Modern kitchen wall light

Mount the wall light above the worktop, 45 to 60 cm from the splashback, and keep the same colour temperature across all light points. A flat or linear wall light in aluminium or steel illuminates the prep area without cluttering the wall, and replaces a pendant when ceiling height is limited.

• Which wall light to choose
• Where to install it
• Warm white or neutral white
• Which format for which wall
• Pairing with a pendant
• Installation and care
• Trending lights

Which wall light to choose for a modern kitchen?

Start with the format: linear for a long wall, compact and adjustable to target a niche, vertical for a narrow wall. Material and finish come next, with aluminium and steel in the majority and black, white or grey tones. The socket finally decides your freedom to change the bulb later.

Designer kitchen wall light

Slim shapes in aluminium or steel, matte black or white, blend into a contemporary kitchen without drawing the eye. The Lueur Flexible adjustable wall light (21x3cm, LED, dimmer) pivots towards the working area, while the Ceno gold wall light (57 cm x 63 cm, GU10 socket) plays a decorative role on a large wall. Our design lighting catalogue brings together these understated designs, also found in the clean-lined wall lights.

Original kitchen wall light

Sphere, rattan, rope or gold brass: originality comes from shape and material, never from light intensity. An E27 socket wall light accepts a visible filament bulb, which sets the style. Note that only a minority of models accept a dimmer, so check the product page before ordering. Browse the full range in all kitchen wall lights.

Where to install a wall light in a modern kitchen?

Three positions cover almost every need: above the worktop, on the splashback between two wall units, and on either side of the central island. A second wall light near the dining area replaces a pendant when the ceiling is low or when the wall stays bare.

Lighting the worktop and splashback

A linear wall light illuminates the whole length without multiplying light points. CHAIN 91 (91 cm high) fills a narrow vertical wall, the 60 cm JORUN LED wall light slips between two wall units, and the PINNE 200 LED 3000 K linear wall light covers a long splashback. Metal wall lights withstand the heavy use of a kitchen.

Around the central island and the dining area

Two low wall lights on either side of an island light the circulation without a ceiling fixture above the surface. Near the dining area, the wall light takes the role of a pendant and frees up the view. For the adjoining room, see dining room wall lighting, and for passageways, the models designed for a hallway.

Which light for a kitchen: warm white or neutral white?

Warm white 2700 to 3500 K suits the dining area and kitchens open to the living room. Neutral white 3500 to 4500 K makes worktop textures and food colours more readable in the prep area. Cool white 4500 to 6500 K remains rare in the selection.

Warm white and neutral white by zone

Think by zone rather than by taste: dining in warm white, prep in neutral white. On integrated LED models, the temperature is fixed at order, at 3000 K or 4000 K depending on the reference. A replaceable bulb socket lets you adjust later, and that is the only way to vary the shade after purchase.

Integrated LED, G9, E27 or GU10 socket

The integrated LED offers the slimmest profile. E27, G9, GU10 and GX53 sockets let you choose the bulb, the wattage and the shade, which makes replacement easier.

Which wall light format for which kitchen wall?

A long wall above the splashback calls for a linear wall light of 118, 150 or 200 cm, which lights the whole length without multiplying light points. A narrow wall prefers a 91 cm vertical wall light or a compact adjustable model, and the dining area welcomes a wood, rattan or sphere wall light.

Long linear wall lights for a large wall

The most effective format above a worktop remains the horizontal tube, 6 cm high, which goes unnoticed. The PINNE 150 LED 3000 K linear wall light in aluminium also comes in 118 cm for a shorter wall and in neutral white for a prep kitchen. All are IP20, so keep them away from splashes.

Round wall lights, spheres and natural materials

A sphere or a round shape brings a welcome break when the furniture is straight. The Liro wicker wall light warms a dining area, the Pael sphere wall light (34 cm x 17 cm) punctuates a staircase or a circulation open to the kitchen. See the round wall lights and the sphere-shaped models.

How to pair the wall light with a kitchen pendant or a chandelier?

Share the roles: the pendant lights the table, the wall lights highlight the worktop and the circulation. Keep the same finish family and a single colour temperature from one point to another, otherwise the eye perceives two moods in the same room.

Kitchen pendant and modern kitchen chandelier: sharing the sources

A kitchen chandelier works when a table occupies the centre and the height allows it. Wall lights take over along the walls, where a hanging fixture would obstruct the opening of the units. If the kitchen opens onto the living room, the living room wall lighting serves as a reference for consistency.

Modern kitchen decor: matching finishes and materials

For a controlled modern kitchen decor, repeat two shades at most, often black and white or black and gold, and keep metal for functional wall lights. The matte black models, the white finishes and the gold wall lights combine without overloading.

How to install and care for a kitchen wall light?

Mount the wall light above the worktop, high enough not to glare and low enough to light the prep area, never just behind the head of the person cooking. The selection is almost entirely IP20, so out of direct splashes; a soft cloth is enough on aluminium and steel.

Height and fixing: where to drill relative to the worktop

Allow generally 45 to 60 cm between the worktop and the centre line of the wall light, and align the back box with the future fixing before drilling the splashback. For downward lighting, the wall light stays above eye level. The Murale Corde Charme Rustique and the Mori metal and wood bulb wall light are fixed in the same way, on a flat wall.

IP20 or IP44 and care depending on the material

The IP rating indicates water resistance: IP20 for dry use, IP44 for areas exposed to splashes, such as a wall near the sink. For care, a soft slightly damp cloth on metal, a dry brush on wood, rattan and rope, glass cleaned separately. See the full range of indoor wall lighting.

Which lights are trending for the kitchen?

Simple shapes and warm materials dominate: linear wall lights in black or white aluminium, wood, rattan or wicker for a country chic feel, and a few gold touches. The light stays warm to neutral, with several discreet points rather than a single large ceiling fixture.

Country chic wall light and natural materials

The country chic wall light is recognised by its natural material and its visible bulb. Wicker and rattan pair well with light furniture or a wooden worktop. Group these pieces with the design wall lamps and wall lights and the glass models.

Applying modern decoration without overloading

For readable modern decoration, limit yourself to two finishes and one main source per zone. Matte black structures, gold warms, white erases. If budget matters, the affordable models in the selection cover the same uses with less material.

Ordering from Designix

Secure payment, tracked delivery and possible returns: the Designix customer service answers before and after purchase, particularly on dimensions and sockets. Check the colour temperature and the length of the model before confirming your basket, these are the two criteria that decide the final result.

Frequently asked questions