If the lights over the island are mood lighting and not task lighting (ie eating or atmosphere vs cooking lights) then go for a warmer power wattage bulb. We have all exposed bulbs in our open plan area and I’m swapping some of them for lower wattage and vintage style as it’s easier on the eyes, lol! If the lights are higher up and not directly around head height then a brighter one would also be ok. E27 is the size of the bulb ie chunkier stem vs the E14 which has that little thin stem. You can use any type of bulb in the fitting as long as it’s the right size stem and doesn’t exceed the light limits. LED us better and longer lasting of course.

Lighting plays a massive role in any home, so we were excited to unbox and install the Eve Light Strip in our kitchen, and to add another piece of HomeKit-enabled, smart home technology to our Victorian farmhouse that integrates with other devices. The Eve Light Strip features 'triple-diode architecture', which means you can easily introduce rich warm or cool shades of just about any colour you want.

Currently using Amazon Echo // Alexa and compatible devices without issue, just check that they are supported. For my lights everything is Philips Hue, a little expensive but these work flawlessly via voice control, iPhone/iPad app and I also have the Philips light switches in some rooms (blanking plates to cover main switches in others). For home security I have the Ring alarm and doorbell set (new ones are due this month to replace the first generation so you might get a good deal on the previous generation). Everything just works flawlessly with my Echo Show and iPhone/iPad. For my heating I have Hive, again no issues, app and voice controlled, everything works as it should. I also have an Amazon // App controlled Smart Hoover/Mop, can’t recall the model but once it plots the rooms it’s easy to control via voice or app. There is a higher end model where it empties itself but I don’t have that one. Finally I have Sonos + Alexa setup in the house, using a mix of Echo, Sonos and IKEA speakers around the home, this did take some setting up (mainly because I’m mixing multiple ecosystems) but now I’ve got past the initial teething problems and familiarised myself with the way it all works adding additional speakers or zones is a breeze.

Smart bulbs are definitely worth looking at. I use Hive (which I initially got to control my boiler but expanded into other things). You’ll need a hub, but you can control lighting schemes really well, including when you’re not home. There are a lot of choices out there and, so far, I’ve used ES27, bayonet and GU10s. I have basic dimmable, tuneable (which go from warm white to bright cool white, and colour change). To further make use of the system, I’ve used movement and door sensors to turn lights on and off automatically and plugs to operate other devices. All these things enhance security and make it more comfortable for my dogs - nervous chihuahuas - in the winter if I’m not home before dark. I’ve also had LED fittings which claim to last thousands of hours but have had to replace them in less than 2 years. Fine if they’re the cheaper end of the scale, but I wouldn’t spend any more than £25 based on my experience.