It does little good being precise in choosing and assembling the many elements of a kitchen and then not providing for the display of them in their best possible light. 

There are three types of lighting in a kitchen: 

• General lighting is lighting to illuminate your kitchen space and usually involves focusing on ceiling lighting.  Today recessed lighting is often the preferred type of ceiling lighting as it gives even lighting for your kitchen and yet is completely unobtrusive.  This ceiling lighting makes your kitchen seem larger as the eye is not distracted with a low hanging ceiling fixture that dominates the space but may not give off much light.
  
  

• Task lighting is lighting placed over your countertops and kitchen sink.  A single ceiling mounted or recessed lighting fixture is usually installed over the kitchen sink.  And undercabinet lighting is installed below your upper wall cabinets to provide even lighting for your countertop food preparation area.  Lighting installed on a hood over your cooking appliance also provides task lighting for that important area.
   

• Accent lighting brings a touch of drama and interest to your kitchen.  It can take many forms.  Pendant lighting over a peninsula is popular.  Or instead you may use a pair of maybe smaller sized recessed can lights to focus lighting over that area. The light over the breakfast room table is also often chosen for architectural effect.  And even today’s Kitchler brand undercabinet lighting with its dimmable and rather cool xenon bulb allows you to use that product as a lighting accent.
  
  

The combination of your lighting choices and the contrast they provide can be functional and can add an additional touch of interest to your kitchen.  Having general lighting at the level of your ceiling, task lighting at a level below your kitchen wall cabinets and pendant lighting at different levels over your peninsula and breakfast table add architectural interest and a visual richness to the kitchen surfaces which they illuminate.  And different lighting fixtures being turned on or off or being dimmed or brightened will bathe your kitchen in a variety of lighting effects.