Light Your Kitchen For Optimal Function

Proper lighting in your kitchen is essential for functionality. In this video, I'll explore the many options you will be faced with for lighting your kitchen, where to install them, and other great tips like selecting the proper brightness.

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[MTKDofficial]

Hey all. So, I mention in this video that you should place pendants at 1/3, 2/3, and 3/3 and I'm getting feedback that it should be 1/4 1/2 and 3/4. We are talking about the same thing, just differently. My ideas is the lights are centred over the first third, then the second third and then the last. This places the light fixture at 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4.

[kristinnelson-patel]

Dimmers are so important where it gets dark in the morning in Winter. When I get up at 6am in the dark and have to start making coffee and lunches in the kitchen, being able to have my lights at a dim setting rather than blasting and harsh is a real factor preserving my sanity and mood.

[whiteserpent]

So… we rented a house for awhile that had an enormous window facing the back yard (south). Absolutely beautiful yard, and lovely view. Also, the sun beating in had melted the spray buttons on the faucet, and the countertops, etc, hit over 170F in the summer (we measured). We made an attempt to address this with window film, because we couldn’t install anything permanent, and the window was way too wide for a tension rod. (It really needed an awning.). We are in an area notorious for its gray skies and the kitchen was essentially useless for a few months a year.

Yes, I’m sure it would have been better with a more modern window and an awning, but just make sure you plan for this when installing your mega window.

[EdgarAllanJo]

Such an informative video with so many useful suggestions. Thank you, Mark!

[aussiestallion]

1/4 and 1/2 and 3/4 of the island length for the locations for 3 pendant lights, not as you stated as 1/3 and 2/3 and 3/3rds.

[trinaroe]

I’ve seen a lot of lighting designers say every bulb in the same room should be the same Kelvin temperature. But I agree with you when it comes to kitchens. A lot of the lights won’t be on at the same time and won’t be controlled by the same switch. I agree that everything on the same switch and/or that is likely to be on at the same time should be the same Kelvin. Something I’ve found out accidentally is that to be sure lights have exactly the same color temperature your best best is to use the same brand and exact same lightbulb in a multi light fixture. I prefer 2800 Kelvin and had a lot of 2800 Kelvin bulbs purchased at different times when they were on sale. But after I replaced a burned out bulb in a 4 armed ceiling fan light I discovered that the replacement bulb was ever so slightly cooler even though all had been labeled 2800 Kelvin. I actually haven’t seen labeling for foot candles but have seen labeling for lumens. Different manufacturers with the same Kelvin and wattage often have different lumens so I’m assuming that’s the difference.

[teresev]

I ❤ your channel.
Thank you for all the 411 you share!
😘😘😘
I’ll watch this until I learn all the terminology. Knowledge is never a waste. 😊

Years ago, I learned the acronym CRI (color rendering index).
Is that something I need to remember/consider when selecting lighting?
We’ve been living in a home in Florida that previous owners chose windows with green glass (Low-E 366) that allegedly reflect heat back out. I’m not sure I believe that science (they’ve reverse engineered it for the south when it was discovered to be useful in the north for keeping heat inside); however, I “discovered” I will purchase our upcoming windows with a light grey tint to cut the glare a bit here (not Low-E 366) because of the unnatural zombie green tint sunlight becomes once it passes through the Low-E 366 window glass. That’s how and when I stumbled upon CRI.

So my question is:
Is CRI something I need to remember/consider when selecting lighting in today’s lighting market?

[amarshall]

Wonderful advice. Thank you for sharing your wisdom!

[teri-joscott]

Thank you Mark! Great content. Regarding pot lights, my niece just had a beautiful house built--high ceilings, pot lights. The pot lights are right at the surface of the ceiling and really annoy my aging eyes with the glare. I think the best case for pot lights is to have the diffused light recessed several inches above the ceiling into the fixture so glare is minimized. I don't think you need the big vintage housing for this. I currently like the idea of flush mounts--and the pictures you showed were very well done--but, boy I need the advice of an interior designer to get that right. Very informative video as always! Thanks!

