_trad-de-v1

Kitchen lighting ideas: layering light zone by zone

This article is also available in French: Idée luminaire cuisine

26/09/2026 · 1 min read · By the Designix team

Aim for three layers rather than a single central point: general light on the ceiling, a strip light under the wall units for the worktop, and a low source above the island or the table. Before choosing shapes, add up the lumens the surface needs. It is the distribution, not the model, that makes the room pleasant to live in.

Which light fitting for a kitchen?

Three sources are enough: general light on the ceiling, task lighting above the worktop, a low source above the island or the table. The model matters less than the zone it lights and the height at which it hangs.

Which light for which kitchen zone?

	Zone	Light layer	Type of fitting	Target temperature
Worktop	Functional	LED strip or wall light under the wall unit	Neutral white 3500-4000 K	Under the wall units, light directed towards the back of the worktop
Kitchen island	Ambience and function	2 to 3 pendants in a row	Warm white 2700-3000 K	About 80 cm above the worktop
Dining area	Ambience	Low pendant or compact chandelier	Warm white 2700 K	60 to 70 cm above the table top
Circulation	General	Recessed spotlights or ceiling light	3000 K	Spread according to the surface, never a single point in the centre
Open-plan kitchen	Transition	Wall light on the living room side	2700 K	At waist height, to mark the boundary without a partition