Brighten Your Dark Kitchen with Our Illuminating Tips

Is your kitchen looking a bit dark and dreary? Your kitchen is where you’re dealing with hot pans, sharp knives, and major appliances, so you need to be able to see clearly. Plus, you likely spend a lot of time in this part of the house, so you want it to feel cheerful and welcoming. We recommend these simple tips to brighten your dark kitchen:

Get a New Countertop

Your kitchen countertop can be the source of a lot of shine in your kitchen. However, if your countertop is worn out or dull, consider replacing it. Installing a new granite, quartz, or marble countertop will bring another glossy, light-reflective surface into your kitchen and can help to brighten up the entire room.

Upgrade Your Cabinets

If your dark wood cabinets are making your entire kitchen look gloomy, then a fresh coat of white paint will solve that problem. You could also have all-new white cabinets installed, if your budget allows. Either way, white cabinets will brighten your dark kitchen by reflecting the natural light entering the room, rather than absorbing it. The crisp, white finish of your kitchen cabinets will also make the room look bigger and cleaner.

Rethink Recessed Lighting

Do you have recessed lighting in your kitchen? Recessed lighting fixtures look sleek and attractive, but they are not ideal if your goal is to fill a room with light. Install pendant lights or even a cool chandelier instead and you’ll see your kitchen get a whole lot brighter.

Install Brighter Bulbs

File this one under obvious tips, but we had to mention it! Chefs recommend that your kitchen lighting fixtures are fitted with 80 or 100-watt bulbs. If your kitchen bulbs are 60-watt, then getting more light in the kitchen is as easy as changing a lightbulb.

Use Under Cabinet Lighting

Under cabinet lights eliminate the shadows caused by cabinets and create a bright space for food prep, reading recipes, or just flipping through the morning paper. You can have lighting professionally installed, or buy less expensive battery-powered lights that you can simply stick under the cabinets yourself.

Take Advantage of Natural Light

Brighten up your dark kitchen by allowing the most amount of natural sunlight possible into your kitchen. That means replacing any room-darkening shades and blinds with lighter, more translucent curtains that allow light to filter into the kitchen. Consider trimming or removing bushes and trees on your property that may be blocking light from coming into your home. You may even want to think about adding a skylight if possible. It’s an expensive upgrade, but it does add value to your home, so it may be worth it in the long run.

Make Use of Glossy Surfaces 

Consider using shiny and light reflective finishes like chrome or classic white for kitchen appliances, fixtures, and hardware. Kitchen floors can also be transformed into natural light amplifiers if you opt for wooden, ceramic, or stone floors with a shiny, polished finish.

Incorporate Bright Colors

We’ve talked a lot about using white to brighten your dark kitchen, but using too much white can get pretty boring. Be sure to add pops of bright colors into your kitchen. Using turquoise, teal, yellow, or red creates contrast and visual interest and creates the feeling of a brighter kitchen.

Any of the tips above will help you brighten up your dark kitchen. If you’re looking for illuminating and inspiring bright kitchen cabinets, then  contact Special Additions. We’re one of the largest and most reputable cabinetry dealers in New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area. We’ve been family owned and operated since we opened our doors in 1978. Partner with us today!