Under-Cabinet Lighting

Putting Light Where the Work Happens

Walk into most newer tract kitchens at night and the lighting follows the same pattern: a grid of recessed cans in the ceiling, maybe a pendant or two over the island, and nothing under the upper cabinets. The trouble with ceiling light is that it comes from behind you when you stand at the counter. Your head and shoulders cast a shadow right where you are cutting. Under-cabinet lighting fixes that, and for the money it changes how a kitchen looks and works more than almost any other upgrade.

It is also one of the few kitchen improvements that can be done well in a single visit, or folded into a larger update while the backsplash is off and the walls are open.

Getting the Details Right

Placement

The fixture belongs near the front edge of the upper cabinet, not tight against the wall. Mounted at the back, the light washes down the backsplash and leaves the front half of the counter, where you actually work, dimmer. Mounted toward the front, it spreads across the whole depth. Most upper cabinets have a recessed bottom or a light rail that hides the fixture from a seated or standing view.

Glare on polished stone

Polished granite and glossy quartz act like a mirror. Bare LED tape shows up as a row of bright dots reflected in the counter. We use aluminum channel with a frosted diffuser lens so the light reads as one even line, and on very glossy surfaces we angle it slightly back.

Color and quality of light

Warm white in the 2700K to 3000K range usually matches the ceiling fixtures in a home. We also look at color rendering, since cheaper LED strips make wood look grey and food look dull. The fixtures on the ceiling and under the cabinets should match, or the kitchen looks patched together.

Hardwired versus plug-in

Plug-in and battery lights exist, but cords draped down a backsplash and batteries that fade within weeks do not suit a finished kitchen. We install hardwired low voltage LED on a driver, with the driver placed somewhere it can be reached later, such as inside an upper cabinet, rather than buried behind a wall. The lights go on their own wall switch with a dimmer that is rated for the driver, because a mismatched dimmer is what causes flicker and buzzing.

Doing It Inside the Rules

Adding a switch and wiring a new fixture is electrical work, and in a remodel it is inspected along with the rest of the electrical when a permit is part of the job. California’s energy code, known as Title 24, also sets requirements for permanently installed lighting and its controls. We plan the fixtures and switching with that in mind so the lights pass inspection rather than being redone.

While the electrician is working, it is sensible to check the outlets along the counter. Countertop receptacles in a kitchen need GFCI protection, and kitchens built fifteen years ago may be due for newer protection on some circuits. If the plan includes an induction range later, this is also the moment to look at panel capacity.

Pairing With Other Work

Under-cabinet lighting is best installed at the same time as:

• A backsplash change. With the tile off, wires can run inside the wall to each cabinet run with nothing visible.
• New ceiling fixtures. Swapping older cans for slim LED fixtures balances the two layers of light.
• Upper cabinet changes. New uppers or stacked cabinets can be ordered with a light rail that conceals the channel.

On its own, in a kitchen where the backsplash stays, wiring is routed through the cabinets and the wall behind them with minimal patching.

When to Skip It

If your uppers are open shelving, or you are planning to replace the upper cabinets within a year, wait. Lighting installed on cabinets that are about to come down is money spent twice.

Call (760) 548-0946 and we will look at your cabinets, switches and panel and tell you what a clean installation takes in your kitchen.