Under-cabinet lighting is a great way to add that dazzling touch to your kitchen
It can transform your kitchen, adding dimension and ambience, and can also add that extra light that you might need for practical purposes. With all the variety of lighting available on the market, it might be difficult to pinpoint a place to start. Here are a few things to consider when shopping for under-cabinet lighting.
Why am I getting under-cabinet lighting?
Ask yourself if you want to get under-cabinet lighting for functional reasons, or just for aesthetic purposes. This will help you decide factors such as how they will be positioned, what kind of lights they will be, and their temperature or colour. They’re a beautiful way to update your kitchen without making major changes, whether or not you decide to go permanent with them, and they’re likely to never go out of style due to their added functionality.
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What kind of colour temperature should I get?
Now that you’ve decided a purpose for your under-cabinet lighting, deciding the temperature will help you decide a type. Cooler temperatures are practical if you want to use your under-cabinet lighting for tasks during cooking. Warmer colour temperatures are perfect for creating a homely, cosy, and inviting environment in your kitchen space. Nevertheless, whatever temperature you decide doesn’t have to depend solely on the function; you can choose the temperature depending on the colours and tones that appear in your kitchen design.
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How do I match them with the rest of my kitchen design?
To make sure you get the right type of lighting, it’s important to consider how your under-cabinet lighting will fit in with the rest of your kitchen décor. The colour scheme, as well as the style of flooring and the cabinet doors, are good places to start. Glossy doors and floors will reflect the light more, so you need to get lighting that doesn’t cause glare. However, the glare will be played down if the floor is dark. Matte floors and light coloured countertops reduce glare, so you might need something brighter if you really want to make an impact.
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So what type of under-cabinet lighting should I get?
Now you can decide whether you want LED lights, fluorescent lights, or rope lights. They’re all safe to use under cabinets because they don’t heat up. All three options can be plug-in or battery installed, but only LEDs and fluorescent lights can be hardwired into the mains, so this is a good chance to decide how permanent you want your under-cabinet lights to be. You can get under-cabinet lights in a range of shapes which can match your kitchen décor.
Puck lights add spots of lighting which can add dramatic shadows and accentuate the shape of your kitchen. Continuous lights add a flair of lighting around the space and can be quite bright. A huge variety of colours are also available for your chosen colour temperature. Think blues to go with white, modern décor, and oranges or greens to go with Mediterranean styles.
So whether it’s to add that surprise element, or just to make reaching around the kitchen that little bit easier, under-cabinet lightings are a great addition to any kitchen, and now they’re even easier to shop for!
