5 Pro Kitchen Lighting Tips – #2 Undercabinet Lights

Long gone are the days of only one overhead light in the kitchen (and strained eyesight as a result). Thanks to advancements in undercabinet lighting, you can now have focused light shining down on your countertops. This makes things like chopping veggies and reading recipes so much easier. And the best part? You don’t need to sacrifice style for function.

There are two types of undercabinet lights to consider: LED linear tape and individually mounted undercabinet units.

1.LED linear tape is a flexible strip of lighting, sometimes with self-adhesive backing.

• Benefits of LED tape: ability to create a continuous fixture to illuminate the full length of countertops, eliminating dark spots where traditional fixtures start and stop
• RGB LED tape provides a wide array of colors. (RGB stands for red, green, and blue.) Choose the right color combination to accent your space, while making it functional to boot.
• Pro tip: To create a finished looking fixture, mount the LED tape inside an extrusion or channel, which can be surface mounted and even recessed into drywall. The channel, with a lens, protects the LED from damage and diffuses the light output for an even wash over your countertops.

2.Individually Mounted Undercabinet Units (available in LED, fluorescent, halogen, and xenon) come in predetermined lengths.

• Choose from hard-wired fixtures or ones that you simply plug in—installation is generally quick and easy
• Pro tip: View undercabinet lights in person so you can see how different ones will look against various surfaces and countertops. Bring in a sample of your own countertop as well.
• Pro tip: You should typically place undercabinet lighting towards the front of the cabinet with the light source hitting the backsplash