When planning kitchen renovations, homeowners will need to make numerous decisions, which they will do in discussion with the cabinet makers who create and install kitchens. These decisions range from what appliances are going to be included to the types of work surfaces and from the cabinet styles to the splashbacks and accessories.
Another crucial decision, and some argue one of the top three in terms of importance, concerns the lighting that a new kitchen is going to have. It is hard to argue against the importance of lighting given that if the lighting is insufficient or not suitable, then the kitchen as a whole will fail to function practically, and its aesthetics may also be compromised.
Of all the lighting choices that have to be made, the lighting under the cabinets should take priority. It plays such an important role in kitchens for several reasons. It is also the case that under cabinet lighting provides several benefits. To help you make those important decisions about lighting, and in particular under cabinet lighting, here are some details, including three of the main benefits of requesting that your cabinet makers install under cabinet lighting in your kitchen.
Types Of Under Cabinet Light
The vast majority of under cabinet lighting will either be LED lights or fluorescent lights.
LED lights: These have the advantage of having an extremely long lifespan, and they are also very energy efficient. They reach full illumination immediately and can also be used in conjunction with a dimmer switch. However, they are the most costly of the lighting options.
Fluorescent Lights: These generally cost less than LED lights and are considered to be energy efficient and long-lasting. The downsides are that they can take several seconds to reach full illumination, and they are also not suitable for dimmer switches.
Whilst LED and fluorescent are the types of bulbs that you can use, they are also configured in two different ways.
Strip Lights: This is a long and narrow row of lights consisting of either several bulbs or it can be a single long bulb. The light from strip lighting is designed to brighten a wide area.
Spotlights: Just as the spotlight in a theatre lights up one actor on the stage, the spotlight in a kitchen will focus light on one area of a work surface. They can be used singularly or as a series of lights.
Benefits Of Under Cabinet Lighting
Energy Efficiency
We have mentioned this already, but such is its importance that it deserves to be focused on again. Under cabinet lights are often left on in a kitchen when other lights are switched off, and when you are working in your kitchen, they will certainly be on for some time. As such, it is beneficial that most under cabinet lighting is energy efficient and thus should not negatively impact your power bill too much.
Creates The Perfect Ambience
There is no denying that if the correct under cabinet lighting is installed by your cabinet makers, and that includes using different types as necessary throughout the kitchen, it can significantly enhance the overall aesthetics of your kitchen. In addition, there will be times, for example, when you are having an intimate meal with a loved one when the ambience created by the under cabinet lighting adds significantly to the occasion.
Creates Light Where It Is Needed Most
One of the primary reasons to have under cabinet lighting as part of your kitchen renovation is to create sufficient light so that you can see better when preparing food on a work surface, for example. Given that other lighting in your kitchen will be behind you, and thus your body will be creating a shadow in front of you, it is the under cabinet lighting that will create the necessary light for you to see clearly without straining your eyes.
