The kitchen is the hub of most households — it’s where you prepare meals, gather with friends and family, and do a fair amount of cleaning. You spend a lot of time in the kitchen, likely doing a lot of cooking and cleaning, making it important to make sure your kitchen is well-lit so you have good visibility to complete your tasks. Below are some ways to incorporate more lighting into your kitchen.

Under-cabinet Lighting

One of the best places to work in some extra kitchen lighting is under your cabinets, over the countertop. The upper level of cabinets block out much of the light from other sources from the countertop, making it sometimes difficult to see when you’re doing food prep like peeling or chopping. This also makes it easier to see that you’ve gotten the countertops properly clean, which can in some cases help prevent both pests and foodborne illnesses.

Under-cabinet lighting is often best achieved with strip lighting. LED lights are often preferred due to being naturally more energy efficient and staying cooler even when turned on for long periods of time. To add some character to your kitchen, consider installing strip lights that can change colors on certain settings, so you can change the atmosphere in your kitchen with the flick of a switch.

Pendant Lights

One way to light your kitchen while also making a statement is with a pendant light. These lights come in a huge variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, making it easy to find something that will complement your decor. For an extra special touch, some choose to have their pendant lights customized for their kitchen. Place the pendant fixture over the center of the kitchen, the kitchen sink, or an island, but try to ensure you have only one — too many will overwhelm the space.

Recessed Fixtures

Lighting that is recessed into your kitchen ceiling is a great way to incorporate more overhead lighting without having too much in the way of pendant lights. Recessed fixtures can be made to match the color of the ceiling, causing the eye to just skip right over them when they are not in use, and because they are small and unobtrusive, they can be placed strategically throughout the kitchen to illuminate the areas that need it the most.

Inside Cabinets

This light option is purely aesthetic, but it can have a big impact on how your kitchen looks. If you have open cabinets or glass-front cabinets, consider installing strip lighting along the backs of the shelves. It will give a pop of light to the area by flooding the back of the cabinet with light. If you choose specialty lighting, these strip lights can also add color to an otherwise utilitarian space and can turn a necessary storage area into more of a showcase and decorative fixture.