Good kitchen designers will know that they should address lighting issues from the outset when planning a new kitchen. Visualising and creating a great lighting scheme is best done hand in hand with designing the layout of a new kitchen – to ensure smooth installation and no need for retro-fit disruption. Whether you are working with a specialist lighting designer or bringing your own experience to the project, here is some good advice from the experts at John Cullen Lighting.

Autumn vibes and a seasonal glow to lift the look in darker evenings

Flexible lighting is important, so different features of a room can be emphasised or highlighted. This kitchen island lighting, by John Cullen, enhances the drama of an expansive counter-top, throwing light downwards to show the base cabinetry. Luke Thomas, Design Director at John Cullen Lighting, suggests that seasonal lighting can bring subtle changes, lifting the mood and spirits in darker winter days. ‘Use directional ceiling spots, such as our Polespring range, the 40 Downlight is used here, to light up focal points such as artwork, mirrors, or cabinetry. Using this technique reflects light back into the room, making spaces feel brighter and larger’.

Feature pendants create impact over a dining table

This lighting scheme, by John Cullen, for an open plan kitchen-dining space creates interesting effects – the downlights bring an arched effect to the kitchen cabinetry, the island hovers in the background looking enticing and dramatic. The drinks cabinet has tasteful interior lighting, bringing a touch of glamour to that area of the room. Pendants over the dining table are perfectly positioned to cast an inviting glow over the dining space, and there are even exterior uplights and threshold floor uplights to avoid the blank ‘black glass’ effect when there is no exterior lighting.

Kitchen skylight lighting can be transformational

For this project, skylight lighting has added a new dimension to what would otherwise have been a rather dark corner of the kitchen, and its position was a key design challenge. Contour LED strip lighting around its base provides a soft, ambient glow in the evening. Tilted Polespring downlights were used for general illumination and Vorsa spotlights add subtle, directional light for key features, including selected cabinetry and artworks. Scheme by John Cullen.

Exquisitely considered lighting by John Cullen in a project by Tollgard Studio

This smaller scale project, by Tollgard Studio, features a host of lighting features by John Cullen. Black Square Double 30s provide task light over the island and also wash light down the front of the cabinets. Contour HD27 LED strip light is used to front-light the shelves and provide further task light to the counter beneath the units. This project also won the International Design & Architecture Awards 2023 in the Lighting Scheme category.

Architectural lighting by John Cullen looks clean and elegant in this open plan kitchen

This is a rather perfect example of subtle and precise lighting that takes into account the architectural details of the room. Cabinets are downlit and uplit, throwing light upwards to the ceiling, which is also dotted with Polespring downlights. The breakfast bar has under-counter lighting, and again, dramatic decorative pendants add a very contemporary edge to the scheme – over the island breakfast bar as well as the dining table.

Layered lighting for flexible impact by John Cullen

Luke Thomas, Design Director at John Cullen, says ‘Layered lighting is key to flexibility’. He suggests mixing decorative table lamps, pendants and wall lights with lighting for shelves, uplights to arches, lights around door frames. ‘Using separate circuits allows different combinations of light and effects, allowing the room to be subtly lit during the day or more dramatically lit at night. Colour temperature is important’ he explains. ‘Choose warm white tones between 2400K and 2700K for a cosy, inviting atmosphere. Consider the materials used within the room, lots of shiny or reflective materials can look very different under varying conditions’. He praises the use of dimmers. ‘Installing dimmers allow a room to be transformed. It’s one of the simplest and most effective ways to create a softer, more intimate feel for dark autumnal and winter evenings’ he says.

The Shelf by Novy in Mineral White

Novy has added a new colour option – Mineral White – to it’s Designer Lighting Collection. It’s also available in Mineral Black, and is a touchless, gesture-controlled floating shelf that is particularly suited to the kitchen. There’s a central sensor and the Shelf can be activated to different levels of illumination. Lengths available are from 95cm to 305cm, with the integrated LED strip providing adjustable light intensity whether powerful task lighting or dimmable ambient lighting is required.

The Adjustable table lamp from Click Style

This simple and understated  Black & Gold Metal Adjustable Table Lamp has a black drum shade and is height adjustable, so it can be put to use in various conditions – perhaps as a reading light or a bedside light, or as a pair either end of a console table. There’s also a floor-standing version, which could be a good choice in transitional spaces between dining-living areas. It’s available from Click Style

The Delilah LED mirror from Bathroom Mountain

Go for a dual-purpose Illuminated LED Mirror for bathrooms and cloakrooms. This is the Delilah Black Framed Round Illuminated LED Mirror from  Bathroom Mountain, which has a heated demister pad at the back to stop the mirror from steaming up in a hot bathroom, a touch sensor switch, and a choice of three pre-set lighting colours – Warm White, Natural White and Cool White. It is, of course, IP44 rated for safe use in Zone 2 of the bathroom and is mains powered.

Tom Raffield’s new Cove Lighting Range for a fun and colourful flourish

There’s something for all eventualities in the new eclectic lighting collections by Tom Raffield. The Skipper pendants are available in three different sizes – and in a new colour range, Cove, inspired by the Cornish coastline. Overall, the whole collection includes rechargeable cordless lamps, as well as wireless wall lights, so there will be lots of options to improve and upgrade any existing lighting scheme that needs a new burst of inspiration.

Retrotouch Switches & Sockets introduces the new Aura metal collection

Perk up a kitchen (or living room, dining room or any other area) by using the new AURA clip-in clip-out panels for switches and sockets, by Retrotouch. The collection includes dimmer switches, rocker switches, USB plugs and sockets, as well as AV (audio visual) accessories.  A very good option if you’re aiming to streamline a haphazard colour scheme and want everything to coordinate.