Merry and Bright – Lighting in your Kitchen

Your kitchen is the heart of your home. Whether it’s cooking, entertaining or simply serving up food on the table for your family, your space should be welcoming, warm, and well-lit. As we enter the festive period the shorter days are adorned with twinkly lights, reminding us of the important role lighting plays in the design and feel of our homes.

Why does my kitchen need cabinetry lighting?

How bright and open your Kitchen feels will depend on several elements including your lighting scheme, the size of your room, natural light sources, your colour scheme, and the finishes you opt for. Paler colour palettes will create the illusion of a larger space whilst gloss finishes will help to reflect light such as polished floor tiles or high gloss doors like Strada Gloss or Zola Gloss.

For your lighting scheme, you may have already considered your ceiling lighting, perhaps some subtle spotlights, or a statement pendant light, however, it’s important to layer lighting within your design to elevate your space. Combining different sources and levels of lighting including effective cabinetry lights will help you achieve this. Our example below showcases how different elements work seamlessly together to create a bright, practical kitchen even on Winter evenings.

• Our Zola Soft-Matte range is featured in two light, complimentary colours, Cashmere and White helping to lift and extend the space.
• LED Lighting is featured throughout the kitchen providing practical solutions in dimly lit areas and a warm and cosy atmosphere; flexible strip lighting above the wall units, spotlights underneath the shelving, and recessed flexible strip lighting around the island and cabinetry.
• A statement pendant light is suspended above the island for added drama and brightness, helping to illuminate the island worktop.
• During the day natural light floods in above via the skylights and glass sliding doors.

Zola Soft-Matte – Cashmere & White

What types of cabinetry lighting should I include?

When planning your kitchen lighting scheme, you need to think about how you’ll use the space to ensure your high-traffic zones are sufficiently lit, to make your day-to-day easier. Consider areas like your sink, commonly by a window which will be illuminated with natural light during the day but may need some extra help when the darker evenings arrive. At STORI, we categorise our cabinetry LED lighting offering into three main types: Task, Mood, and Convenience.

Mood lighting creates an ambiance in the kitchen, it can be used to highlight certain features or areas within a room to create a relaxed and intimate atmosphere. Use recessed strip lighting around your island to create a focal point or spotlights within your cabinets to highlight your favourite tableware.

L-R: Zola Soft-Matte – White – Flexible LED Strip Lighting | Ellesmere – Dust Grey – Under Cabinet Spot Lighting.

Task lighting provides stronger, targeted light to help you carry out daily tasks such as preparing and cooking meals or washing the dishes. Add LED strip lighting above your hob or spotlights to your reading nook to lessen any shadows and provide focused light.

L-R: Aldana – Graphite & Light Grey – Flexible LED Strip Lighting | Harborne – Heritage Green – Under Cabinet Spot Lighting

Paired together Task and Mood lighting will help to define and highlight different zones within your kitchen space, adding interest and a warm ambience at the same time.

Combine beautiful, functional lighting with everyday practicality with our Convenience lighting for ultimate ease. Choose from a range of wireless touch switches or control lighting from your smartphone via a Wi-Fi app, or through voice control systems such as Amazon Echo or Google Home, which can be used with both our Task and Mood lighting ranges.

L-R: Aldana – Graphite & Light Grey – Flexible LED Strip Lighting

Should I opt for cool or warm lighting?

We offer both cool and warm LED lighting options, for a cosy and warm aesthetic, we would suggest warm white LEDs which will bring out the softer tones in your space, or for a crisp, cool effect opt for cool LEDs which will enhance gloss, concrete, and stainless-steel finishes.

Make sure you put your lighting scheme at the top of your list when looking at colour schemes, door styles, handles, and appliances as they are all equally important in creating your perfect kitchen. Our lighting range is available via our network of approved STORI Retailers throughout the UK, find your nearest one here, or to learn more about our lighting range click here.