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Day to Night: How to Layer Kitchen Lighting

15 October 2026

Good kitchen lighting works in layers: practical light over worktops and islands, pendants to give each zone a focus, and lower table and wall lights for a softer evening glow. Tom Raffield shares his advice, featuring Skipper, Keel, Bue, Kanna and Neap designs.
Tom Raffield Skipper Pendant in Walnut hanging above a kitchen island

Your kitchen can be many things throughout the day, a place for that first morning coffee, a busy spot for cooking and, come evening, somewhere to sit and unwind. The right kitchen lighting can help your space feel bright and practical when you need it, while creating a more inviting feel as the day goes on.

Layering different light sources is a simple way to make your kitchen work for all of these moments. From pendant and wall lights to softer, low-level lighting, choosing the right combination can add warmth and flexibility to your space.

Tom Raffield, Founder and Creative Director

Our Founder and Creative Director, Tom Raffield, shares his tips for creating warm and welcoming kitchen lighting, and making the most of your space throughout the day.

Early mornings: table lights for a softer start

“There’s something quite special about the softer light in the early morning; the calm before the day fully starts. It’s a time I really enjoy. A smaller, more localised light source on an island, worktop or kitchen table can provide just enough illumination at this time of day, without flooding the whole room with light, allowing your eyes to slowly adjust as the sun rises.

Table lights are a welcome addition in a kitchen as they introduce light at a lower level, creating a more intimate feeling - perfect for sitting down with a hot drink. A portable design also gives you the freedom to move the light around and use it wherever it feels right, both indoors and outdoors.”

Skipper Portable Table Light on a round wooden table in a window-seat dining nook, beside a mug, an open book and a vase of foliage
The Skipper Portable Table Light is the perfect choice for a cosy dining nook

“The kitchen is such an important part of the home, and increasingly it’s a space that needs to work for many different moments throughout the day. Good lighting can help the room move naturally from practical and functional in the morning to warm, relaxed and atmospheric in the evening.

I like to think about lighting in layers, using different sources to create a balance between practical illumination and softer, more decorative light. It’s also a great opportunity to bring character into the kitchen through natural materials, interesting forms and considered design.”

Tom Raffield, Founder and Creative Director
Skipper Marble Table Light, lit, with curled wooden ribbons forming the shade and a round marble base, on a stone worktop
Glass Bue Stem Table Light with an opal glass dome shade hanging from a curved wooden arm, on a marble-topped sideboard
Add a decorative touch and welcoming glow to sideboards and worktops with our Skipper - Marble Table Light and Glass Bue - Stem Table Light

Cooking and prep: pendant lights over the island

“Practical lighting is essential in a kitchen, particularly around worktops and islands where much of the preparation takes place. The important thing is to make sure the light is well positioned and comfortable to work beneath, while still feeling connected to the wider design of the room. Lighting doesn’t have to be purely functional, though. A well-designed fitting can provide the illumination you need while also bringing warmth, texture and personality into the space.

A trio of pendant lights works particularly well above an island, providing a good expanse of light across the surface while giving the island a stronger sense of place within the room.”

Keel Linear Trio Light Long, three folded wooden shades on a wooden bar, above a white-topped kitchen island with dark wood cabinets and black-framed glass doors
The Keel - Linear Trio Light Long takes centre stage above the island

Open-plan kitchens: using light to create zones

“Most kitchens naturally have different areas for cooking, eating, working and socialising, and lighting can help bring those zones to life. A pendant above an island or dining table can give that area a real sense of focus, while smaller sources, such as wall lights, can create softer pockets of light elsewhere.

This can be especially useful in an open-plan kitchen. Rather than dividing the space physically, you can use light to gently define each area while keeping the overall room feeling open and connected.”

Skipper Pendant hanging above a dining table and dark wooden chairs, seen across an open-plan room with blue glazed cabinets and a herringbone wood floor
Skipper Pendant. Photography: Chris Wharton
Neap Wall Light, a curved wooden shade, on a white wall beside a framed print and a black-framed glazed door
Create pockets of light in open plan areas using the Neap Wall Light

Statement lighting: sculptural pendants as a feature

“Lighting provides the perfect opportunity to bring personality into a kitchen. With so much emphasis often placed on cabinetry, worktops and appliances, a sculptural light can introduce another material or form and become a feature in its own right, while also complementing the overall design.

I’m drawn to lighting that has a strong presence even when it’s switched off. The craftsmanship and natural materials become part of the room, and once illuminated, the light and shadow create another layer of interest.”

Skipper Pendant above a wooden-topped kitchen island in a sage green kitchen with a ceramic sink, range cooker and green tiled splashback, lit by low sun
The sculptural Skipper Pendant adding character to the kitchen

“The best kitchen lighting schemes give you the practical light you need, but also create warmth and complement the character of your home. I’d always start by thinking about how you use the kitchen throughout the day.

Look at where you need focused light, where a softer glow would work better, and where a beautiful fitting could become part of the design. Bringing all of those elements together is what creates a lighting scheme that feels both considered and inviting.”

Tom Raffield, Founder and Creative Director

Evenings: dimmers and softer light for atmosphere

“As the day moves into evening, the kitchen can take on a completely different character. Once the practical work is finished, softer and warmer sources of light can create a much more relaxed setting for dining, entertaining or simply spending time together.

Dimmers and separate lighting controls are really useful for this. They allow you to adjust the balance of light depending on the time of day, rather than having one setting that has to work for everything.”

Bue Linear Trio Light, three white glass dome shades on a wooden bar, above a sage green kitchen island with two wooden bar stools
Bue - Linear Trio Light is perfect for creating multiple suspensions above a table, kitchen island or bar counter

“Successful kitchen lighting schemes have one thing in common: they feel natural and work for the space they’re in. Think about how the kitchen is used throughout the day and explore lighting options that help functionally but also add texture, visual interest and ambience, whether switched on or off.”

Glass Bue Pendant with an opal glass dome shade, lit above a wooden sideboard with books, a framed photo and a vase of dried grasses
Kanna Marble Table Light with a wooden drum shade and marble base, on a small wooden cabinet in low sunlight beside a reed diffuser
Create a relaxed setting into the evening with the Glass Bue Pendant and Kanna - Marble Table Light
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Posted: 15.10.26

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