Make Your Kitchen More Exciting And More Functional With Under Cabinet Lights
Adding under cabinet lights to your kitchen is an inexpensive upgrade that renders your kitchen more appealing and more efficient, and you don't need to have a contemporary styled kitchen to get the benefits of this upgrade. Even a traditionally-styled kitchen can easily incorporate under cabinet lights without changing its look because most under cabinet lighting is placed behind the cabinet valance, and is not seen when it is turned off. This kind of kitchen task lighting can be found with many kinds of bulbs, including downlight spacing, spotlight effect, brake light stays on, and xenon lights.
Some of the simplest lights for use under kitchen cabinets include "puck" or disk shaped lights that can be placed simply and use small incandescent lights. Usually, these bulbs are housed in polycarbonate and possess a polished aluminum reflector to maximize light output. The simplest of these plug in to common electrical outlets located along the wall or backsplash behind your counter, so even a beginner can set up them with little trouble. The greatest challenge is routing the electrical cable so that it is inconspicuous, but you can purchase special clips to accomplish this.
Some people choose fluorescent lights for their under cabinet lights. They're energy saving, and the bulbs last longer. These are usually hardwired lights, so either you or your electrician will have to tap into an outlet, but this is a simple install for an electrician (or a DIY-er expert in electrical work). Many fluorescent lights designed for under counter use are rectangular and quite flat, so that they are completely unobtrusive. Many use mini bi-pin T5 kind bulbs, which are fairly cheap and rated for about 7500 hours of use. The main drawback of fluorescent lighting is that it can distort certain colors (oranges, reds, and purples).
Halogen lighting for under cabinet produce bright light and do not distort colors, and certain models are dimmable. They do, however use more electricity than fluorescent or incandescent bulbs, and they can get quite hot. Because they create extra heat, it's wise not to store food in the cabinet above halogen lights, especially foods that could soften or melt (brown sugar, chocolate, etc.). Replacing bulbs for halogen lights of this type usually cost from $5 to $15 and are expected for 2000 hours of use.
Xenon lights also produce bright light and don't distort colors, and they do not burn as hot as halogen bulbs. Xenon bulbs are comparable in price to halogen bulbs, but last longer. Also, unlike halogen bulbs, you can hold xenon bulbs with your bare hands, because skin oils will not damage them.
When choosing your under cabinet lights, think about your countertop material. If you have glossy countertops, consider lights with frosted lenses in order that you avoid a "spotlight" effect on the countertops. For every 4 feet of countertop you want to illuminate, choose one 12-inch fixture, or three puck lights. Some designers recommend installing the fixtures toward the front of the cabinets so that they can illuminate more of your working area. And if your cabinets do not have a valance that would hide the under cabinet lights, you can simply find two-inch cabinet molding to suit to the fronts of your cabinets, or you may choose low-profile light fixtures that are hardly noticeable.
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