skip to main content

Undercabinet lighting ?

14 years ago

Hello - had a very successful visit to the lighting store yesterday. A very knowledgeable woman is drafting a lighting plan for me that will be ready tomorrow.

Our cabinets are custom and the cabinetmaker said that the undercabinet lighting needs to be 3/4" or less because the sill that will hide it is only 1".

I will mention that we don't have many upper cabinets at all, so there won't be much undercabinet lighting. There is one section that is 33" and then another that wraps around the corner under a 12" cabinet and then under a 24" L shaped corner cabinet.

I have brochures from Juno and Kichler. At the store I saw TaskWork Direct Wire 120 volt Xenon by Kichler. Also something by Juno that had the lights separated. I was confused by this point!

I think Xenon typically needs a transformer but for some reason I don't think the light bars do?

Does anyone have advice on this that they can share?

I am going back in to the lighting store tomorrow and any info would be so helpful!

Thank you very much.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

mbarstow
14 years ago
Figuring out the undercabinet lighting was one of the most difficult challenges I had in our kitchen remodel. We finally went with Juno Xenon lights and love them. They are not cheap, the 22'' pro-xenon were $80, the 9'' one was $60 and the 14'' were $68. No transformer is needed, which is a good thing. I hunted for as low-profile as I could get because we also don't have a light rail. You cannot see them at all--I think they are no more than 1 inch deep. They also toggle from very bright to less bright (ideal for mood lighting). Hope this was helpful.
0
venice_2008
14 years ago
I'm about to go with the xenon light strips, too. I understand that they can be put on a dimmer, as well as having the high-low switch. The ones I was looking at, by Alico, are low-profile. The line-voltage strips, 120 volts, do not need a transformer.

mbarstow, was there a reason you chose the line-voltage over the low-voltage xenon? Our area is hard-wired for line-voltage, but the lighting guy is telling us that low-voltage is better. So confusing!
0
Related Discussions
can my xenon undercabinet lights function as grow lights for my s
Q
Comments (2)
sure, but would be better if you could set them by a sunny window...Sunlight is better than grow light I grew small(Tiny Tim or Patio) tomato plants by my sunniest windows so i had fresh toms in winter yummy in Wisconsin
...See More
Xpost Undercabinet lighting. xposted in "Lighting"
Q
Comments (2)
Mfatt- we are using LED tape light too. We ordered 150 ft from Amazon and used some in the master bedroom, all told it was less than $150 for all the supplies. We have to do like your electrician, but I do not mind it, since we will end up with only 2 plugs hidden inside our cabinet. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M2PM17Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
...See More
Xenon light strip for undercabinet lighting?
Q
Comments (4)
Those are the very lights I'm planning to use, if I ever find the time to finish building my upper cabs. My understanding is that xenon bulbs generate a fair bit of heat, but because they don't need a heavier glass enclosure like halogens do (halogens can explode when they fail, and have to be protected from being touched) they can be mounted out in the open like that, and the heat dissapates into the room fairly efficiently. In other words, they generate some heat but don't get terribly hot. Make sense? Fluorescents would run cooler and cheaper, and there are some very low-profile models available.
...See More
Undercabinet Lighting & Recessed Ceiling Lights
Q
Comments (21)
Our kitchen is similiar, not a lot of natural light. We used halogen recessed cans in the ceiling. You'd be shocked at how much light they can throw off, and they are not too concentrated in one spot. Just make sure you have the right kind of reflectors in the can for more general wide lighting. They also do illuminate the ceiling from light that bounces back up. We put halogen pendants over the island, but they are more spot, as they are concrete and only light the area below them. All the halogens are on dimmers, so we can control the amount of light and heat they generate. On dimmers, halogens are very efficient and "green", using less electricity. Under the cabinets, we put in xenon. They stay cooler. However, to be totally honest with you, we never have all the lights on at the same time. The halogens illuminate the kitchen so well I hardly ever use the undercab lights, even during meal preparation. The xenons usually come on when the halogens are off during a dinner party (we have a huge great room kitchen arrangement). They function more as mood lighting than anything else. If I did it over again, I'd probably even omit the undercab lights altogether.
...See More
mbarstow
14 years ago
Venice I don't know what you mean by line-voltage. I heard our electrician tell our tile guy that the lights go from high-voltage to low-voltage and no transformer is necessary. (that's all beyond me and maybe I misunderstood him). The electrician loved these Juno lights. Thought they were very well built and said the installation was very easy.
0
jlb47
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks so much for the feedback. I really appreciate the info. I am headed to the lighting store this afternoon. I'll let you know what we wind up going with!
0
glenster_jr
14 years ago
Usually line voltage (120VAC) lights have an onboard (built-in) transformer. Low voltage lights require an external transformer. The bulbs see the same (low) voltage in both types of fixtures.
0
venice_2008
14 years ago
mbarstow, what glenster_jr said ... if the lights go from high to low voltage, then it means they are being "stepped down," and the transformer is integral to the unit (rather than being remote). So, it sounds like you actually have low voltage strips, which is what I've been advised to choose.

