How to Choose Recessed Lighting for a Kitchen

The lighting plan for your kitchen should include ambient lighting, task lighting for specific activities, mood lighting for atmosphere and accent lighting to highlight special collections. Recessed lighting is an excellent choice for any of those jobs.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Copy of local lighting ordinances
• Blueprint or sketch paper to lay out your lighting plan

Plan Your Kitchen Lighting

1. Check local lighting requirements. If you are not using a contractor for installation, it’s especially important to check local ordinances for safety or energy standards you must meet. (See note on California below.)

2. Map your kitchen. Breaking it into work areas will help you decide where to place light fixtures. You should consider at least ambient (overall) lighting and task lighting for specific work areas, like over kitchen counters and above the stove and sink.

3. Plan a mix of wide-angle lights for ambient lighting and focused, narrow-beam lights for task lighting over your counters, stove and sink.

4. Decide where to place switches. Use different switches to control different groups of lights so you can turn on only the lights you need.

Choose Your Lights

5. Measure your room to determine how many fixtures you will need. The rule of thumb is one recessed lighting fixture for every 4 to 6 square feet of ceiling space for even illumination.

6. Decide on the type of lamps you will use. In some states or regions, at least some of your kitchen lights must be fluorescent or HID lights.

7. Decide on the type of housing your lights will need. If there is insulation above the ceiling, you’ll need to choose housings rated for use in contact with insulation.

8. Choose the trim for your recessed lighting. The trim makes a design statement and can help focus the light as well as affect its quality and glare.

9. Decide on switches for your lamps. You may choose a dimmer switch for ambient lights over the center of the kitchen and individual switches to control the lights over your counters, stove and sink for maximum flexibility.

Tips & Warnings

• In California, lighting in remodeled or new homes must comply with Title 24 efficacy and energy standards. Look for T24 certified lighting.
• When deciding where to place lights in a kitchen, a good rule of thumb is to place recessed lamps even with the counter edges along counters. That way, you’ll never be working in your own shadow because the light will be coming from above and just in front of you.
• MR16 lights are halogen (HID) lights with a high energy efficiency rating. They are usually more expensive up front but will save you money in energy and replacement costs throughout their lives. An amazing range of colors and styles is available.