Under cabinet lights make a huge difference in your kitchen, a simple and worthy upgrade. It’s a simple addition that adds style, ambiance, and functionality.

We are asked all the time for options on under cabinet lights. Our recommendation generally depends on a few considerations specific to the kitchen we are working on.

There are options galore. Puck Lights, LED Strip Lights, short, long, exposed bulb, LED Light Bar, and more. Some are bulky, some are super thin, some oddly shaped and boxy. So many choices, it can be overwhelming.

Always consider these details for any under cabinet light:
1. Amount of light the fixture gives
2. Will there be shadows created by lack of length or overlap in light beams
3. If there is a reflection in the counter, what will that look like
4. How long will they last
5. Are they dimmable
6. Do they look good if you happen to see them
7. How are they controlled? Some are individually controlled, some from a switch on the wall, some a separate remote, and some by your voice.

Personal preference, I want a slim streamlined fixture. We are not exactly able to see the bottom of the cabinets unless we duck down. BUT if I were sitting at my kitchen island, I don’t want to see the fixture if I could avoid it.

I do not want any gaps. If the fixture is not to length of the cabinets, you will get dark areas or weird overlays in the light beams.

LED light strips are the way to go—dimmable, energy efficient, customize to any length, and generally last forever, no bulbs to burn out!

We went with a LED strip light that has a PVC channel that is shaped to mount in a corner. The PVC channel protects the LEDs, looks prettier than the exposed LEDs, and diffuses them to look like one continuous strip of light instead of seeing each individual node.

Next we needed to decide the placement.

If we mount them in the back of the cabinet, against the backsplash, it creates a down lighting effect.

If we mount towards the front of the cabinet, right behind the light rail, it projects the light a bit more softly onto the counter and onto the backsplash. It is just a little more of a flooding effect vs. the down lighting look. We preferred the ladder, but that is a personal choice.

Now onto the best part.
The final touch.
Smart controls.

They are accessible just like a normal switch on the wall BUT they are also integrated with my iPhone and Alexa. Voice control is the best in the kitchen for so many reasons. It’s sanitary, I don’t have to wash off the food I am prepping to turn on some lights, and dang it, it is just plain awesome to make a request out loud and it happens like magic, immediately.

Let’s agree good aesthetics are just as important as usability and function. It obviously matters where you put your switches. However, if I pair that with a touch free control, that adds a big bonus in the function category.

The smart control app does it all, from adding a schedule to your lights to controlling all features with your phone (dimming, on/off, grouping with other smart controlled lights, etc). Then you add it to your Alexa for voice activation, it really is a smart choice. We can all agree, voice activation is rad, especially in the kitchen where I can turn on my kitchen lights just by asking Alexa. Functional, modern, attractive, it is the way to go with your under cabinet lights.

💡#ItsGoodToKnowASparky