Words: Francesca Seden

The lighting in a kitchen and bathroom can make or break a design. It enhances the functionality of a space, can add atmosphere, and it can offer a focal point in the form of a statement pendant.

The lighting market across kitchens and bathrooms is being driven by innovations in smart lighting, energy-efficient COB (chip-on-board) strip LED lighting, often featuring user-controlled CCT (colour correlated temperature functionality), or lighting which allows the user to change the intensity.

With the increasing popularity and convenience of mobile apps and voice control, smart lighting is an area that is rapidly growing within the KBB sector. “It offers flexibility, energy savings, and personalisation,” says Sensio’s managing director Michael Linsky, “and it’s likely to continue to evolve to a point where it becomes the standard in most modern kitchen and bathroom designs, offering a seamless blend of practicality and style.”

Flexible COB (chip-on-board) LED strip lighting is another growing innovation in the lighting arena because of its many applications. It can be used in cabinets, in niches, under cabinet plinths and even within the grooves of wood panelling. The design possibilities are almost endless. 

When it comes to approaching the lighting scheme, our contributors identify three essential types – task, convenience and mood, as well as statement lighting, which helps to establish the desired atmosphere and provides a focal point. 

Jane Hensey, national sales manager at SycamoreLED advises designers to divide the scheme into zones and to make sure you know where the power will be in each section. “Then you can look at what type of lighting you want in the main scheme,” she says, “For example, undercabinet lighting, strip lighting and any internal lighting in cupboards or drawers.”

Jake Loughlin, category manager lighting and electrical at Häfele, advises that designers should approach both the kitchen and bathroom with a whole-space lighting concept in mind. 

“Consider ambient, task and accent lighting in combination to cater to the homeowner’s needs,” he says. “Then pick the necessary products that bring the design to life. Do it this way, rather than picking a certain lighting product and making the design work around it, and you’ll ensure the design works for the customer’s unique needs.”

Task and convenience lighting

When planning in task lighting, it’s essential to think carefully about where it’s most needed and try and eliminate shadows as much as possible, to ensure that the full area that needs light is fully illuminated and that the light is bright enough to perform tasks effectively.

The integrated lighting in cooker hoods is also important for cooking, and while we’re not covering cooker hoods in this feature, as it’s not part of the lighting design scheme exactly, it does deserve mention. That said, increasingly, people are moving their hobs away from the wall and onto a central island, and may well opt for a downdraft extractor, rather than a typical hood.

Appliance brand Novy has spotted an opportunity here and claims it is the first appliance brand to offer a range of standalone lighting options, Pendant, Wall and Shelf, “which provide our kitchen partners with valuable add-on sales”, Novy marketing manager, Jenny Nalborczyk says.

Task lighting in the kitchen should typically be around the worktops and sinks, while in the bathroom, lighting around mirrors and the shower area, should be considered. Of course, technical/safety considerations need to be made, such as ensuring the IP-rating is correct for the area in which the lighting is to be used.

A growing trend in this area is the integration of motion-activated lighting, for cabinet interiors, under cabinets, and inside drawers. This is also referred to as convenience lighting by some. TLW’s marketing manager Eleanor Johnson adds that slat wall lighting is a growing trend that offers a stylish yet unobtrusive option in both spaces, while adjustable CCT lighting remains popular for tailoring light to specific tasks.

Task lighting normally takes the form of LED strip lighting and directed spotlights in the kitchen, and strip lighting and illuminated mirror cabinets in the bathroom.

As technology advances, lighting options are also being extended to the loo, with brands such as Duravit offering a night light function on its SensoWash Stark F series, “where the bowl is softly illuminated to help prevent disorientation during the night, without interrupting the body’s sleep state,” managing director, Martin Carroll explains.

Mood lighting and ambience

A badly lit room, which is too bright or too dark can quickly become irritating and not particularly easy to live with, so creating a desirable ambience in the kitchen, and particularly in the bathroom is crucial to good design.

To create the right atmosphere, designers should consider the interplay between natural and artificial light and should ensure that their client has some control over setting that tone. Designers should consider using different lighting types and layering. 

Sensio’s Linsky comments: “Designers should also consider how the lighting interacts with the overall space and décor when deciding on an atmosphere. Colour temperature, dimmability, and the position of lights all contribute to the overall tone.”

Mood lighting is where colour correlated temperature (CCT) lighting really comes into its own, as homeowners can select a warmer or cooler tone. “This flexibility really allows designers and homeowners to adjust the mood from bright and energising to warm and relaxing depending on the time of day and the activity,” Linsky adds.

For example, in a bathroom, which may have little or even no natural light, the lighting can be set to cooler tones in the morning to wake the household up and set to warmer tones in the evening to accompany a relaxing bath.

Additionally, discreet lighting behind shelves that can be dimmed is a great way to provide focused areas of interest within a room.

Another consideration noted by Leyton Lighting’s Ashley Smith is biophilic lighting design. This is about maximising natural light which more closely aligns with human biological rhythms and is about generally improving wellbeing, as well as energy-efficiency and sustainability.

So, in this instance, lighting design could even include how well light works in the space architecturally if you’re involved in the building side of the project. This could include not only large windows and skylights, but things like sun tunnels and light shelves or Clerestory windows (windows above cabinetry which utilise otherwise unused space).

If you’re involved with a kitchen extension right from inception, before building begins, this might be something worth speaking with the client about. Strategically placed mirrors are another fairly simple way of maximising natural light by catching light from windows and bouncing it around the room. 

Statement lighting

According to Leyton Lighting’s Smith, the trend for biophilic design also extends to light fittings which are designed to evoke natural forms and materials. “Pendants and wall lights shaped like leaves, branches or other organic elements create a calming, nature-inspired aesthetic.

“The use of materials like wood, bamboo, and stone in light fixtures brings the natural world indoors and complements the latest material trends in kitchens and bathrooms.”

Where statement lighting is concerned, big, dramatic pendants and chandeliers over a central island or dining table continue to be popular, and geometric fixtures are also in demand, as are an artful arrangement of multiple pendants, which might hang at different heights for added visual interest and impact. 

Several of our contributors this month note the use of backlighting and LED strips within open shelving to create statement lighting. There also seems to be an increasing trend for incorporating lighting inside of intricately carved pieces of Corian, marble or stone for example, which glows with a soft and ethereal light. These illuminated panels can also be used for splashbacks or feature panels.

In terms of positioning, TLW’s Johnson, advises drawing attention to key areas without overshadowing the functionality of the space. “In kitchens this could mean placing a bold pendant over an island, while in bathrooms, illuminated mirrors can serve both practical and aesthetic purposes. Placement should enhance the overall design while ensuring that the lighting remains effective.”

Final thoughts

While all of these elements are important in their own right, the most important thing is interplay between the different lighting types, and as Häfele’s Loughlin notes, to look at the project holistically.

As Antonio Formisano, product manager at 4lite, says: “A successful lighting scheme should bring together all lighting types in complete harmony. They should work together and complement each other.

“Task lighting ensures functionality, statement lighting adds personality, and natural light promotes wellbeing and provides a connection to the outdoors. By balancing these elements, designers can create an environment which is both functional and enjoyable.”

It’s also key to remember that there’s never a one-size-fits-all approach, and that it’s essential to determine exactly how the customer, will use their kitchen or bathroom.