The Complete Guide to Under Cabinet Lighting

Book excerpt: Today, the kitchen has to be multifunctional. It’s not only a place to prepare and eat food, but also a place to relax, a place to entertain, and a place to enjoy. It should be inviting, bright, functional, and easy to control. The right kitchen lighting will help you stay clean, organized, and safe, while letting you create the perfect atmosphere for an early morning baking frenzy, board games with the kids on a rainy afternoon, or spending a couple’s night in. Most of all, light layering (having multiple light sources for different purposes) is the most important, all-encompassing rule in kitchen lighting design. A single light source never does any space justice. You need different sources of light for different purposes. Ambient lighting, task lighting, accent lighting, safety lighting, and mood lighting are all essential parts of great kitchen design. This book will first and foremost address task lighting in the kitchen. Under cabinet lights are the most popular, attractive, and handy kind of task lighting for the kitchen. Lighting designers agree that the path to any beautiful, functional kitchen starts with excellent task lights. Kitchen task lights have one simple purpose – to help you out. When you really need to get down to business, to cook a gourmet dinner or finally scrub down those countertops, task lights allow you to see. In this book, you’ll learn how to get that perfect lighting in your own kitchen. You’ll discover what kind of under cabinet lights will work best for your space, the ins and outs of every light source and fixture style, and even what kind of lights will work best with your personality. Then, move on to step-by-step instructions on how to layout, install, and operate your under cabinet lights. Already have under cabinet lights in your kitchen? Just flip over to the maintenance section to learn what to expect from your lights over time, and how to fix common problems that may come up. You may also want to note that under cabinet lights work in areas other than the kitchen – offices, labs, workstations, even in outdoor cooking areas.