20 Bright Lighting Ideas for Every Kitchen

Good lighting works wonders—for your complexion, your mood, and yes, for your kitchen. And there's no room in the house that begs for an excellent lighting plan more than the kitchen. For starters, you need to see what you're doing (knives! fire! hot pans!). But the kitchen is also the heart of the home. It's the spot where you likely start your day (gotta have that cup of joe before listening to, looking at, or speaking to anyone, am I right?). It's the room where some of the best memories are made—baking cookies, preparing a special birthday dinner (with cake!), picking up where you left off with your best friend over a glass of wine. It's a tall order, but the kitchen needs to be practical and look amazing.

Not to get too dark here (ha!), but the lighting stakes in the kitchen are higher than a lot of other home decorating endeavors. To properly illuminate all of the precious moments above, remember that installing light fixtures often requires an electrician (read: more expensive and permanent than, say, throw pillows), so you want to get it right. Lucky for homeowners, lighting options are seemingly endless—pendants, sconces, chandeliers, under counter, recessed, track, lamps—with a gazillion style options and price ranges to boot.

Playing it safe with a pair of practical, store-bought pendants over the kitchen island is fine, but we're here to show you that taking a risk with creative, unexpected lighting can seriously up your kitchen design game (and it's a legit way to update your kitchen). Consider woven baskets cleverly turned upside down and strung with a light kit from the hardware store. Those outdoor lanterns you espied at the flea market and can't stop daydreaming about? Bring them into your all-white kitchen for a single rustic touch that will make your space feel original. (Then brace yourself for the endless compliments for your creative chops and impeccable taste.) If you're drawn to more traditional fixtures, maybe try a creative application—hung in a grid, or multiples in a row for bigger impact.

In a nutshell, what a statement necklace does for a great outfit, unique lighting does for a kitchen. Think of it as icing on that delicious birthday cake.