Anyone have issues with humming or buzzing of these?
0
mbarstow
14 years ago
Well, still don't understand all this electrical stuff, all I know is these Juno xenon lights are great and, no, there isn't any humming or buzzing.
0
rayrose
14 years ago
Is there an online retailer that sells these lights at a reasonable price??
0
venice_2008
14 years ago
Went to another lighting shop yesterday to get this lighting thing decided for good. Great store, with beautiful products and, most importantly, savvy and service-oriented staff.

Lighting designer is drawing a plan with a couple of options for me, including lighting for my floating shelves, which until last night I had given up on achieving!

The lesson for me is a simple one: if you are struggling with lighting, go to a lighting expert first. Don't drive yourself insane, as I did, and try to figure it out by yourself.

A good shop will have expert staff on site who will take a problem-solving approach and make all your worries go away. Or, close enough to it!

And, I might have been talked into LED for undercabinet lighting ... we'll see what the plans look like.
0

Related Stories

SHOP HOUZZ Shop Houzz: Little Lights That Make a Big Difference

Illuminate your home and landscape with undercabinet lighting, string lights and nightlights

0

UNIVERSAL DESIGN How to Light a Kitchen for Older Eyes and Better Beauty

By Sheridan Interiors, Kitchens and Baths

Include the right kinds of light in your kitchen's universal design plan to make it more workable and visually pleasing for all

LIGHTING Personal Spaces: Homeowners Work Their Pendant Lights

By Laura Gaskill

See how all kinds of rooms are getting a lift from hanging lights, both budget-friendly and glam

KITCHEN DESIGN 12 Ways to Light Your Kitchen With LEDs

By Jamie Gold, CKD, CAPS, MCCWC

See how to use new energy-saving lights to illuminate your kitchen, light a countertop and add style, too

LIGHTING What to Consider When Lighting Your Home

By Affecting Spaces Design Studio

A designer offers a few illuminating insights on this key design element

KITCHEN DESIGN The Ecofriendly Kitchen: Light Your Kitchen Right

By Ivon Street Studio

Harnessing the daylight is a terrific choice for earth-friendly kitchens, but it's not the only one

LIGHTING Your Guide to Common Light Fixtures and How to Use Them

By Toronto Interior Design Group

Get to know pot lights, track lights, pendants and more to help you create an organized, layered lighting plan

KITCHEN DESIGN Expert Talk: 10 Reasons to Hang a Chandelier in the Kitchen

By Lawrence Karol

Unexpected? Sure. Incongruent? Not at all. Professional designers explain why a chandelier can work in kitchens from traditional to modern

LIGHTING 5 Questions to Ask for the Best Room Lighting

By Karen LeBlanc Design TV Host & Writer/Blogger

Get your overhead, task and accent lighting right for decorative beauty, less eyestrain and a focus exactly where you want

LIGHTING Recessed Lighting 101

By Lisa Frederick

Looking to brighten a drab, dim space? Recessed lighting may be your answer. Here's what you need to know

Sponsored

Structural Remodeling

Franklin County's Heavy Timber Specialists | Best of Houzz 2020!

More Discussions

Pendant Suggestions for updated kitchen

2

How would you change this layout for a bigger kitchen?

2

Countertop make over

0

HanStone Eden White or Elba White quartz

0

Island apron size

2