Lighting is one of the most important elements of kitchen design, yet it’s also one of the easiest to get wrong. Poor lighting can make a beautiful kitchen feel gloomy or impractical. Bad lighting can turn your finishes grey and make the people in the space look bad. If you’re planning a renovation or lighting upgrade, avoid the most common kitchen lighting mistakes to ensure a space that shines in both style and functionality.

7 Kitchen Lighting Mistakes

In this guide, we’ll explore 7 costly kitchen lighting mistakes and how to prevent them with simple design solutions.

1. Relying on a Single Overhead Fixture

One of the most common kitchen lighting mistakes is depending on a single ceiling light. This approach creates harsh shadows, especially over prep areas.

Fix it: Use layered lighting—ambient, task, and accent lighting – to distribute light evenly and add depth to the space. This will also give the user control over their lighting scenes.

2. Skipping Under-Cabinet Task Lighting

Neglecting task lighting beneath your upper cabinets is one of the most avoidable kitchen lighting mistakes. It leaves your work surfaces in the dark when you need them most.

Fix it: Install LED strip lights under cabinets to illuminate your countertops for cooking, reading recipes, or cleaning. You will want to make sure your tape lighting is in an aluminum channel with a lens filter. This will make sure you avoid bright spot lighting, and it will give you soft, even lighting across your backsplash and countertop.

3. Choosing the Wrong Color Temperature

If your kitchen feels too yellow or too stark, you’re likely using bulbs with the wrong color temperature, a sneaky kitchen lighting mistake that affects mood and visibility.

Fix it: Choose bulbs between 2700K–3000K for a clean, neutral white that flatters food, finishes, and faces. It has been my experience that 2700K keeps the colors in the room their truest and the people looking healthy. You can always go to your local lighting showroom and ask if they have a lighting box where you can test your finishes under a 2700K or a 300K so you can pick the one that feels right to you.

4. Overlooking Dimmers for Flexibility

Many people make the kitchen lighting mistake of skipping dimmers, which limits the mood and usability of the space.

Fix it: Add dimmer switches to all of your lighting zones. They provide control, comfort, and energy savings. Many homes are multi-generational, and depending on your age, you see things differently. With dimmable lighting, the user has control over the light levels and can set them for their comfort.

5. Improper Pendant Placement Over the Island

Pendant lights can elevate your design, but hanging them too low or unevenly is a common kitchen lighting mistake that disrupts both style and functionality.

Fix it: Hang pendants about 30–42 inches above the island surface and space them so that the light is evenly distributed across the counter surface. This is where it would be valuable to work with a seasoned kitchen designer. This professional can help you figure out the proper decorative fixtures for the lighting and can scale them properly for placement. If the decorative pendants are the only lighting above the island, you need to make sure that their light output is shining down on the countertop for tasks you would perform there.

6. Ignoring Natural Light Sources

Relying only on artificial lighting is another frequent kitchen lighting mistake that can leave your space feeling flat and closed in.

Fix it: Take advantage of windows, skylights, and reflective surfaces to brighten your space naturally. When I am hired to do a kitchen remodel, many times I replace a small window with a large window for ample amounts of natural lighting. This can visually make your space seem larger, too.

7. Not Planning Lighting Early in the Design Process

One of the costliest kitchen lighting mistakes is leaving lighting decisions until the end of a remodel. This can limit fixture options and increase expenses.

Fix it: Incorporate lighting design during the planning stage. Consider fixture types, switch placement, and circuit needs early to avoid headaches later. Hire a professional lighting designer or kitchen designer who has studied lighting design during the planning phase.

Final Thoughts

By avoiding these 7 kitchen lighting mistakes, you’ll create a kitchen that is not only beautiful but also practical and enjoyable to use every day. Great lighting design improves everything from cooking and cleaning to socializing and relaxing. Don’t let preventable lighting errors dim the potential of your dream kitchen.

Steer clear of these kitchen lighting mistakes and your kitchen will shine in all the right ways, literally and figuratively.