Properly light a kitchen without recessed lights with these light sources

Kitchen in which there are no recessed lights can also be illuminated beautifully. Below are the lighting options that can be used to illuminate the kitchen

Semi flush mount light fixture

For general lighting in kitchen, a semi flush mount light fixture is a very practical lighting option that’s because the light spread of a semi flush mount light fixture is wide due to its placement on the ceiling and also the light from semi fluxh mount light fixture covers all the corners of the kitchen.

In smaller size kitchens where a large ceiling mounted hanging light fixture cannot be added, a semi flush mount light fixture can save space a well as provide a uniform light for the kitchen overall.

For task lighting in kitchen, a semi flush mount light fixture may not provide proper light. There are two reasons for that, first being the light requirement if task areas of kitchen is high and the other is creation of shadows underneath the cabinets due to the placement of light on the ceiling.

What size semi flush mount light fixture for kitchen ?

Kitchen size	size of semi flush mount light
Small kitchen (60 sq ft or less)	9 – 11 inches wide
Average kitchen (80 – 110 sq ft)	12 -15 inches wide
Large kitchen (120 sq and above)	16 -20 inches wide

For a small size kitchen with total sq ft area 60 sq ft or less, the width of semi flush mount light fixture should be 9 to 11 inches wide. For a normal size kitchen with total sq ft area between 80 – 110 sq ft the width of semi flush mount light fixture should be 12 – 15 inches whereas for very large size kitchen 120 sq ft and above, the size of semi flush mount light fixture should be between 16 – 20 inches.

The logic behind attributing size to semi flush mount light fixture based on sqft area of the kitchen is that greater the width of semi flush mount light fixture, more widely, the light source is able to spread its light.

Since for a small kitchen, the total sq ft area is less thus the width of semi flush mount light fixture is also small accordingly and as the total sq ft area of kitchen increases the width of semi flush light fixture also increases.

How bright should semi flush mount light fixture be ?

For general illumination in the kitchen, the flush mount light fixture placed on a ceiling of height 8 ft should have a brightness of 5000 to 6000 lumens.

If the ceiling height of kitchen is less than 8 ft, the size of semi flush light fixture should have a brightness of 3000 – 4000 lumens whereas for ceiling height greater than 8 ft, the semi flush mount light fixture should have a brightness of 7000 – 8000 lumens.

As the height of ceiling increases, the required lumens from the light fixture also increases.

conclusion : Semi flush mount light fixtures are space savers and are excellent source of light for general illumination in the kitchen however they can create shadows near the task areas of kitchen. Thus while using semi flush mount light fixture, the task areas should be separately illuminated with other light sources that eliminates shadows.

Hanging light fixtures

To get a modern and elegant look in the kitchen hanging light fixtures (chandelier, pendant lights) are a great alternatives to recessed lights.

A chandelier should always be placed at the centre of kitchen whereas pendant lights can be placed at various location. For example, in kitchens with island the pendant lights can be placed over the island. Other than that, kitchen sink is also a place where pendant lights can be installed if proper distance is maintained from sink to get an elegant looking kitchen.

What size hanging light fixture for kitchen

A good rule of thumb to size chandelier for kitchen is to simply add the length and width of the room in feet, the result gives the width of chandelier to be placed in kitchen.

Pendant lights when placed over the island can either be installed in 2 light configuration or 3 light configuration. Thus the rules for sizing pendant lights over island are different. The widht of pendant lights over island greatly depends over the size of kitchen island. (I have explained the sizing of pendant lights over island in the link above.)

How bright should hanging light fixtures be

For general illumination in a average size kitchen, the brightess of chandelier should be around 3000 – 4000 lumens. For small sized kichens the brightness of chandelier should be near 2500 lumens whereas for large sized kitchens, the brightness of chandelier should be 5000 – 6000 lumens.

The lumens requirement of pendant lights in the kitchen is around 300 to 600 lumems.

