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You may have decided to spice things up a little in your kitchen by installing under cabinet lights. This is exciting and overwhelming at the same time because there are so many bright and pretty options. In this blog post, you’ll explore popular under cabinet lights for kitchens and learn about the factors you need to consider before buying or installing any lighting fixture.
Popular Options For Under Cabinet Kitchen Lights
Kitchen cabinet lighting goes beyond aesthetic appeal, as function is equally important here. You need to brighten up the dim areas of your kitchen strategically and set a mood while keeping it energy-efficient.
The Comparison Between LED Tape Lights And LED Light Bars
LED technology has revolutionized how we light our living spaces, particularly those hidden contours beneath our cabinets. Amongst these advancements are LED tape lights and LED light bars.
When compared, both products offer some unique advantages:
- LED Tape Lights: Ideal for snaking along irregular cabinet designs due to their strip-like nature. Their flexibility allows them to wrap around corners or curves seamlessly.
- LED Light Bars: Offer more uniform illumination and are easily mountable on straight parts of cabinetry.
These two kitchen cabinet light options share similarities as well. They’re versatile and low profile, subtly blending into the kitchen decor without stealing focus from other elements.
Understanding The Benefits Of LED Puck Lights
While tape lights and light bars promote linear lighting display, puck lights handle targeted lighting impressively well. They’re perfect for casting pockets of light on specific areas or zones in your kitchen workspace, and are also known as task lights. Task lighting is vital if you need precise illumination over countertops where chopping and other cooking actions often take place.
Along with rich brightness, LED puck lights offer a certain level of versatility in design as they come in both surface-mounted and recessed versions.
Choosing Between LED, Fluorescent, Xenon, Or Halogen Kitchen Lights For Cabinets
When it comes to lighting, many wonder what the best type of lightbulb to use is. Beyond LED, there are other options like fluorescent, xenon, or halogen. Fluorescent lights are known for their energy efficiency and longevity but do not make colors as vibrant as other options. Having color options is crucial if the kitchen is a significant cooking hub with a constant need to see ingredients in all their true colors.
On the other hand, while xenon and halogen lamps pack a punch in terms of brightness levels and color rendering index (CRI), they fall short when it comes to their high energy consumption and heat emission.
Selecting under cabinet lights requires balancing aesthetics with practicality that best suits individual needs.
Now, let’s try to understand how different factors, including wattage and color temperature, influence your final decision.
Factors To Consider When Selecting Under Cabinet Kitchen Lights
The following factors can dramatically influence your decision regarding under cabinet kitchen lights:
#1 Wattage And Brightness Level Recommendations
In order to effectively illuminate your kitchen with desirable aesthetics, it’s essential that you pay attention to wattage and the consequent brightness level of the under cabinet lights you intend to install.
It’s always crucial to first identify the primary use of your lighting. Is it mainly for food prep? Or is there a desire for a softer ambiance during casual gatherings in your kitchen? If your focus aligns more on task lighting over mood-setting, you should aim for higher wattages for LEDs, starting from around 20 watts.
Nonetheless, always remember that overly bright illumination can cause glare, making cooking tasks difficult or even straining your eyes unnecessarily. Hence, balance is key here.
#2 Color Temperature Options For Ambient Lighting Effects
Another crucial factor involves selecting the appropriate color temperature, which significantly contributes to creating various ambient lighting effects within your space.
Color temperature essentially refers to how warm (yellow or cool (blue) light appears. It’s scientifically measured in Kelvins (K). Lower values like 2,700K or 3,000K produce warm white light suitable for cozy settings, while higher values above 4,000K produce cooler whites ideal for lively environments.
Notably, what may work best aesthetically depends heavily on both personal preference and the decor style of your kitchen. For instance, kitchens decked out in a contemporary design might benefit from crisp white or bluish hues realized by LEDs at 5000K or above.
#3 Energy Efficiency And Longevity Features Of LED Lights
LED lights have revolutionized the way we light our homes. When it comes to kitchen cabinet lighting, LED technology has proved to be a game-changer due to its distinct energy efficiency as well as impressive longevity.
Admirably, LEDs tend to operate at significantly lower wattage compared to traditional bulbs without compromising on brightness. This implies reduced electricity consumption, which in turn, translates into substantial energy savings over time.
Moreover, these efficient beauties bring forth noticeably extended lifespans. LED bulbs typically have a lifespan of 30,000 to 50,000 hours! Installed once in your kitchen these bulbs could last decades, depending on usage, which saves you money on replacement costs.
Hence, when choosing lights for kitchen cabinets, professionals highly recommend exploring possibilities with LED technology.
Explore Innovative Technology For Your Under Cabinet Kitchen Lights
Feeling overwhelmed by advancements in lighting technology is pretty common. However, integrating these ingenious innovations into your kitchen could serve as a game changer, both for ambiance and functionality. We’re going to dive deep into three exciting technological features that modern under cabinet lights offer.
#1 Smart Home Integration With Voice Control Systems
Embrace the future of seamless home automation by synchronizing your under cabinet lights with renowned voice-controlled systems like Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant. Since adjusting lights might be cumbersome when you are busy cooking, speaking out your command simplifies the task immensely.
#2 Motion Sensor Capabilities For Hands-Free Operation
As someone who gets their hands dirty during culinary adventures (which is definitely all of us), switching on lights without touching a switch might seem magical. Thanks to innovative motion sensor technology, such technology is within our reach now.
Under cabinet lights enabled with motion-sensors can detect when you walk into the room or move around in it and respond by turning on or off automatically. So if you enter carrying piles of groceries or have floured hands after kneading dough, these smart lights have got you covered.
#3 Dimming Options And Remote Control Functionality
Next up is about striking a balance between brightness levels through dimmable options while enjoying hassle-free operation from a distance. Leveraging remote control functionality, you can set the mood in your kitchen space without moving an inch.
For example, you can find remote-control under cabinet lights that allow you to manage brightness levels for precise kitchen tasks or liner illumination while maintaining energy efficiency. Plus, there’s nothing quite like dimming the lights to change from work mode to relaxation mode, and being able to execute this command from afar is a welcomed luxury!
If you want to explore different types of under cabinet kitchen lights or want a complete kitchen remodel, we’re here to help!
Give Your Kitchen A Beautiful & Personalized Upgrade With Pittsburgh’s Top Experts!
At McClellands Contracting and Roofing LLC, we’ve been transforming kitchens in Pittsburgh for a long time. We love upgrading homes with our creative and affordable interior renovation services, including kitchen upgrades in Pittsburgh, PA! If you want strategic lighting for the countertops or cabinets, call us at (412) 353-5660 and discuss all your requirements with our kitchen remodeling expert over a free consultation.
