling lights. There is a wide range of spotlights, downlighters, uplighters and strips that can be placed either under or on top of kitchen units. It also means you can be more creative, as it's possible to conceal fixtures and fittings.

Chosen by Beautiful Kitchens

John Cullen Lighting’s RGB Slinky, £150m, has been used behind the splashback at high and low levels. Oslo lights, £119, and Cazella 1W LEDs, £8, have been recessed into the plinths

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