Kitchen lights for Irish homes, from an independent Irish electrical supplier. Fire rated downlights, slimline ceiling battens and under cabinet LED, which between them cover the three jobs a kitchen actually needs light to do. Free delivery applies to every order from the first euro, with no minimum spend.
What lights are best for a kitchen?
A kitchen needs three layers: general ceiling light, task light over the worktop, and something softer for evening. Most Irish kitchens use downlights plus under cabinet LED.
The common mistake is treating it as one job. A grid of downlights alone lights the floor and the top of your head, and leaves you working in your own shadow at the counter, because you stand between the ceiling light and the worktop. Under cabinet lighting fixes that by putting the light in front of you instead of behind you. A batten or panel suits a utility area or a larger open plan run where you want even coverage without a dozen cut outs.
How many downlights do I need in a kitchen?
The usual rule is to space downlights at about half the ceiling height apart. On a standard 2.4 metre ceiling that is roughly 1.2 metres between fittings.
For a typical 3 by 4 metre Irish kitchen that works out at around eight to ten downlights in a regular grid. Start the grid about 600mm from the walls rather than centring it on the room, because the useful light belongs over the worktops and the walkway, not over the middle of the floor. If you are working around an island, plan that separately rather than stretching the grid to cover it.
What colour temperature is best for kitchen lighting?
4000K neutral white is the most popular choice for Irish kitchens. It is bright and clean for food preparation without the blue clinical look of 6500K.
3000K warm white suits a kitchen that doubles as a dining or living space, because it flatters the room in the evening, but it can make it harder to judge colour when you are cooking. 6500K cool daylight is honest for task work and unforgiving for everything else, which is why it reads as commercial. Several fittings in this range are CCT switchable, meaning you pick the temperature at installation rather than at purchase, which is the easiest way to avoid regretting the decision.
Do kitchen downlights need to be fire rated?
If the ceiling separates two floors it is a fire barrier, and every downlight cut into it makes a hole in that barrier. A fire rated fitting closes the hole again.
That covers most kitchens in two storey Irish homes. A fire rated downlight has an intumescent seal that expands in heat and blocks the opening, restoring the integrity of the ceiling. Every downlight in this collection is fire rated. Where the ceiling is not separating floors the requirement is different, and it is worth asking your electrician rather than assuming, because it depends on the build.
What is the best lighting for under kitchen cabinets?
Either a slim LED batten fixed under the wall unit, or an IP65 rated LED strip run along the underside. The strip is more discreet, the batten is simpler to fit.
Position it toward the front edge of the cabinet rather than against the wall, so the light falls on the worktop instead of down the tiles. An IP rating matters here more than people expect, because under cabinet fittings sit directly in the steam coming off a kettle or a hob. Warm or neutral white both work, and colour changing strip is best avoided in a kitchen unless it is genuinely for effect.
Can I put a downlight above a kitchen sink or hob?
Yes, and it is usually a good idea, but choose a fitting with an IP rating there. Steam and grease will find their way into anything unsealed.
Kitchens are not divided into zones the way bathrooms are, so there is no fixed rule to follow, but the practical case is the same. A sealed IP65 fitting over the sink and the hob will outlast an unsealed one by years in that position. Everywhere else in the kitchen a standard fire rated downlight is fine.
Where can I buy kitchen lights in Ireland?
Shamrock Electrical supplies kitchen lighting across the Republic of Ireland, online with free delivery on every order, or over the counter in Rathcoole, County Dublin.
We are an independent Irish electrical business at Unit 22, Block 613, Jordanstown Road, Greenogue Business Park, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin, D24 TX98, just off the N7 and well positioned for the M50. The counter is open Monday to Friday 7am to 5pm and Saturday 9am to 1:30pm. If you are planning a full kitchen and want to talk through the downlight layout before you order, call 01 401 9907 or email sales@shamrockelectrical.ie. There is also a fuller kitchen lighting buying guide on the blog.
