Kitchen lighting installation

Layers of light

A kitchen works best with three kinds of light. General light, usually recessed fixtures or a ceiling fixture, fills the room. Task light, like under-cabinet strips, shines on the counters where you cut and cook. Accent or decorative light, like pendants over a sink or island, adds character and helps at the table.

Many older kitchens rely on a single ceiling fixture, which leaves counters in the shadow of the upper cabinets. Under-cabinet lighting alone can make a dated kitchen far easier to use.

Older ceilings and wiring

Adding recessed lights to a plaster ceiling takes more care than drywall, and the joists above may limit where fixtures can go. In some houses there is a finished room above, so the electrician fishes wires instead of opening the ceiling. Older wiring may also need updating before new circuits are added.

All of this is work for a licensed electrician. Do not attempt to add circuits or fixtures yourself. Ask the contractor whether the electrician is on staff or a subcontractor, and who pulls the electrical permit.

Planning tips

Place recessed lights over the front edge of the counters, not the middle of the floor, so your body does not cast a shadow on your work. Put lights on dimmers. Choose a consistent color temperature across fixtures so the room does not look patchy. Warmer light suits wood and cream cabinets, while slightly cooler light can make white counters look crisp. If you are replacing cabinets, plan the under-cabinet lighting before the cabinets are installed so the wiring can be hidden.

• Ask how many fixtures the plan calls for and where
• Ask whether patching and painting the ceiling is included
• Ask about dimmers and switch locations
• Ask whether the fixtures are included or an allowance

Pendants and islands

Pendants over an island or peninsula usually hang about 30 to 36 inches above the counter, depending on the fixture and your height. The electrical box must be centered where you want the light, so mark it before the ceiling is closed in a remodel.

Lighting as part of a bigger remodel

Lighting is easiest and least expensive to change when the walls and ceiling are already open. If you are planning new cabinets or a full remodel in the next year or two, plan the lighting at the same time, even if you install some of it later. Ask the electrician to run wiring for future pendants or under-cabinet lights while the walls are open. Capped wires inside a closed wall cost little now and save opening plaster again later.

Typical kitchen lighting costs

National ranges from published guides. Not quotes.

These rounded ranges come from the sources below and are not quotes. Ceiling type, access from above, new circuits and fixture choice change the price.

Sources: HomeAdvisor, recessed lighting; Angi, under-cabinet lighting