skip to main content

Question about under cabinet lighting

10 years ago

How do I know if I "need" it? My kitchen is open to the family room, which will have glass doors to the backyard. The kitchen itself has 1 large window and 3 small windows.

I am doing a upper-mid level whole house remodel, and looking to trim unnecessary expenses. But, we hope for this to be our long-term home, so I don't want to regret anything either.

I would love some input - thank you!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

annkh_nd
10 years ago
I don't know if we "needed" undercab lighting - we lived in this kitchen for 24 years without it - but I think we're going to love it! We live far enough north that it's by 5 pm, so we need all the light we can get in the house in the evenings.

It was one of the few things DH insisted on for our new kitchen (the other was soft-close hinges and drawer glides).

UCL are pretty easy to put in during a remodel (assuming you'll have an electrician in anyway), but I imagine a lot harder to put in later. Perhaps there are other things you can delay for now to save money.
raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
10 years ago
Again, I didn't "need" it, but my aging eyes will appreciate it at times. I re-did all the lighting in my kitchen, and was quite surprised by how bright the LED ceiling lights are -- so maybe they alone would have been sufficient for the counter space. Or, I could have eliminated 2 of the ceiling lights with the UCLs in.

You can put them in later if you have your electrician put in outlets or something now to allow it, while walls and spaces behind the cabs are accessed.
Related Discussions
Question about over wintering under lights.
Q
Comments (13)
I have a 2 year old dwarf fig in a container and just moved to an apartment without a garage. The leaves fell off in fall and I took it indoors when I heard it was going to freeze outside. We have had 1 full week of freezing temperatures and I am not sure how to proceed. Keep it indoors where we keep it about 60 degrees and there is a window (I don't have any grow lights, I'm new at this!)? Allow it to be outside and hope it survives? I don't want to confuse it! Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!
...See More
Questions about lettuce under lights
Q
Comments (10)
Dana, I didn't keep track, but it seems like the Buttercrunch (thick, curly leafed, almost-a-head) grows more quickly than the heading type lettuce, Crispino, which grows slowly into a single head, and that's it. I understand you can use Buttercrunch as a cut-and-come-again vegetable. I haven't tried to cut-and-come-again with lettuce, I eat it all at once. But I do do it with kale and collards, taking some from each of several plants. I don't know how I did this, but in rereading my message to you before, I wrote about covering the lettuce to block the light. I was thinking of spinach when I wrote that and crossed my wires. I think that it's the amount of light (sunshine hours) in a day that affects the bolting of spinach, and the amount of light altogether (through the season) that affects the flowering or bolting of lettuce. I am sorry for any confusion. Still, I'm keeping my spinach and lettuce on a twelve hour light schedule, then putting them outside on the porch, or in an unheated room, or in the cold frame at night--depending on which one seems to have the right temperature. They are doing fine. Squat, strong, and sturdy looking. I start everything from seed. I have onions; leeks (in flats outside protected); and cabbage; joi choi; turnips--you can transplant them with no problem; spinach; kale; lettuce--Buttercrunch and Crispino, again. I've grown these successfully under lights. Keeping them cool at night is one of the hardest things. It seems either too warm or much too cold. I've read that if one should err, to err on the cold side. I start other plants like tomatoes, peppers, squash, and aubergines under lights. But they are a bit easier than the cold weather crops. Oh, and we keep parsley, rosemary, and basil under lights during the winter under the lights. They are easy to grow and little trouble for the joy they give to my wife and me in the kitchen. As for the book, it isn't out of print. I've seen it listed recently in the back of one of the seed catalogs. It has pictures--good ones; I'm not sure what kind you're looking for, though. I'll try to find it. Vegetable Secrets has only a chapter about plants and light, but they go into detail about lettuce and spinach, there, and its knowledge I've not seen in other books. Good growing to you. ---- Bunn
...See More
Zilotek under cabinet lights question
Q
Comments (6)
How do I take Zilotek lighting in 2 directions from center? I understand bringing the power into one side of the fixture, and use the extension cord to move to additonal lights on 1 side. How do I do that in both directions, as the power source is in the middle of the run?
...See More
Pendant & Under Cabinet Lighting Questions
Q
Comments (7)
That may very well be the lighting solution I ultimately go with... but the fluorescent will have to do for now. As for mounting my fluorescent lights, they are either going to aim backwards towards the wall (lighting up the back splash and the counter) or aim forwards towards the kitchen and counter (but still lighting up the backsplash, but not as bright as aiming towards the wall). I guess I could always move them around if I don't like them... but who wants to do that :). I don't think a "middle" location would work for me since they are not aiming downward.
...See More
User
10 years ago
All kitchens need to light their work surface. Under cabinet lighting does the BEST job of it, because there is zero chance of shadows. It also adds a nice warm ambiance that really shows kitchens to their best and helps a great deal with their appeal at selling time. Lighting is #2 of the most neglected aspects of a kitchen redo, and it's one of the MOST important for appearance as well as function. Don't give your kitchen short shrift on it. (Venting is the #1 most neglected aspect of a functioning kitchen. Don't neglect it either.)
Regenshire
10 years ago
There are plenty of under cabinet lighting options that should be pretty easy to install after the fact, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. It is something that you should be able to install later if you think it is needed.

