Sleek cabinet lighting ideas to enhance both function and style

9 March 2022

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There’s always something to upgrade when you own a home, from countertops to living room decor. However, many of these projects can be costly and time-consuming. Fortunately, one simple and impactful upgrade you can make is installing cabinet lighting. Here are seven ideas to help you get started.

1. Establish your goals

The first step in cabinet lighting design is to spend some time and think about your personal goals for redesigning your cabinet lighting. Are you looking to overhaul the general mood of your kitchen? Ambient lighting done well will make you feel like you've got a whole new kitchen. Or are you looking for better task lighting? Getting clear on the intended usage for your new lighting will help you decide what kind of lighting fixtures will best suit your needs. If you're looking to improve the ambient lighting in your kitchen, strip lighting would be a good pick. If lighting is more task-focused, then a spotlight might work better.

2. Consider backlighting

Furniture doesn't have to be strictly functional and cabinetry should be as decorative as it is functional. Updating your lighting design can even help them excel at both. If you've got glass-fronted cabinets, you might consider adding some sort of backlight to add some instant elegance to your interior design. Plus, it’ll be easy to showcase your nice glassware. Your kitchen will feel somewhere between an art gallery and an upscale cocktail bar with one simple touch. If you want to get classy, you could back your cabinets with some sort of coloured glass or mirror, as well, creating an instant conversation piece with your guests.

3. Don't forget utility

Aesthetics are an excellent reason for updating cabinet lighting. It's not the only reason, though. The ability to use your cabinets and kitchens more effectively and efficiently easily justifies a redesign of your kitchen lighting. Perhaps you're not able to read the packaging inside your cabinets very well, for instance. Something as simple as LED strip lights can brighten up your cabinet's interiors so you can read all of your boxes, packets and canned goods.

Under cabinet lights at a private residence in Curl Curl - Photography: Barton Taylor Photography

4. Choose adjustable lighting

One of the joys of redoing your lighting design is how versatile lighting fixtures can be. If you plan it correctly, updating your kitchen's lighting can completely change the mood and atmosphere. Many modern lighting fixtures have multiple light settings. Even something as simple as having two modes — bright and dim — can make your kitchen space much more versatile. Of course, modern lighting can be adjusted in more interesting and creative ways than a simple dimmer switch. Smart lights are innovative and endlessly inspiring. They offer the best of all worlds with the ability to switch between a psychedelic light show and crystal clear, bright white light when it's time to cook.

5. Give cabinets their own switches

Not every light needs to be on at all times. Giving cabinet lighting their own light switch lets you make the most of your lighting design. It even helps you to make the most of your kitchen. Imagine you're about to retire for the evening. If you rely on a master switch, you'll be plunged into pitch blackness the second you turn off the lights. If you need to turn them on again in the middle of the night, you'll be left squinting and half-blind. If you've got a dedicated light switch for your cabinets, you can leave your cabinet lights on throughout the night. You'll be left with a cosy ambient light that's bright enough so you won't stumble but dim enough not to wake you up entirely.

Using your cabinets and kitchens more effectively and efficiently easily justifies a redesign of your kitchen lighting.

6. Use lighting to define areas

It's not uncommon for a kitchen area to moonlight as an eating space, work desk, conference room, and hobby station. Lighting is an easy way to subdivide your kitchen, making it usable and useful for a variety of uses and tasks. Cabinet lighting can not only provide illumination for tasks like getting glasses or mugs in the middle of the night but also provide visual depth to a room. For instance, you may choose stronger bulbs for your cabinet lights, acting as a form of accent lighting to highlight the contents within, like stemware or other ornamental items.

7. Set the mood with colour temperature

The colour temperature of your cabinet lights can dramatically alter the atmosphere of your kitchen. Warm tones create a cosy, inviting feel, while cooler tones offer a clean, bright look that’s ideal for cooking and cleaning. For added flexibility, consider using colour-changing smart bulbs. These allow you to adjust the hue and brightness depending on the time of day or the mood you're trying to set — whether you’re cooking, hosting a dinner party, or simply relaxing with a cup of tea.

Shining a light on glassware at a private residence in Bondi - Photography: Thilo Pulch - Pulch Photography

Some great cabinet lighting ideas to rejuvenate your kitchen

Updating your cabinet lighting is one of the easiest, most efficient, and cost-effective ways to rejuvenate your kitchen. You'll see your living space in a whole new light, inspiring you to make the most of your space. By following a few simple tips you’ll enhance its functionality and style, creating the kitchen of your dreams.

This article was updated on the 17th of December 2024

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