How Under-Cabinet Lights Make A Kitchen More Functional

Kitchens are multi-tasking spaces where you and others may read, study and socialize or cook and prepare food. The lighting plan for a kitchen needs to be layered and flexible, allowing all these things to be done with ease. Under-cabinet lighting is one crucial part of a total kitchen lighting plan.

What Is Under-Cabinet Lighting?

This type of lighting is installed along the underside of cabinets, illuminating the counter tops underneath. It's commonly in the form of puck lights, which are small spotlights, or else in the form of strips or bars which direct a more continuous light stream across the counter tops.

A Directed Light Source Makes Your Kitchen More Functional

The main point of under-cabinet lighting is to create a well-lit benchtop so making food preparation easier. When simply using one overhead kitchen light, your own body can cast shadows across the bench as you work. Direct lighting eliminates this problem. A well-lit bench space allows you to read the instructions on your new recipe easily and to measure and mix ingredients hassle free.

Trying to cater for all kitchen tasks with one overhead light doesn't allow for nuances of kitchen life. It is a one-size-fits-all solution which often simply results in an overly bright kitchen. Under-cabinet lights direct concentrated light where you need it, and they don't waste energy where you don't need light. Sometimes in the daytime, for example, depending on existing natural light, a touch of additional lighting for the bench may be all you need to prepare lunch. Later in the evening, turning on the under-cabinet lighting creates enough soft light to grab a glass of water or snack. 

Under-Cabinet LIghting Has Aesthetic Appeal

Not only does under-cabinet lighting make your kitchen more functional, but it also adds visual appeal. Lighting concentrated towards a counter top accentuates a polished timber finish or a raw stone splashback. Installing dimmers creates more decorative options.

Under-cabinet lighting impacts your kitchen, both in how you use it and what it looks like. The kitchen is the ultimate multi-tasker. Specific lighting for the bench top makes cooking and preparing food easier while allowing others to socialize elsewhere in the kitchen in comfort. Additionally, lighting directed towards counter tops highlights lovely textured bench tops or splashbacks. A home renovation contractor should be able to expertly advise on a complete lighting plan for your new kitchen and other rooms as well.