[cuchanu]

6:08 not to be nitpicky but you wouldn't install the lights at 1/3, 2/3, and 3/3, you would install them at 1/4, half, and 3/4.

[racerx]

Where are the hvac vents normally placed in a kitchen? Do you have any videos that show the distance of the lighting vs where the hvac vents are located? I'm trying to determine the best location for an HVAC vent in a kitchen that is 144 sq ft in an older home. I looked at placing it closer to the window about 3 ft from the kitchen sink. Technically, it would function better for an hvac system for providing proper amount of heating and cooling but visually wouldn't look right and would blow on person standing at the sink. I'm almost thinking the hvac vent needs to be towards the interior of the room. The kitchen is broken up into two 144 sq ft areas. One for the kitchen and the other for the dining table. It's an 8 ft ceiling.

[davidecasassa]

When considering pot lights for general functional illumination in my little (94 sq ft) kitchen, the best thing I did in gaming out the placement and intensity was to temporarily tack 1x2 furring strips to the ceiling along the task areas and the paths connecting them. I bought more lights (7) than I would need, attached them to the furring strips using their own mounting clips and daisy-chained temporary power wires between them. By sliding them along the strips and/or shifting the strips laterally, I found placements that illuminated all of the work surfaces evenly, while also minimizing the shadows cast on the work surfaces by the person standing and doing the work (very important!). In the end, I settled on five 6-inch pots (Commercial Electric model # 91461), 1100 lumens each, 5 switchable color temps, wide beam angle of 105 degrees, on a Lutron dimmer. Outside of an operating room, it's probably the brightest room I've ever experienced, and a real pleasure to work there.

[NemoMangelk]

I might have been the one that introduced you to the splashback window style we do here in Australia. Im glad more channels are starting to feature this style

[TheLantern_Heritage]

Hi Mark, excellent video, coming from a lighting designer, I dont think I have seen a fuller explanation than this and how to go about it.. kudos! I was wondering a couple of key points though when you were mentioning the color temperature, which color temperature do you think works for a generic layout of the kitchen with a small dining area? Would love to know your thoughts beyond the video on it....

[valeriehowden]

We have lots of natural light thru a window + garden door. Our under cabinet lights are on the most.

[ginamoises]

Thank you so much Mark for this fantastic idea I love it watching from st.petersburg looking forward for more videos more Power

[laundrygoddess]

I've got lots of recessed led lights and pendants over the peninsula where I prep everything and the sink. I'm uncertain about undercabinet lights. I only have one wall of wall cabinets and that's the counter that stores my small appliances. I'm just not sure I need to add that expense since I don't prep anything on that cabinet. I hate spending money I'm not gonna use a lot. Really on the fence

[royalknight]

Should I say 8 foot island light spacing for 3 light would be at 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4. of the 8 foot?

[trinaroe]

Just a comment on pendant spacing and calculations. If you are using the island length and putting a pendant in the middle and then putting the other two centered between the light and the end of the island then you’ve divided the island into fourths not thirds and the lights are going at 1/4, 1/2 (2/4), and 3/4. If you divide the island into thirds you won’t have a center light, just two lights. Of course you could divide the space between the center light and the end of island into thirds and put the two outer lights 1/3 from the edge of the island and 2/3 from the center light. But in this case your calculations would be in sixths of the total island length since you’ve got each half divided in thirds. The difference matters if your light location is being wired before the goes in and you want the boxes to be located in the proper places for the length of your island.

[helenwhite]

So spot lights and tracks lights are out now ??? (OK my kitchen is 35 years old (and yes it is white). I have 2 wall spots for the peninsular, 3 way central ceiling spot for general lighting and an off set ceiling spot to light the prep area and a light in the cooker hood. I'm looking at updating as currently have no wall cabinets so under cabinet lighting will be a must but accessing the wiring upstairs to put in other lights would be a nightmare (carpets, beds. built in furniture) so I am limited to the existing wiring. That is going to take some thinking about🤔