Improve Your Kitchen with Under Cabinet Lighting

The right lighting in the kitchen is important to making the room both comfortable and useful. One popular lighting option that can transform your kitchen is under cabinet lighting. 

Whether you choose pucks, strips, tape, or ropes for your under cabinet lighting, this type of lighting can improve the look of your kitchen and the functionality. This post will discuss the various kinds of under cabinet lighting, how to install them, how to keep them looking good, and the advantages they offer for your kitchen.

What is Under Cabinet Lighting?

Before getting into the details, let’s first go over the fundamentals of under cabinet lighting. This type of lighting is exactly as it sounds – it is installed underneath the cabinets to provide light to the countertop below. By getting rid of the dark areas under your cabinets, under cabinet lighting improves visibility while working in the kitchen.

A well-lit kitchen where every corner is illuminated eliminates the struggles when prepping food, cleaning up or reading recipes in dim lighting. Under cabinet lighting can significantly help.  It illuminates the workspace and produces a more visually appealing kitchen.

The Basics of Under Cabinet Lighting

Fixtures or strips for under cabinet lighting are installed under the cabinets. For easy installation, these fixtures can be battery powered.  They can also be hardwired into your electrical system which would probably require an electrician’s help.  You will want to place the lights towards the front of the underside of the cabinet to provide the best positioning as a light source for the tasks below.

When deciding which type of under cabinet lighting that you are going to use, you have a variety to choose from. You can choose LED strips, round puck lights and light bars. Each option offers its own benefits in terms of brightness, energy efficiency, and ease of installation. You can mix and match your lighting setup according to your specific needs and preferences.

Why Choose Under Cabinet Lighting?

You may be asking yourself why under cabinet lighting is something you add your kitchen cabinets. Under cabinet lighting is the light that you never knew that you wanted, but can’t go without once your have it.   In addition to improving the look and feel of your room overall, it adds more task lighting, which will help you in food preparation, recipe reading, and basically everything that you do in the kitchen. It creates a warm and inviting feel that is always welcome in a kitchen that is the hub of a home.

Under cabinet lighting can also show off the personality and character in your kitchen. By lighting up the counters, it can draw attention to the best features of your kitchen. It provides a focal point and the eye is drawn to the area illuminated. You can adjust how bright the light is and the areas that you want to draw the focus to.

Types of Under Cabinet Lighting

As we started to mention above, there are many kinds of under cabinet lighting available. Let’s go into more detail about each of the different kinds.

Puck Lights – Compact and Versatile

Puck lights are small, round lights that are easy to install under your cabinets. The light from a puck light is more of a beam of light and can be positioned to highlight a desired item on your counter. You will need to buy enough puck lights to have a continuous lighting effect. Positioning a puck light every 8 to 12 inches should create the desired effect.

Since puck lights are small and easy to install, this choice of under cabinet lighting makes it a versatile choice. Puck lights can also be used in other areas of the home such as bookcases or display shelving to illuminate fun items on your shelves. They are small. So, keeping them hidden while still lighting up what you desire is fairly easy.

Strip Lights

LED light strips or bars have become popular. An LED strip/bar is a long, narrow fixture. They provide a continuous line of light down from underneath your cabinets. Since they come in different lengths and can be linked together, they work well to fit many different kinds of cabinet configurations.

They also can be dimmed so that you can use them for tasking or just a night light if desired. You can also install them above your cabinets to provide a glow upward which is beautiful. LED light strips fit well under cabinets and are easy to install.

Tape – Flexible and Easy to Install

LED tape lights are thin and flexible. They come in rolls and are so easy to install that my son even installed them in his room. They often have different modes of light – soft, bright, colored, etc.

Since they come in custom lengths, they are easier to use than most under cabinet lighting on any type of cabinet configuration. Tape lights also have an adhesive backing that anyone can install and adhere to most surfaces.. They are great for tight spaces and simple hide.

Ropes – Decorative and Functional

Rope lights are a great option for your under cabinet lighting. Rope lights are just flexible tubes that have LED bulbs inside. Since they are flexible, they can be easily bended and suspended underneath your cabinets.

Similar to tape lights, rope lights can often change their mode of light from soft to bright to colored. Even blinking if you so desire. You can change the light according to your needs – bright for tasks, soft for night time illumination…or even colored if you are in the mood. They definitely help create the ambiance that you are looking for on a whim. 

Installation Process for Under Cabinet Lighting

The installation procedure for each type of under cabinet lighting varies, but we wanted to give you an overview so that you can get a better idea of what is involved. Under cabinet lighting definitely can improve the look and function of your kitchen and the installation can be done on your own or with the help of a professional. How involved a professional gets depends on the lighting and design that you choose.

Preparing Your Kitchen for Installation

Before you can install anything, you need to get the kitchen ready. You will need a smooth, dry surface to install the lighting. This ensures that the lighting adheres well if you are installing with adhesive. Clean the undersides of all of your cabinets and let them dry completely. A swiffer works great to start the process.

Next, based on the layout of your kitchen, determine where you want the lights mounted under your cabinets. Measure and mark the location for your new light fixtures. Lastly, turn off the power to the proper breaker if you are hardwiring your lights. This may require professional help if you are not comfortable with hardwiring.

Also, you will want to consider the light color and brightness so that you can set your lights. If you want a subtle cozy effect, you should set your lights dim and soft or warm light. If you want a bright, task oriented light, a cooler, bright tone is needed. For something festive, you can even do colored lights!

Installation

Depending on the type of under cabinet lighting that you decide on, the steps you take to install will vary and you might want to get a professional involved. In general, you will need to attach the lights of your choice to the underside of you cabinets ensuring they can be either plugged in or wired to electricity. After you purchase your choice of lights, review the installation instructions carefully and consult a professional with any questions or need for assistance.

Maintenance and Care for Under Cabinet Lighting

After your under cabinet lighting is installed, be sure to check on it periodically to ensure it functions well for you and lasts for a long time. I know it is the last place that I would think about cleaning, but look underneath your cabinets regularly to gently clean the fixtures.

Since they are in a kitchen, grease and dust build up is common and needs to be removed. While you are under there, just check all the connections and plugs. If you keep up with the cleaning and maintenance on your lights, they should last for a very long time.

Benefits of Under Cabinet Lighting

Under cabinet lighting is a wonderful addition to your kitchen. It is that thing that you love that you never knew you wanted. It highlights the aspects of your kitchen that you enjoy…you gorgeous countertops or unique backsplash. Additionally, it will help you with your kitchen tasks. From cutting vegetables to washing dishes, it makes these jobs easier by reducing eye strain.

I believe that with the added light, your kitchen even looks cleaner.  I also love the ambiance that under cabinet lighting provides.  From task lighting to a gentle nightlight, you will enjoy your new under cabinet lighting!