In many houses, the kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where family meals are prepared and often also eaten. It’s also a safe space for families to socialize. Many children even do their homework at the kitchen counter. Investing in your kitchen’s lighting makes this room an even happier place.
The main aim of installing smart lights in your kitchen is to add brightness. You can create different ambiances with dimmable light. Unless you really want to add colors to your kitchen, white smart lights are sufficient. Both smart bulbs and light strips are excellent options for kitchen lighting.
In this blog post, I discuss different kitchen lighting ideas. I also list 5 of the best smart lights that you can use in your kitchen. If you are considering smart lighting for your kitchen, keep reading!
- Which Smart Lights Should I Use In My Kitchen?
- How Can I Make My Kitchen Lights Smart? – 4 Bright Ideas!
- How Can I Use Smart Light Strips In My Kitchen? 7 Good Ideas.
- Should I Use Smart Light Bulbs Or Smart Light Strips In My Kitchen?
- What Are The Disadvantages Of Using Smart Light Strips In The Kitchen?
- Tips For Installing Smart Lighting In Your Kitchen
- Home Streamliner’s Take
Which Smart Lights Should I Use In My Kitchen?
Here are 5 of the best smart lights to buy for your kitchen.
Keep in mind that a bright soft white light is best for kitchen lighting. In most cases, you won’t need color bulbs. This makes the option of smart kitchen lighting a little less expensive as well!
Smart Light Bulbs:
1. Kasa Smart Light Bulb
This is a simple, easy-to-install option that won’t break the bank at $25 on Amazon. It doesn’t require a hub but is compatible with Alexa and Google Home. It has a maximum brightness of 800 lumens.
2. LIFX Mini White (A19) Wi-Fi Smart LED Light Bulb
This bulb is a bit expensive, at $27 per bulb. But it has the advantage that it is compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Homekit. It has a maximum brightness of 800 lumens.
3. Geeni LUX1050 Soft White Bulbs
The Geeni LUX 1050 has a brightness of 1050 lumens if you’re looking for a brighter option. At $15 each, this is also an affordable option.
It is compatible with both Alexa and Google Home. But you can use it without a hub as well, using the Geeni app. You’ll need a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network.
Another option to consider is the Geeni LUX Edison bulb. At 800 lumens, these bulbs aren’t the brightest white bulbs you can buy. But the filament style is just beautiful. If you have a farmhouse-style kitchen or a more vintage or boho style, these would add to the aesthetic very well.
Smart Light Strips:
4. Govee White LED Strip Lights
The Govee light strips are an affordable light strip option. A 16.4ft strip costs just under $20 on Amazon.
The strip has been reported to be rather flimsy. To combat this, make sure you know where you want to stick it before peeling off the backing. The more often you move it, the flimsier it becomes.
5. Philips Hue 800276 WCA Plus Lightstrip
If you already have a Philips Hue hub in your home, this light strip would take your kitchen lighting to the next level. You have the option of choosing colors, even though you could of course leave it on white. It has a maximum brightness of 1600 lumen.
It is expensive though, at almost $100 for 80ft. I would not recommend buying the Philips Hue Lighstrip if you do not have the hub, simply because of the price.
How Can I Make My Kitchen Lights Smart? – 4 Bright Ideas!
You can make your existing kitchen lights smart, or add new smart lighting to your kitchen. Here are some options to consider:
1. Installing A Smart Switch In Your Kitchen
A smart switch is a switch that you can control remotely. It’s one of the easiest ways of making your home lights smart because you only need to replace the switch.
When installing a smart switch, you’ll be able to connect it to your phone or smart hub. You can then use an app on your phone to dim your lights by controlling the switch.
2. Replacing Your Dumb Light Bulbs With Smart Bulbs
You can screw smart light bulbs into your existing light fixtures. Once you have connected these bulbs to your phone or smart hub, you can control them remotely.
This would work well for hanging lights, for example above a kitchen island or dining area. You can also replace your ceiling light bulbs with smart light bulbs.
For ceiling lights in the kitchen, a bulb with a bright soft white light works very well.
3. Adding New Light Fixtures To Your Kitchen
You can install new light fixtures in your kitchen.
Suspended lights above a kitchen island or dining area create a modern look. Some brands make smart suspended lights which you can try. Or, you can install regular light fixtures and use smart light bulbs.
