9 Kitchen Lighting Trends in 2024 – Ideas for a Modern Home

It’s incredible what fresh lighting can do to a room. Whether it’s simply changing to a brighter or dimmer light or a complete fixture upgrade, both make noticeable differences. This year, there are some fabulous lighting trends to look out for. The best part—they don’t all require a significant renovation budget. Whether you’re looking to enhance or completely change your kitchen, there will be something on this list for you.

The Top 9 Kitchen Lighting Trends

1. Industrial Lighting

2023 is bringing back the early 2000s with the rise of industrial-styled decor, and the kitchen lighting options aren’t excluded. The nice thing about this style of lighting is it mixes in with many color schemes. If you’re going for a high contrast palette, then light whites and creams give a stark difference to the black iron styling that is industrial. But even bright or pastel color schemes go well with these unique light fixtures.

2. LED Strip Lighting

It seems like everywhere we look, strip lighting is exploding. It seems like only a few years ago when rope lighting was popular for styling a teenager’s room. While that rope lighting still exists, we’ve moved onto more complex technology involving strips of LED lights that can be mounted almost anywhere. And this year in kitchens, we are seeing LED strip lighting under countertops and the toeboards of kitchen cabinets. This is a practical style in some cases, but it adds a little flair to the lighting design in others.

3. Pendant Lighting

Pendant lighting is one lighting style that has never truly gone out of style. 2023 has some cool pendant designs in store. Whether the entire kitchen and dining room are solely pendant lights, or if they are just adding to the character, there are many unique designs. As people’s desire for eco-friendly options grows, light fixture manufacturers are getting more creative with the material choices they provide. For example, you will be able to find many pendant lights constructed from either recycled material or that have sustainably harvested materials used for their shades.

4. Functional Lighting

When it comes to interior design, not everything has to be extreme or flashy. Some of the most popular trends are popular simply for their practicality or function. Kitchen lighting is no different this year. For example, energy efficiency is front-of-mind for many consumers. So, energy-efficient bulbs, dimmer switches, and directional lighting are three popular choices. These give more power to homeowners to save on their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint.

5. Unusual Styles of Lighting

Many people like simple elegance in a kitchen. Generally speaking, kitchens are for cooking and sometimes eating as well. But some kitchens are the hub of the home—the life of the party. In these homes, simple does not suffice. Light fixture manufacturers do not disappoint on this front either because some super unique and outlandish fixture designs are hitting the market. Whether it is unusual materials being used or strange shapes, you don’t have to have the same light fixture as anyone on your block.

6. Sink Pendant Lighting

The focus has typically been on lighting areas in the kitchen where people might gather, such as an island with seating or over the stove where the cooking takes place. However, interior designers are beginning to focus more on the sink areas. Instead of a dull light on the wall above the sink to clean dishes or wash vegetables, we are starting to see pendant lights that match the rest of the decor and lighting in the kitchen.

7. Chandelier Lighting

At one point, chandelier lighting would have been one of the more popular styles to find in high-end or ritzy homes. However, there are many incredible chandelier designs out there that are more affordable and can fit into many interior design plans. Various colors and materials are being used now—not just glass or diamonds.

8. Multiple Types of Lighting

In many types of interior design, the goal is to make sure everything is either the same or flows together. While this is still the case, there are some changes happening in lighting styles. It’s not uncommon to have multiple different types or styles of light fixtures in a room. This is especially practical in the kitchen. In areas that need good visibility, you can have bright lights. And then over areas that don’t require as much light, like a kitchen island bar, you can have hanging lights with dimmer bulbs.

9. LED Smart Bulbs

There are many types of bulbs with various brightness levels. Another factor in how they light up a room is their warmth or coldness. Different rooms will generally have one or the other. The kitchen is one of those rooms that can benefit from icy bright lights, but also warmer and dimmer lights. If you have multiple light fixtures, this is easily accomplished by putting different bulbs in them. With LED technology, you can get that same effect even if you only have one light for the kitchen. You can get LED smart bulbs and have a switch installed that allows you to change your light’s brightness and warmth levels.

Should I Install New Lights Myself?

As a general rule, anything electrical is better left to a professional. Electricity can be hazardous if not worked around safely. An electrician will be trained on how to change light fixtures safely. They will also be able to complete the work correctly so that there is no risk of fire from loose connections.

However, if you want to install a new type of bulb, then get after it. Just make sure you use a proper step ladder and don’t balance on a kitchen table chair!

Conclusion

2023 seems to be a year of home improvements. People are spending more time at home, so they are coming up with unique ways to improve their spaces—and kitchen lighting is no exception. We hope that this list has inspired you to brighten up your kitchen in a fresh way.

Related Read: 15 Kitchen Trends to Explore This Year

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