The Lighting Choice You Should Avoid In The Kitchen At All Costs, According To Our Expert

Most people use the kitchen for a lot more than cooking meals. For many, it's the center of the family home, so naturally, you want to know all of the essential dos and don'ts for this busy household hub. House Digest spoke with Jason Pietruszka (who goes by Jason Pie on YouTube and TikTok), a general contractor, interior designer, real estate developer, and owner of JJP Construction in the Los Angeles area, and he outlined the best and worst lighting choices for your kitchen.

Pietruszka says the worst lighting choice for a kitchen space is fluorescent bulbs (but anyone who has spent time in an office or warehouse under these lights will attest that this type of lighting is bad news). "Fluorescent light bulbs are probably the worst lighting choices for kitchen spaces," Pietruszka exclusively told House Digest. "With its harsh, cold light, fluorescent lighting makes it nearly impossible to see your food's true colors and textures. And that's not all! The flickering effect caused by fluorescent lights can be incredibly annoying and even lead to eye strain and headaches, which is no fun for anyone!"

In our exclusive interview, Pietruszka gave House Digest some recommendations for those who are already suffering under the glow of fluorescent bulbs: "Here are some ideas of how you can improve your space if you already have fluorescent fixtures, but you can't replace them, or you just don't want to. The first thing you want to do is try to clean them. They can easily accumulate dust and dirt, and that can reduce their efficiency. If they start to flicker, it probably means it's time for a new one. Another tip would be to use daylight bulbs. These bulbs mimic natural daylight and are more pleasant and color accurate."

So what's the best lighting in Pietruszka's opinion? "My preference for lighting in the kitchen would probably be LED lights. It's easy to change the temperature of the lighting. LEDs can provide the best result for your space. That's taking into consideration the natural light that you already have in the space, and the light that's needed to be added to make the whole space more visible."

"What I found to be the most helpful is actually using supplemental lighting," he adds. "Look for places where you need better lighting. Add lighting fixtures that provide you with more light in those areas. Like desk lights or under cabinet lights. Even floor lamps if you have the space. This will definitely help improve visibility. One last tip, if any of those don't help. You can install diffusers. Fluorescent light bulbs can be super bright and produce harsh glares, so, by installing diffusers or lens covers, the fluorescent fixture can soften the light and reduce it. And hopefully, that will make it more comfortable for the space."

Of course, there are plenty of ideas and inspiration for updating your kitchen light fixtures, especially the important lighting over the island. Pietruszka has a final recommendation that he exclusively told House Digest. "If you are fighting issues with lighting in your kitchen. I do highly recommend bringing out a contractor or Interior designer to review the space and see how they might be able to help you improve the space without having to change too much. Sometimes a little change like the color of your cabinets, or a light fixture! Don't be afraid to reach out for a consultation or expert advice. They can help you make a really big difference."