What are the benefits of kitchen cabinet lighting?
As the saying goes, the kitchen is the heart of the home. It's where family meals are created, and it's where memories can be made during house parties or when having guests around for a delightful evening of socialising.
All kitchens come in a variety of designs, layouts, materials and colours, but one thing every single kitchen has in common is cabinets.
And, like every other room in the house, a kitchen needs proper lighting to illuminate dark areas and help with food preparation. However, under-cabinet lights not only improve visibility but can transform the appearance of a kitchen.
What are the benefits of accent lighting in the kitchen, though, and should you install them in your home?
What are the different types of kitchen cabinet lights?
There are many ways of lighting kitchen countertops, both in terms of the way lights are displayed and the types of LED lights used. Depending on your preference, or the layout of your kitchen, you have a varied choice of cupboard lights in a colour temperature that suits your home.
The different types of kitchen cabinet lights include:
- LED strip tape
- LED bar lights
- Puck lights
- Rope lights
- Panel lights
- Spacer lights
How to choose the right kitchen cabinet lighting
If you'd like to add some warm white lighting to your kitchen to add another dimension to your home, there are three key things to consider. Before choosing the lighting setup for your kitchen, you must look into the following factors.
Colour temperature
Colour temperatures are key to the way your kitchen looks when all the lights are on. A warm white temperature is mostly favoured thanks to its relaxing glow. If you'd prefer a brighter colour, opt for cool white.
Brightness
Brightness is another factor when choosing the right cabinet lighting for your kitchen – especially if you're using them as your main source of light. In terms of brightness, you need LED bulbs with a higher lumens count. You can always control the brightness with an LED-compatible dimmer switch, too.
Energy consumption
If you'd like to keep your electricity bills low while still lighting your kitchen cabinets, check if the LED lights you're choosing are energy-efficient. Fortunately, most LED lights do not require too much power. If you pick up a battery-powered LED strip tape, for example, your energy bill won't be affected.
Benefits of using cabinet lights on your kitchen cabinets
There are a range of benefits to installing cabinet lights in your kitchen, and it includes a lot more than just creating more light in the room!
If you're still on the fence about installing under-cabinet lighting throughout your kitchen, we hope you'll have changed your mind after reading our list of benefits.
Creates ambient lighting
Arguably the key benefit of adding cabinet lighting to your kitchen is to create an ambient atmosphere. A kitchen is often quite bright anyway, with many modern layouts featuring large glass doors to bring in huge swathes of daylight. However, in the evenings, under-cabinet lights can create a light show of their own, creating light and shadow in all the right spots.
Easy installation
For most under-cabinet lights, you do not need the expertise of a qualified electrician; many people install their own accent lighting. This is because a lot of modern-day LED strip tape and bar lights can simply be attached with adhesive or magnetic pads.
This means installation takes a matter of seconds and doesn't require any drilling or screwing – leaving your cabinet unharmed.
Energy efficient
Another fantastic advantage of installing under-cabinet lights in your kitchen is their energy efficiency. A lot of LED cupboard lights work via battery but even a mains LED requires little power to function, like this 5-metre LED strip tape, which only uses 4.8 watts.
If you're concerned about efficiency, you can always use an LED driver to ensure the right amount of current is being used for your under-cabinet lights.
Creating additional lighting where it's needed
Kitchen cabinet lights can also create light in spots where it's needed. During food prep, and especially in smaller kitchens, you may be standing in the line of light, making the countertop darker than preferable. LED under-cabinet use lights up a countertop, making it easier for you to chop food and cook in the evenings.
An LED light is also a great solution for use inside kitchen cupboards, and not just underneath. With an LED sensor, the motion of opening a cupboard triggers the lights, increasing the visibility of its contents.
These types of lights look strikingly well in a glass cabinet or cupboard, too.
Low maintenance and longevity
Unlike standard bulbs, LED bulbs are shock-resistant and less prone to breakage, which translates to much reduced maintenance and service calls for electricians. An LED light is known for its reliability and longevity, so the lights you install in your kitchen are likely to serve you for quite a long time without any issues.
Customisation
And, last but certainly not least, customisation is a major benefit of cabinet lighting. Thanks to the ease of installation, you can move LED lights to all different areas of your kitchen to create striking shadows and light in any way you like.
Plus, with a remote control to potentially change colour temperature at different times of the day, you can truly personalise the way your kitchen looks with some simple lighting additions.
You could also add to your existing downlights with LEDs along the bottom of your kitchen cabinets, just adding a slight touch of light at your feet.
Buy cabinet lighting from Quest
If you now like the idea of using under-cabinet lights in your kitchen, you are in the right place. At Quest, we stock a wide range of high-quality cabinet lighting solutions in a variety of designs and colour temperatures.
Our market-leading LED lights are guaranteed to enhance the appearance of your kitchen. Plus, we have a range of LED cable accessories to help with installation.
If you're interested in our cabinet lights but you're not sure where to start, don't fret. Simply contact us either by calling 01280 822062 or sending us an email at [email protected]. You can also fill in the contact enquiry form on our website.
One of our friendly members of staff will be more than happy to discuss cabinet lights with you and help you transform the look of your kitchen.
