It’s where your family cooks, eats, entertains, does homework. The right lights in one of the house’s most multitasking rooms will get all those jobs done better.

Light from Above

“Kitchens need a lot of light, and having some coming from the ceiling is key for even illumination,” says Peter Bentel of Bentel & Bentel Architects, in Locust Valley, New York. Professionally installed recessed lights with individual zone controls let you spotlight key areas — stove, work island, sink — or light up the whole room.

Define Spaces

Another way to highlight areas from above is by using a pendant, or hanging, light. One (or a row of three) over a work island or a table helps break up a large open-plan kitchen into distinct, more intimate spaces.

Illuminate the Counters

Cabinets can block overhead light and leave countertops in shadow, which makes the tasks you use them for — notably the ones involving sharp blades — potentially dangerous. Two easy solutions: Screw a fluorescent strip (they come in lengths up to six feet) under the cabinets for an even line of light, or use round “hockey puck” lights, set about 18 inches apart. (Halogen spots, unlike fluorescent strips, can be dimmed, but they burn hot, so avoid installing them under a cabinet where temperature-sensitive foods, like spices, are stored.) When guests arrive for dinner, turn off the overhead and leave the cabinet lights on for instant atmosphere.

Pendant Fixture (red lamp, shown left)
A pendant fixture shines a direct downward light onto the table and defines the area, creating an ad hoc dining nook. Enameled Pendant Light, $150, Cath Kidston, 212-343-0223.

Puck Light (shown, right)
These easy-to-install round under-shelf lights brighten the countertop for meal prep and provide mood lighting afterward.