How to light a kitchen island

Kitchen islands provide extra storage space, offer more space to prepare food, add a quick breakfast bar and can add character or a focal point to the kitchen. Islands require lighting like the rest of your kitchen, so we’ve outlined some ideas on how to light your kitchen island.

Pendants

Pendants are ideal to sit above the island. Pendant lights can add style, colour and personality to the room. Pendants lights add task lighting to the kitchen island area to assist with accomplishing tasks such as preparing food and eating.

The pendants need to be hung high enough to ensure you don’t hit your head against them if you intend to use the island as a breakfast bar. The pendant should be a minimum of 500mm above the counter. The pendant lights should be evenly spaced along the kitchen island.

Ceiling lights

Another task lighting option for islands is ceiling lighting or downlights. These types of lights can be incorporated into an overhead pan rack situated over an island or can be used throughout the kitchen to offer spotlighting.  

We have written a guide on how to space spotlights to assist with installing downlights. Read our guide to spacing spotlights.

LED tapes

For modern kitchens specifically, LED tapes can provide great ambient lighting. Strip lighting can be used under the counter to highlight the beautiful worktops as well as along the plinth to provide floor lighting at night.

If your island features a display cabinet section, tapes can be installed at the back to highlight the beautiful pieces on display.  

Plinth lights

Plinth lights look fantastic on islands and cabinets in traditional kitchens. Plinth lighting offers ambient lighting around the island which can provide floor lighting or can be used as mood lighting if used with other lights.

Cabinet lights

Cabinet lights can be used inside island cabinets to help you find your kitchen utensils and essentials. We have a range of cabinet lighting styles to suit any room’s requirements. Offering softer lighting, the lights are available in a variety of shapes, including square, circular, triangular and rectangular.