9 outdated kitchen lighting trends designers urge you to avoid, plus what to try instead

Three images: A white kitchen and dark island with two globe pendant lights, a wooden island with a fixture coming from a ceiling rose overhead, and a minimalist kitchen with three pendant lights over an island.

Kitchen lighting has to marry style and functionality. Unlike the living room or bedroom, this practical space needs bright ambient lighting to cook by, yet it should still feel warm, welcoming, and well-curated. Relying on overused trends, however, will instantly make your kitchen look dated.

Of course, knowing which fads will fall out of favor isn't easy, and none of us would invest in lighting that we didn't once love. The problem is, what was once an en-vogue kitchen lighting idea can become unpopular and passé in a heartbeat. The great advantage of lighting, however, is how easily you can switch up your designs or add to your scheme to elevate an entire space.