The Importance of Under Cabinet Lighting In A Kitchen Renovation

Including Under-Cabinet Lighting in Your Kitchen Renovation

A kitchen renovation is an exciting process that is not without its challenges. Your design-build professional will work with you and have you make many decisions throughout the design process. You've probably already selected your cabinets, countertops, and appliances. As you choose the items that make your kitchen uniquely yours, don't overlook lighting, especially under your cabinets.

This post teaches why under-cabinet lighting is crucial to your kitchen renovation. It can affect not only its aesthetic appeal but also the functionality and safety of the kitchen.

Creating a Comprehensive Kitchen Lighting Plan

Designers will often talk about lighting in the kitchen in terms of layering the light sources. There are four types of kitchen lighting each has a specific function. The four types of lighting are:

• Task lighting

• Decorative Lighting

• Ambient Lighting

• Accent lighting

Under cabinet lighting falls under three of these categories beautifully! Under cabinet lighting is a crucial element of a comprehensive lighting plan and is often overlooked. Under cabinet lighting can function as task lighting, perfect for preparing food. It also acts as accent lighting because it highlights your beautiful backsplash. Finally, under-cabinet lighting can add ambiance to your new kitchen when installed with a dimmer switch.

Kitchen Renovation Lighting Step One: Choose Your Light Source

Lighting technology has advanced far beyond incandescent bulbs. Today, you have several choices when it comes to your light source. Three popular choices are Fluorescent, Xenon, and LED.

LED undercabinet lights, surface mounted, flank this cooktop at a kitchen remodeling in madison, wi

Fluorescent Under Cabinet Lighting

Fluorescent lighting is very energy efficient and produces little heat, making it ideal for under cabinet applications. This is also a great feature depending on what is stored in the cabinet above it. Most fluorescent lights cannot be controlled by a dimmer switch. However, they can be a beautiful and affordable option.

Xenon Lighting

While they are not as energy efficient as fluorescent lights, xenon bulbs can be controlled by a dimmer switch. They produce a beautiful warm glow very reminiscent of incandescent bulbs. While they are not cool to the touch, a xenon bulb outputs less heat than halogen lighting. Heat output is crucial to consider if the cabinets are used for food storage above the lighting or produced on the counter underneath the lights.

LED Lighting

The most energy-efficient choice, LED lights are dimmable, cool to the touch (making them perfect if there are kids in the house), and can last 50,000 hours before needing to be replaced. They cost a little more, but if you add in the energy savings over time, LED lighting is a cost-effective choice. They give off a brilliant white light which can be stunning! And they're available in a host of colors if you're looking for a more custom and unique look. LED lights are almost always the choice of our clients for kitchen remodeling, at this point.

Step Two: Puck or Linear Strip Fixtures

undercabinet led puck lights were recessed into these floating shelves during this kitchen remodeling in windsor, wi

Once you've chosen a light source, the next step is selecting the type of fixture. There are two choices with variations on the two; linear lighting or puck fixtures.

Linear lighting provides a uniform, well-distributed field of light covering your entire countertop, eliminating shadows. However, if you're looking for more focused light, using puck fixtures is an excellent choice. Both of these choices look absolutely fabulous in your new kitchen. It all comes down to your overall design needs and personal style.

Installation: Recessed or Surface Mount?

Many homeowners considering under-cabinet lighting worry that non-recessed lighting fixtures will protrude from underneath the cabinets ruining the clean lines of their kitchen design. Today, that's no longer the case.

Newer lighting technology, like LED lights, has made surface-mounted fixtures, pucks, and strip lights incredibly thin. You'll need to stick your face underneath the cabinets in most cases to see the fixture. The good news? It's hard to go wrong with this decision!

Finally, Choose Your Power Source

low-voltage led undercabinet lights were used in this kitchen remodeling near sun prairie, wi. led pucks were used in the upper cabinets and surface mount linear fixtures were used under the cabinets.

Under cabinet lighting is flexible when it comes to a power source. The fixtures can be hardwired to a switch or dimmer, plugged into the wall, or even powered by batteries. Decide on how you'd like your lights powered and the placement of your lighting fixtures. If there is no outlet handy, it probably makes sense to have your electrician wire for them during your kitchen renovation.

Your power source also gives you options when placing your lights on a dimmer. Doing this type of installation transforms your under-cabinet task lighting into a source of ambient light perfect for setting a mood. If you are on a tight budget or just updating your current kitchen, battery-powered lighting can be a great choice. Many under-cabinet fixtures are available either hardwired or as plug-in models. Ask your kitchen designer or design-build professional for the best choice for your new kitchen.

Lighting is a key element of any kitchen renovation project. Under cabinet lighting is a great option that can perform multiple roles in your lighting design and can really make your design pop! Choosing the right under cabinet lighting comes down to your light source, type of fixture, and power source. Work closely with your kitchen designer or design-build professional to help you choose the perfect under-cabinet lighting to meet your kitchen renovation needs!

If you're planning a kitchen renovation project in the Madison, Wisconsin area, contact the design team at Degnan Design-Build-Remodel. We're always happy to answer your questions and can help you design the perfect lighting plan to meet your needs and budget.

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