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Let there be light (top tips for a dark kitchen)

Kitchens can often be quite dark. All is not lost. There are many ways to lighten up a dark room… including a dark kitchen!

If your budget allows then the addition of a conservatory or a sunroom will really open up your kitchen giving you more space and plenty of extra light. One way of gaining a lot of additional light without needing to add another room is to consider a glass atrium or partial glass atrium. Replacing a portion of the ceiling with glass will completely transform any dark kitchen.

Kitchens can easily be brightened up by simply adding some modern glass doors and windows. Skylights are also a good way of allowing natural light into the room. Light coming in from above is always the brightest and fills a room, unlike light from a side window which only lights the space around it. Skylights are relatively easy to install and won’t waste valuable wall space.


Solar tubes (also commonly known as sun pipes or sun tunnels) are also another effective way of providing natural light but at less cost and with less upheaval than installing a skylight. The interior of a solar tube acts like a continuous mirror, channeling light along its entire length while preserving the light’s intensity. It captures daylight from the roof and delivers it inside your kitchen.

Glass folding or sliding doors will create a feeling of spaciousness with a seamless flow between inside and out – even the darkest of kitchens can be made lighter and brighter if an exterior wall is replaced with glass doors.


Less structural, less costly, yet also effective is getting the right balance of colour in the kitchen. Choose light wood units such as beech or birch or even consider painting wooden units a light, sunny colour. Likewise choose paler, warmer shades for walls to create a bright and airy atmosphere.

To maximise the feeling of space go for glossy finishes where possible and consider reflective surfaces such as shiny floor tiles, pale wood laminate flooring, stainless steel appliances and glass or stainless steel splashbacks. Floor lighting along kickboards can add drama, throwing light upwards making ceilings appear higher.


Other quick, easy and less expensive options include hanging a mirror to create the illusion of light and space, installing a clamp lamp in particularly dark corners, checking that light bulbs are a minimum of 80 watts, and installing puck lights, LED light bars or fluorescent light bars to the underside of your cabinets.

Let there be light ….. and there was light!

3rd May 2019