There is nothing more exciting than a beautiful kitchen renovation. Homeowners spend the majority of their time in this room, and they know that an updated kitchen has a high return on investment. When clients come to us with ideas for their dream kitchen, they often share photos of a favorite paint color, trendy cabinet color and style, or an island that wows. While those ideas are great to have, thinking about function is even more important than design style and color choices. This is one of the reasons hiring a professional for a large-scale project like this is so important.
One of the biggest regrets homeowners have after a kitchen remodel is not putting in more lighting. Kitchen lighting is critical. Not only do you need adequate lighting for doing daily tasks (we don’t advise chopping vegetables in a dimly lit room!), but it can really create an inviting atmosphere. The right lighting ensures safety, visibility, and even cleanliness. Avoid this renovation regret by considering under cabinet lighting in your kitchen. You’ll be so happy you did!
Under-cabinet lighting, like its name suggests, is lighting placed under cabinets to illuminate countertops or other spaces below. This type of lighting can help with day-to-day tasks, create a certain ambience, and help with safety measures. They are multi-purpose, and offer kitchens what they really need in terms of lighting. Can lights are wonderful for kitchens, and decorative pendants over an island can instantly elevate the look of your space, but under-cabinet lighting offers many benefits to your overall kitchen design.
Easy installation
Compared to a new overhead light or a pendant light, installing under-cabinet lights is relatively easy to install. Under-cabinet fixtures may be connected to a switch (turned on and off like the rest of your house lights), an LED strip, or small individually placed bulbs. Talk with your contractor to decide which option is best for your kitchen.
Space and energy saver
If kitchen space is limited, under-cabinet lighting can brighten up your room without taking up valuable room. It’s quite convenient! Additionally, under-cabinet lighting is safer than alternatives like free-standing lamps or fluorescent lights. Under-cabinet lighting distributes light only where it is required (like the kitchen counter), so there isn’t much “wasted” light pouring across the room. In this regard, this type of lighting is more energy-efficient.
Increased visibility
Visibility. Ambience. Kitchens require both. If you’re the cook at home, you understand that being able to see clearly as you work is imperative. The key is to balance great visibility on your countertop without flooding the entire room. Under-cabinet lighting gives you both that task and ambient lighting. It also reduces shadow from overhead because it shines directly from the bottom of your cabinets onto the counters.
LED is preferred
LED (light-emitting diode) bulbs are safe to the touch and can last as long as 100,000 hours. That’s right, you might not have to change your LED bulbs for over 50 years! We’re all looking for ways to incorporate more sustainability into our design choices, and LED bulbs consume 90% less energy than incandescent lights. Also noteworthy is that if an LED bulb breaks, there’s no risk of coming in contact with toxic mercury (a possibility with fluorescent lights). Looking for that little something extra? LED lights offer a range of colored options including cool, warm, bright and natural daylighting choices. Shine a light on a special kitchen fixture. LED is the future of lighting, and under cabinet applications are no exception.
Kitchens should be beautiful to look at, and the layout and design must be smart. Think proactively about lighting and know that you can really never have too much in your kitchen. Feel free to browse through our kitchen gallery for inspiration, and if you’re considering a remodeling project, J&J Construction can help. If you’d like more information don’t hesitate to reach out to us for a free phone consultation: Schedule one with our team today!
