BookmarkAll About Under Cabinet Lighting
Under cabinet lighting is that lighting you notice when you're used to having it but don't. If you're ever in a house that doesn't have it and you're working on a counter space and your hand reaches blindly under the cabinet above for more light, you realize how much you depend on under cabinet lighting.
It's that light under wall cabinets in the kitchen that makes countertops and work surfaces glow. It's the soft light guiding you to the bathroom in the middle of the night. It's the effect possible anywhere there are wall cabinets or wall mounted curio cabinets.
The obvious and the not-so-obvious
Common rooms that may benefit from under cabinet lighting:
Kitchen
Pantry
Bathroom
Office
Laundry
Workshop
Other rooms, not always considered, for under cabinet lighting are:
Dining
Living
Family
Bedroom
Den
Home office
In any room with wall cabinets or wall mounted curio cabinets, under cabinet lighting can brighten the space under the cabinets for function, work on surfaces below, or for fun, display purposes.
Show off collectibles inside curio cabinets, but also highlight fine pieces below the curio cabinet, perhaps resting on lovely display tables or in cases.
Special, cherished dishes may need the security of a wall curio cabinet. Other dishes may simply be hung on the wall below the cabinet and be spotlighted by the under cabinet lighting above.
Wall cabinets, besides wall mounted curio cabinets, that may benefit are:
Corner wall
Plasma TV and other entertainment
Jewelry
Bookcase or media storage
In the obvious room to have basic wall cabinets - the kitchen - under cabinet lighting is again not only for function but can also show off attractive or artful backsplashes and granite or other stone or tile countertops.
Wall cabinet lighting options
Halogen gives a more natural lighting effect, such as the popular puck light.
Fluorescent light bars may be brighter and more cost-effective.
With either choice, place the fixture toward the front of the bottom of the wall cabinet for maximum illumination of the work surface or item below.
Under cabinet lighting fixtures are easily installed. Installation may be more temporary and plug in or be hard-wired for a more permanent approach.
For the permanent approach, select with the notion to complement other lighting fixtures or the design of the room.