Light Fixtures to Brighten Up Your Dark Pantry

With all the gorgeous living rooms, bedrooms, and kitchens that we see on social media nowadays, it’s hard not to want every space to look its best. However, we often forget to add decorative lighting to our small spaces like closets and pantries. Today we’ll focus on light fixtures to brighten up your dark pantry and make your space charming.

A well-lit pantry can make a world of difference in your daily routine, making it easier to find what you need and keep your space organized. With proper pantry lighting, this space can turn out to be one of the most functional areas in your home. **Note: Affiliate links may be used in this post. I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Most of us don’t have a walk-in pantry like the kitchens photographed here, we may only have a 2 x 2 closet or a cabinet. However, we all need good lighting no matter what size our pantries are. Besides, the main goal in lighting your pantry is so you can easily find your cookies at midnight, right? Or at least that’s my story.

Below you’ll see how versatile modern lighting fixtures can work in the most basic pantry spaces – whether or not they have access to light switches or an outlet.

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Battery Powered LED Lights

One of the best ways to illuminate a pantry if you don’t have electrical outlets is by using a battery-powered LED light fixture. Portable LED lights, also known as puck lights, are both functional and flexible light sources. The wireless lights are powered by rechargeable batteries, are inexpensive to add to your pantry, and easy to install. They require very little maintenance.

The downside of these ceiling lights is that they have to be recharged. How often you open the pantry could also determine how often you need to change the batteries. If you pair the LEDs with a motion sensor, battery-powered LED lights can last anywhere between 25 to 100 hours.

Motion Sensor Lights

To help conserve your battery, you can opt for a motion sensor light. Motion sensor lights trigger a response when motion is detected. After a set time, the light automatically turns off. They’re an excellent choice for both a reach-in pantry and a walk-in.

For a large pantry, I recommend installing a motion light. The overhead light fixture can illuminate the whole space and provide an even light spread.

Another type of motion sensor light is a door-activated light sensor which is best for pantries with a door frame. This light sensor is a motion sensor that is triggered by opening and closing the pantry door and is installed within the door jamb.

LED Strips and Cabinet Lights

LED light strips and cabinet lights are a common solution for lighting pantries. They provide a quick and easy installation because they can be conveniently plugged into a wall outlet. These lights are also great for task lighting. Light strips have double-sided tape that allows you to adhere them to just about any flat surface.

The strip lights give a soft glow around your shelves without the light source being visible. Unlike other pantry lighting options, LED strips don’t require maintenance like charging or changing the batteries.

LED strip lights are an excellent add-on to pantry cabinets with a glass door if you want to create a striking visual effect on the inside of the cabinet.

Cabinet lighting makes your pantry shelves aesthetically pleasing plus it can increase the functionality of the space by lighting up the hard-to-reach areas in the dark corners of the pantry.

Track Lights

If your pantry is large enough you can add track lights to the ceiling. Track lights are directional spot lights can be rotated to shine light on a specific area.

Flush Mount Lights and Semi-Flush Mount Lighting

If you have a large walk-in pantry but you have low ceilings, you may want to consider flush mount ceiling lights or semi flush mount lighting. These fixtures are close to the ceiling and nonintrusive.

If you’re ceilings are low, check out this article about the 27 Best Kitchen Light Fixtures for Low Ceilings.

Pendant Lights

If your pantry has a tall ceiling, pendant lights can be a great way to illuminate the space. Pendant lights are a stylish, ideal choice for lighting key areas of the pantry. 

Pendant lighting is designed to hang from the ceiling to provide focused lighting to a specific area. The bottom of your pendant should be hung at least 7′ from the ground so you’ll have plenty of room to walk under it.

Looking for great pendant lighting? Check out my article: Shop the 60 Best Pendant Lighting Fixtures of 2023.

To sum things up, proper lighting is essential for smaller spaces like pantries to make them more functional and practical. There are various lighting fixtures available that can cater to different pantry spaces and needs. Some of the most popular lighting options for pantries are LED strips, battery-powered LED lights, cabinet lights, motion sensor lights, pendants, and flush mount lighting. 

When choosing the right lighting fixture, it’s best to consider the size and type of pantry, the location of the lights, and the cost and maintenance required for each option. It’s also ideal to consider the overall look of the space and the reason why you want to light up the area.

If you want a more aesthetically pleasing pantry, perhaps it’s best to consider pendant lights. if you’re lighting your pantry for utility alone, perhaps LED lights that are affordable and easy to install are more apt for you.

I hope this article gives you some amazing ideas to start lighting up your pantry. With the right lighting, a dark and cluttered pantry can become a well-lit and organized space (to find your cookies) wink!

Until Next Time,
Cherie

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