Worse case is you might have to have an electrician come in and install a switched outlet for power, though there are also plenty of options that include built in switches so you could just use an existing outlet.
Regenshire
10 years ago
*doublepost*

This post was edited by Regenshire on Fri, Sep 20, 13 at 13:15
gpraceman55
10 years ago
I do think that UCL helps in making it easier to work at the counters, in aesthetics as well as resale. You can install a UCL system for not a lot. We did ours for less than $200 as a DIY project. See the link below for details on it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Our UCL Install
sixkeys
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you everyone! Sounds inexpensive for a nice benefit.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
10 years ago
I can't imagine your finding a single person who installed undercabinet lighting and regretted it.

Related Stories

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

REMODELING GUIDES Considering a Fixer-Upper? 15 Questions to Ask First

By Sarah Phipps Design

Learn about the hidden costs and treasures of older homes to avoid budget surprises and accidentally tossing valuable features

MOST POPULAR 8 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Meeting With Your Designer

By Kelli Kaufer Designs

Thinking in advance about how you use your space will get your first design consultation off to its best start

GREEN BUILDING Considering Concrete Floors? 3 Green-Minded Questions to Ask

By Melanie Loftus

Learn what’s in your concrete and about sustainability to make a healthy choice for your home and the earth

WORKING WITH PROS What to Know About Working With a Custom Cabinetmaker

By Laura Gaskill

Learn the benefits of going custom, along with possible projects, cabinetmakers’ pricing structures and more

KITCHEN DESIGN Stay Cool About Picking the Right Refrigerator

By KitchenLab Interiors

If all the options for refrigeration leave you hot under the collar, this guide to choosing a fridge and freezer will help you chill out

LIGHTING What to Know About Switching to LED Lightbulbs

By Karen Egly-Thompson

If you’ve been thinking about changing over to LEDs but aren't sure how to do it and which to buy, this story is for you

REMODELING GUIDES Survive Your Home Remodel: 11 Must-Ask Questions

By Mitchell Parker

Plan ahead to keep minor hassles from turning into major headaches during an extensive renovation

GREEN DECORATING 8 Questions to Help You See Through Green Hype

By Laura Gaskill

With the ecofriendly bandwagon picking up some dubious passengers, here's how to tell truly green products and services from the imposters

KITCHEN DESIGN 9 Questions to Ask When Planning a Kitchen Pantry

By Susan Redman

Avoid blunders and get the storage space and layout you need by asking these questions before you begin

Sponsored

Hope Restoration & General Contracting

35 Reviews

Columbus Design-Build, Kitchen & Bath Remodeling, Historic Renovations

More Discussions

Quartzite sealing 511 Porous Plus vs Tenax Proseal vs Stain Proof

5

I’m already over it. This kitchen trend is everywhere and overdone.

109

hello , what are your thoughts on two tone countertops?

4

Pental Quartz countertops

4

Thoughts on making galley kitchen more open?

30