Under Cabinet lighting is the lighting that sits directly beneath dining area furniture, such as your kitchen cabinets. It is ideally meant to illuminate your cabinets and give the room a sense of warmth. It comes in different forms, such as LED strip lights or recessed lighting, but can also be installed as an option on modern kitchen cabinet designs.
Pros of Under Cabinet Lighting and Where Exactly you can Locate it.
- It can help illuminate dark corners.
Most kitchens have a lot of corners and dark areas covered by furniture, storage containers, or other unnecessary objects. The Lighting helps eliminate these dark areas and allows folks to approach and use their cooking area quickly and comprehensively.
- It provides a welcoming, homey feel to an otherwise basic space.
The lighting is often installed when someone first builds or remodels their kitchen, so it’s also generally the first thing folks find themselves missing after moving into a smaller apartment that doesn’t have one.
It creates a warm welcome for those who come over and offers up some extra light during colder months when you have to cover your windows with curtains or blinds for added warmth.
- It can be the difference between a safe and unsafe kitchen.
Seeing what you’re doing can be extremely helpful, especially when preparing food with sharp knives or heavy pots and pans. When you don’t have adequate lighting, it’s easy to miss a spot on your cutting board or on your countertop, which could result in accidents or food-borne illness.
- It can significantly reduce the risk of food-borne illness.
We’ve all heard about how dangerous food-borne illness is and how one can quickly spread it in a kitchen. Even if you’re extremely cautious about your cooking habits, it’s still very easy for bacteria to spread and settle within your kitchen; the lighting can help illuminate your work area to see the spots that need cleaning!
- It can improve the quality of your Lighting.
In addition to eliminating dark areas, the lighting can also help provide a more elegant and attractive look to your kitchen. Many lights are available for the lighting products, including LED lights and halogen lamps, which come in various colors and designs to fit any kitchen decor scheme.
- It can help you save space and money on electricity.
Cabinet lighting products require much less electricity than most other types of lighting due to their compact size. It is especially true for LED lights, which are also much more energy-efficient than halogen and different types of Lighting; this can save you money on your monthly electricity bills.
Cabinet lighting isn’t just for your kitchen, though- there are many other uses for under cabinet lighting, including in dining rooms. It’s a great way to create a more homey and welcoming atmosphere without spending too much extra money, so the lighting may be what you need to make your home that much better!
How To Use Under Cabinet Lighting
The lighting is a great way to get extra light in your kitchen, but it can be unclear to decide where you want to put it. One can place it between the wall and countertop or even above the countertop. Remember that it usually needs to be plugged in and cannot be hardwired, so you’ll need an outlet nearby.
If you’re using the lighting for your dining room or other room, the best place to put it is on the bottom of the cabinets themselves. It is the fastest and most efficient way to light up your entire kitchen, and it can help illuminate the areas under and behind your furniture.
There are many other things you can do to use the lighting, and it can be a great addition to your home no matter where you put it. Whether you have kids or not, the lighting can provide greater visibility in the dark corners of your kitchen, during kitchen remodeling, or anywhere else you feel you could benefit your home. You can also save money on your electricity bill and make your cooking area more energy efficient.
Popular Types of Under-Cabinet Lighting
- Halogen Lights
Halogen lights are a popular choice for many people regarding kitchen lighting, and it’s easy to see why. Halogen lights are much more energy-efficient than other types of under cabinet lighting, and they provide superior illumination in your kitchen because they project light from close range. Halogen lights also tend to be brighter overall, so many people like to use them in their kitchens.
- Fluorescent Lighting.
Fluorescent Lighting is a popular choice for under cabinet lighting because it works well with fluorescent kitchen cabinets. Fluorescent lights give off a great amount of light, but they also have many illumination options, including oval and linear options.
- LED Lighting.
LED lights are quickly becoming the best choice for lighting because they produce much more light than all other types of Lighting, including halogen and incandescent lamps. LED lights are also brighter than CFL bulbs and can last up to 50,000 hours! The price of LEDs has gone down considerably in the last few years due to many companies manufacturing them, allowing you to purchase one for very little money compared to other cabinet lighting types.
- Wall Mounted Lighting.
Many people the lighting on the wall in their kitchen. The main advantage of this is that you can mount it above the countertop, so both sides are lit up, but it can also provide light where there are no electrical outlets for other types of Lighting. You need to attach a light plug underneath and tuck the cord inside the cabinet.
- Xenon Lighting.
Xenon lighting is another type of lighting option, but it’s a bit more expensive than other types of Lighting. It’s different from fluorescent light because xenon lights feature no phosphors or tiny particles that react to the light, allowing for better illumination of all surfaces. Like the other types of under cabinet lighting, though, one can use xenon lights on top of your cabinets and beneath them.
- Pendant Lights.
Pendant lights are probably one of the most beautiful lightings you could use; they resemble dangling crystals and give off a modern look to your kitchen while still being functional and functional.
- Dimmers.
Dimmers are another great option; they’re designed to adjust the amount of light produced in the lighting. It is advantageous because you can choose how bright your kitchen is.
What is the Best Color for Under Cabinet Lighting?
There are many different colors available for the lighting, and everyone has their preference as to which one they like the most. It’s essential to choose the best color, though, so you want to consider a few key things before you settle on one.
- Color Temperature:
The color temperature of an under-cabinet system is measured in Kelvin. While warm colors feel cozy, cool colors require less energy to produce. So if you choose an excellent color for your kitchen, you can use your lighting much more efficiently.
- Color Harmony:
Color harmony is essential when selecting a color under the cabinet because you want the colors to match your kitchen’s design and tone without being too bright or dark. It is especially true of fluorescent lights, which often don’t look as good with other colors because they’re so bright and vibrant on their own.
- Illumination:
Another thing to consider when choosing the lighting is the amount of light produced by each color. Fluorescent and incandescent lights generally have better illumination, but you may consider halogen and LED lights for their brighter illumination. The only disadvantage with LEDs is that they can get boiling, so you might want to keep them off during cooking, so they don’t burn anyone in your kitchen.
- Color Rendering Index:
CRI stands for Color Rendering Index, and it’s a measurement of how closely the light emitted by a source matches natural light. Natural light is measured at 100, so anything over 90 is considered excellent. You want your lighting to have a CRI of at least 90, so everything in your kitchen looks brighter and more vibrant.
Conclusion
Cabinet lighting is an important feature to have in your kitchen, and the best option for you will depend on several factors. Whether you want bright lights that illuminate your entire kitchen or dimmer prospects that allow you to control the amount of light produced, there is undoubtedly a type of cabinet lighting for you. With so many options and a wide range of prices, the choice is yours. One can install cabinet lighting on top and beneath cabinetry to give your room a sense of luxury and style.
