Lighting a kitchen doesn't seem that complicated, does it? Just make sure there's enough light to see what you're cooking, and you're done. Right? Not so fast. A lot more goes on in the kitchen these days than meal preparation.

In contemporary homes, the kitchen serves as the main hub, where not only do meals get eaten, but also where homework gets done, bills get paid, and family and guests alike tend to gather. A good kitchen lighting plan takes all of these different uses into account, as well as the architectural aesthetics of the room.

Rather than relying on a single bright, glaring light mounted on the ceiling to illuminate the entire kitchen, experts suggest adding light in layers, combining four different types of lighting, each with its own purpose. These types of lighting are:

• Task lighting is the main lighting that allows you to see what you're doing. Good task lighting illuminates your work area without casting shadows over your work. Range lights over the stove and under cabinet lighting make excellent kitchen task lighting.
• Accent lighting is used to highlight a specific object, such as a china collection or artwork hanging in the kitchen, or an architectural detail such as a recessed ceiling. Cabinet display lighting, or lighting used to illuminate decorative objects on top of cabinets in a kitchen with high ceilings, are good examples. Good accent lighting is typically adjustable and/or portable, so that it can be moved to shine on other objects as your decorative tastes evolve.
• Decorative lighting is what lighting expert Randall Whitehead refers to as “architectural jewelry.” It is just that—decoration. This is where chandeliers and designer light fixtures come in. Although decorative lighting adds to the overall light in a room, it should not be the primary source. Its main job is simply to look pretty.
• Ambient lighting, also known as mood lighting, is soft, indirect light that infuses the room with a warm glow. Think wall sconces, indirectly hung pendant lamps, and simulated candlelight. Ambient lighting's main job is to make YOU look pretty, and to make you and your guests feel cozy as they gather 'round the table or kitchen island.

For further control over your lighting options, and for increased efficiency and longer bulb life, consider adding dimmer switches for each light source. With dimmers, you can prevent your task lighting from being too bright and your mood lighting from being too dark—or vice versa; and you'll have the added benefits of saving on your electric bill and ensuring that your lighting plan is up to code in every state.

Although it's not as simple as you might have initially thought, it's really not that complicated, either. Just keep these four types of lighting, along with their individual purposes, in mind as you select new lighting for your kitchen, and you'll be sitting – and eating – pretty once everything is in place.