When installing hanging lights above a kitchen island or dining area, hang them in a line, all at the same height. There should be at least 30 to 35 inches between the bottom of the light and the table or countertop.
You can also mount lights to the walls in your kitchen. By angling them down, you can light up your counter space, for example. This works well in kitchens that have kitchen cabinets at different heights.
If you install new light fixtures in your kitchen, you may have to hire an electrician to do the electrical work. Keep this in mind when working out your budget.
4. Sticking Smart Light Strips On Surfaces In Your Kitchen
Smart light strips are easy to install and can transform your kitchen in a matter of minutes. They come with a peel-off backing which exposes a sticky tape. You can then stick the strip directly onto the surface where you want it.
There are several ways in which you can use smart light strips:
How Can I Use Smart Light Strips In My Kitchen? 7 Good Ideas.
- Stick the smart light strips along the edges where the floor meets the walls.
- Stick the smart light strips along the bottom of your cabinets.
- Stick the smart light strips underneath your countertops.
- Stick the smart lights above the countertop line. (Consider how you would hide your cables in this case).
- Stick the smart light strips on the bottom of your kitchen cabinets.
- Stick the smart light strips inside your kitchen cabinets. (This is especially effective if your cabinets don’t have doors, or if the doors are see-through.
- If your kitchen has a bar area, stick the smart light strip onto the bottom of the bar counter.
Should I Use Smart Light Bulbs Or Smart Light Strips In My Kitchen?
If you want to make your kitchen lighting smart, use both smart bulbs and smart light strips. Smart light bulbs in the ceiling or hanging fixtures create a relaxed atmosphere. But your body can block the light from these fixtures when working at a countertop. Smart light strips light your task areas well.
What Are The Disadvantages Of Using Smart Light Strips In The Kitchen?
- Smart light strips can often create a dotting effect, especially on a reflective surface. If you want to create a more even effect, consider using a diffuser. This is a plastic tube which you can run the light strip through. It spreads out the light from the tiny bulbs, eliminating the “dots.”
- Smart light strips need to be plugged into a power outlet. This is not a disadvantage in itself but can become tricky when you try to hide the cables. This is a particular challenge if your kitchen cabinets are separated by wide spaces.
We wrote a detailed article about the 13 Best Smart Kitchen Appliances on the Market. Feel free to have a look. It’s very informative.
Tips For Installing Smart Lighting In Your Kitchen
1. Plan Your Layout First.
Place the lights where you want to install them and try them out for a few days before fixing them to the surface.
Kitchens have many reflective surfaces. Sometimes the angle of the light needs to be changed to minimize this reflection.
If you need to install new electrical fittings, it is especially important to test the layout. You don’t want to install lights and realize afterward that they aren’t working.
Also, consider how much natural light your kitchen receives. The more natural light there is, the less artificial light you need to add.
If your kitchen cabinets are separated by wide spaces, spotlights under the cabinet will work better than light strips.
2. Focus On The Task Areas
The majority of the lighting should light up the areas where you work in your kitchen.
These include countertops where you chop and prepare food, the stove, and the kitchen sink.
3. If You Are New To Smart Products, Choose One Brand.
You can control smart lights and other smart products with your phone. But different brands may need different apps.
If you have smart products from many different brands, you will have to manage many apps (or buy a smart hub).
If you are just starting with smart products, take some time to research different brands. This will let you choose one brand for all (or at least most) of your smart products. Creating a smart home ecosystem will be much easier this way.
4. Lights Should Not Create A Distraction.
The lighting in your kitchen should emphasize its best features. It should not create a distraction. This is why bright soft white lighting is usually best for your kitchen.
5. Add A Portable Motion Sensor To Your Lighting System
This lets the kitchen lights turn on at night without you having to find the switch. It’s also a great security feature.
Home Streamliner’s Take
When choosing smart lights for your kitchen, consider your own situation. For example, the Philips Hue bulbs are almost always highly recommended. But if you already have bulbs from another brand in your home, getting the Philips bulbs doesn’t make sense. If you have a smart hub in your home, that will also impact which brand is best for you.
In terms of kitchen lighting, many brands will work very well. If you focus on getting bright soft white light, you’re on the right track in creating the atmosphere you want.