Under Cabinet Lighting Tips

A: Think of task lighting as “spotlighting.” 

Task lighting can make a huge impact in kitchen lighting because it highlights specific points of visual interest such as the sparkle of a backsplash, or the inherent beauty of granite countertops. It also adds light to fill in where general lighting falls off, increasing the overall brightness of the kitchen. This makes your kitchen actually look bigger! Finally, task lighting can be atmospheric, subtly dramatic and relaxing.

 

A: Under cabinet lighting is probably the most popular kind of kitchen task lighting. When choosing your under-cabinet lighting, you want to keep things slim and low profile, to ensure the fixture “disappears’’ under the cabinet frame. A good rule of thumb is to choose fixtures no “taller” than 1", which helps hide them behind the frame of upper cabinets. 

If you have frameless cabinets, look for fixtures that have no light emitting from the leading edge, which can cause uncomfortable glare.

 

A: The simplest installation is definitely fixtures with the power connected to one fixture. This way, multiple fixtures can be powered by simply linking cables or by using direct end-to-end connections. 

 

A: When installing, always remember to place the light source toward the front edge of each cabinet. This way light will be distributed evenly around the entire counter area. Consider an LED complete under cabinet fixture, which allows easy front-of-cabinet installation with diffuse dimmable LED light.

 

A: There are four types:

1. T4 Fluorescent Strips: These 1/2” diameter strips make for a very sleek fixture with no delay once the switch is flipped, and a hue that is much improved. 

2. Puck Lights: These hockey puck shaped fixtures are a favorite due to their long-lasting, battery operated and easy-to-install LED bulbs. No hardwiring required. 

3. LED Strips: While these have a long life span, dependent upon your taste, you may not prefer this strips cool hue. 

4. LED Rope or Tape: These extremely thin and easy-to-install fixtures are very discreet. Although they do not output as much light as other options, they are still very flattering for any kitchen.”