Light over the sink
A dedicated sink light on its own switch is useful early and late in the day. We add one where the ceiling or soffit allows.
Serving Glen Ellyn & nearby Wheaton, Lombard
Kitchen Lighting Installation in Glen Ellyn, IL
Recessed, pendant and under-cabinet lighting for Glen Ellyn kitchens, laid out so the counters are bright and wired by a licensed electrician.
- Crews working in Glen Ellyn ZIP 60137
- Most jobs done in days, with your kitchen still usable
- Samples and a written quote before we start
Kitchen lighting problems we solve in Glen Ellyn
Good kitchen light comes down to placement, color and control. We lay out the fixtures before cutting a single hole, pick a warm white that flatters the finishes, and wire everything to switches that make sense in your Glen Ellyn kitchen.
Dark counters and shadows where you work
We fix shadowed counters by adding task light under the wall cabinets and placing ceiling fixtures toward the front of the counters instead of the room's center.
Visible LED dots and glare under the cabinets
Glare and dotted reflections come from bare strips placed too far back. A covered channel near the front edge spreads the light evenly.
Pendants over the island
To hang pendants over a new island, the ceiling boxes have to be in the right spots and rated for the weight. We set them, then fine-tune the drop.
Recessed lights under an insulated attic
Fixtures in a ceiling with insulation above must be IC-rated, meaning they can touch insulation safely. Airtight models also keep warm air from leaking into the attic.
Fluorescent box or panel that hums and flickers
Old fluorescent boxes buzz, flicker and give flat light. We take them out, patch the ceiling and install recessed or surface LED fixtures.
Light that looks too blue or too yellow
If your new LEDs look clinical, the color is likely too cool. We pick fixtures in a warmer range and with good color rendering.
One old fixture lighting the whole kitchen
Many kitchens still rely on one center light. We add fixtures over the counters, the sink and the island and keep a central light only if you want it.
What we do on the job
- Lighting layoutA plan for ceiling, task, island and accent light, with fixture positions and switching.
- Wiring and circuit checkExisting circuits checked for capacity; a permit pulled when new circuits are added.
- Ceiling openings and boxesHoles cut for recessed lights and fixture boxes set and braced for pendants.
- Wire fished to fixtures and switchesNew cable run through the ceiling and walls with minimal access holes.
- Fixtures installedEach fixture hung, leveled and wired.
- Switches and dimmersLED-compatible dimmers and separate switches for each lighting layer.
- Patching and cleanupAccess holes patched and the kitchen cleaned of dust.
Materials and finishes
Dimmers and controlsLED-rated dimmers, smart switches and motion or timer controls.
Accent lightingSofter layers that add depth in the evening.
Pendants and linear fixturesHanging fixtures that light the island and set the style.
Color temperature optionsWarm white around 2700 to 3000K, and selectable-color fixtures where you're unsure.
Recessed lightingDownlights set into the ceiling for even general light.
Kitchen Lighting Installation before and after — Glen Ellyn homes
Before
AfterKitchen Lighting Installation in a postwar Cape Cod, Glen Ellyn
This one is a postwar Cape Cod in Glen Ellyn. The kitchen as it was: a dome ceiling light. What bothered the owners most: a single old light that left the counters in shadow. The result: a flush drum fixture and under-cabinet lights on separate switches. Work included lighting layout, fixtures installed, plus switches and dimmers.
Before
AfterWheaton kitchen, two-story colonial from the 1990s: kitchen lighting installation
The site: a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Wheaton. Before: a brass chandelier over the nook. The main complaint was a single old light that left the counters in shadow. The result: two glass pendants and recessed lights on separate switches. On site this meant fixtures installed, switches and dimmers, plus patching and cleanup.
Kitchen Lighting Installation in Wheaton →
Before
AfterA Lombard 1950s ranch: before and after
A 1950s ranch in Lombard, a typical kitchen for Lombard. The kitchen as it was: a fluorescent box light. The reason for the call: a humming fluorescent light that left the counters flat and dim. After: two glass pendants and recessed lights on separate switches. On site this meant ceiling openings and boxes, wire fished to fixtures and switches, plus fixtures installed.
Kitchen Lighting Installation in Lombard →
Before
AfterGlen Ellyn kitchen, postwar Cape Cod: kitchen remodeling
Cabinets in light butter yellow with polished nickel pulls, black honed granite counters, a gray beveled subway tile backsplash, light oak hardwood flooring and two glass pendants and recessed lights.
Kitchen Remodeling in Glen Ellyn →
Before
AfterGlen Ellyn kitchen, 1950s ranch: kitchen cabinet painting
What changed: the same doors sprayed in creamy white uppers and navy lowers, new brushed nickel bar pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Glen Ellyn →How your kitchen lighting project goes
- Share photos and plansTell us what feels too dark and what lights you have in mind.
- Layout visitAn electrician looks at the space and plans the layers and switching.
- Written estimateAn itemized estimate listing fixtures, wiring, switches, patching and any permit.
- Install and testFixtures wired and mounted, dimmers set, ceiling patched and everything tested.
Kitchen Lighting Installation questions from Glen Ellyn homeowners
Do I need a permit for kitchen lighting?
Often when new circuits are added; simple fixture replacements usually don't need one. We check with the village before work starts.
How high should pendants hang over an island?
Usually around 30 to 36 inches above the island top. Taller ceilings and bigger fixtures may shift that.
What's the best lighting for a small kitchen?
Bright, even ceiling light plus task lighting under the cabinets. We size the fixtures so they don't crowd the room.
How long does recessed lighting installation take?
Adding a set of recessed lights to an existing ceiling often takes a day. Bigger layouts with pendants, under-cabinet lights and patching take longer.
Hardwired or plug-in under-cabinet lights?
We recommend hardwired in a remodel or when you want a finished look. Plug-in suits renters.
Glen Ellyn contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
Contractors must register with the Village and meet license and insurance requirements (Village Code 4-1-11); work that does not need a building permit is exempt. We take care of that before work starts.
Do you work in my part of Glen Ellyn?
Yes. Our crews work across Glen Ellyn — ZIP 60137 — and nearby Wheaton, Lombard, Glendale Heights.
Working in Glen Ellyn
- A lot of Glen Ellyn kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Glen Ellyn homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Older paint is treated with lead-safe practices: containment, HEPA cleanup and a clean hand-over.
ZIP 60137
Kitchen Lighting Installation nearby
Other kitchen services in Glen Ellyn
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.
Cabinet RefacingNew doors and fronts on your existing cabinet boxes.
Countertop Fabrication & InstallationQuartz, granite and butcher block, templated and installed.
Kitchen Backsplash InstallationTile backsplashes with clean lines and flush outlets.