Not that long ago it was not uncommon to find many a domestic kitchen looking more like a factory canteen than the welcoming hub of the home. They were seen as principally functional places - to store and prepare food and wash up - and were lit accordingly.

The fluorescent tube spread like a virus, filling kitchen spaces with cold, flat light. To be sure it was definitely bright and you would have little trouble seeing what you were doing. But it was drab and soulless and highly likely to induce a headache after any length of time.

Nowadays however folk typically opt to get together in the kitchen, more so than the lounge which seems over formal by today’s standards. Contemporary kitchen layouts are also much more friendly environments with seating and areas to mingle. Sadly though the lighting hasn’t always kept pace.

The arrangement of a kitchen, with counters and wall cupboards, is such that overhead lighting not only looks uninspiring but is of limited practical use. Any place you stand you will find yourself casting shadows in front of you - right where your hands are.

Ceiling lighting is most definitely an important component as it is an easy way to provide background ambient light (though recessed spotlights are way better than fluorescent tubes). But in order to bring a kitchen to life you really need to install a range of different lighting fittings.

If there is enough space then using pendant lighting is a good first step. These work especially well when slung quite low above island units and tables. Wall cupboards also provide an excellent way to introduce additional lighting.

The position and size of wall units can suggest what types of lighting to add to them. If there is space above, lighting around the coving can be interesting, and it’s usually always possible to suspend strip lights underneath to throw light onto counter tops. For glass or open units you can even install lighting inside them.

But, no matter how you want to add light to a wall unit, the optimum way these days is by fitting LED strip lights, which also won’t damage anything since they emit almost no heat. They’re also very cheap to run so you can leave them on for long periods or use them for accent lighting - they make great plinth lights.

The thing you will immediately notice with LED light is how well it works with the various reflective surfaces that abound in most modern kitchens. It’s just such an easy way to add a dose of contemporary styling.

If you’re interested in finding out more then you should enjoy these two articles about kitchen light ideas and LED strip light applications in particular.