New Kitchen Lighting Design Ideas 2012 From HGTV

Lighting designer Eddie Cohen of Design Light, Inc. shares his top six tips for improving task lighting in the kitchen.


Recessed lighting is a great way to focus light throughout a kitchen. It is important to have a lot of light on work surfaces, such as countertops, stoves and the sink area. This type of lighting can be aimed exactly where you most need it. Design by Andreas Charalambous.

Under-cabinet lighting is great for kitchens because it focuses the light onto the countertop, which is the main work surface in a kitchen. This type of lighting is also a very inexpensive add-on for existing kitchens. There are many different light bulbs such as halogen, xenon and fluorescent that can give your kitchen a completely different effect. Halogen and incandescent light are best. Design by Andreea Avram Rusu.

In-cabinet lighting is a great accent for a kitchen. It can make finding what you need so much easier and can also make for a great look if you have glass-paneled cabinets. A bonus is that this type of lighting brings great illumination to the room. Design by Gail Drury.

Track lighting is the most multipurpose lighting since each light can be positioned to focus on different areas in the kitchen. Design by Joshua Foss.


Pendant lights are both decorative and create nice pools of light over countertops. Design by Gail Drury.


Choose light bulbs with different beam spreads for different effects. Floods are wide and create a more general lighting, while spot lighting works well to highlight specific items. Design by David Stimmel.