Accent lighting

Accent lighting in kitchen can be done in multiple ways. For example by cove lighting, LED strips lights, ceiling mounted spot lights. All of these light sources are excellent alternatives to recessed lights in kitchen.

“The ceiling mounted spot lights are great for general illumination whereas Led strip lights and LED tube lights can be used to illuminate task areas”.

The goal while installing accent lights should be to add variation in lighting design. Using single bright light fixture can make a kitchen look boring and monotonous. To make a kitchen look visually pleasant accent lighting can be used.

Flood lights

Flood lights are very bright sources of light and can be used in those kitchens in which there are minimum or no light sources are used. Some flood lights can be installed on the ceiling or on the walls.

There are also some flood lights are not required to be hanged or drilled any where rather simply placed on the floor angled towards the kitchen.

Can flood lights be used in any kitchen ?

Flood lights are very simple sources of lights and provides more then sufficient illumination. This makes flood lights an excellent light sources for those kitchens in which a simple look is to be maintained or no drilling is to be done.

How many flood lights for kitchen ?

Since flood lights are very bright, for general illumination for a standard size kitchen a single flood light providing 7000 -8000 lumens of brightness installed on the ceiling is sufficient to illuminate the kitchen.

Whereas if drilling on the ceiling is not possible then 2 flood lights each 4000 lumens of brigntess can be placed on the floor at corners of the kitchen facing countertops.

Floor lamps

Kitchens in rental apartments where modifications to kitchen by drilling may not be possible, floor lamps can solve the problem of illumination without recessed lights.

Floor lamps are highly adjustable in contex to where the light is falling. Thus, they are a great alternative to recessed lights for lighting dark corners of the kitchen.

How many floor lamps for kitchen

If there are no light sources used in the kitchen, then 3 floor lamps are required to properly illuminate the kitchen whereas, if there are already some other sources present in the kitchen only a single floor lamp would also help to get the required light in the kitchen.

For example if there task lighting is already done by LED strip lights then placing 2 floor lamps on the floor can provide the general illumination whereas if general illumination is already done by some other light sources but task areas are yet to illuminate, in such scenario

a single floor lamp placed close to task areaat one side can provide the required task lighting.

How bright should floor lamps be

If a floor lamp is to be used for task lighting then it should be 600 – 700 lumens bright whereas for general illumination if one a single floor lamps is needed, it should be 7000 lumens bright and if two floor lamps are to be used then each lamp should be around 3500 lumens bright.

Wall sconces

Wall sconces are excellent task light sources as well as can add certain accent to kitchen as well. Wall scoces can be used to illuminate the countertops as well as the kitchen sink.

When used over countertops, the wall sconces can be installed such that light faces down. Or alternatively wall sconces that cast light both from top and bottom can also be used to illuminate the coutertops.

When wall sconces are faced upwards, the light that reaches the countertops gets low in intensity also there are good chances of shadows to get formed over the countertops.

That’s why for task lighting in kitchen it is always a good practice to install wall sconces facing downwards.

For general illumination, the placement of wall sconces is completely different to that of task lighting i.e for general illumination, wall sconces should always be installed facing upwards so that more and more light can get reflected from ceiling and spread throughout the kitchen.

How many wall sconces for kitchen

For task lighting, a minimum of 4 wall sconces (2 near the kitchen sink + 2 near chimney) are required whereas for general illumination, 2 wall scones can be placed on a single wall.

It must be noted that not every wall in the kitchen can have wall sconces intalld over it for general illumintion. Ideally 2 walls opposite to each other can have wall sconces.

Wall sconces are very versatile light source. If used correctly in multiple numbers, they can add incredible look to a wall.

How bright should the wall sconces be for kitchen

For task lighting, each wall sconce should have an illumination of 500 lumens whereas for general illumination, each wall sconce should have an illumination of around 1000 – 1500 lumens.

For design purposes or adding accent to the wall the wall sconces need not be very bright. In such a case, each wall sconce can be as less as 300 lumes bright.