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
Mood lighting
Ambient lighting is key for creating a laid-back feel and is essential as kitchens become the primary social space in our homes. Look for softer solutions, such as dimmable wall lights, as well as decorative systems, like shelf and in-cabinet lights.
‘If the kitchen is a multifunctional space with a very strong living element, then it's important that the room has the right atmosphere, depending on the time of day and who's at home,' explains Graeme Smith, conceptual designer for Metris and Second Nature Kitchens. If your room is large, think about how you want the different zones to interact.
Mood lighting can change the ambience of the kitchen from practical preparation zone to a chill-out or entertaining space. Plinth lighting - especially strip lights - around an island unit or breakfast bar gives the illusion of floating furniture, which can create a magical feel at night and is great for wowing guests.
If you have a period property or interesting features, such as an exposed brick wall, that you'd like to highlight, consider accent lighting that can be used to focus on a particular area or design element in the room.
Chosen by Beautiful Kitchens
Create an ambient feel in an open-plan scheme with layers of different lighting. This room uses polestar lights, £53 each; LED contour strips, £131 per metre; and plaster square lights, £128 each, all from John Cullen Lighting
4 of 5 
