Under Cabinet Lighting: An Interior Design Guide

Under cabinet lighting is a modern lighting solution for task-oriented spaces such as kitchens, offices, and workshops. Unlike undercabinets, overhead lights provide more general lighting that objects and people can easily obstruct, creating shadows. This can become a tedious problem, especially in spaces that require direct light for work efficiency.

Under cabinet lights allow for concentrated light to shine directly on your countertop or workspace. More than task lighting, under cabinet lights provide accent lighting that can add modern and sleek aesthetics. Styling and installing under cabinet lighting properly can improve and enhance the illumination of your space.

The three main types of under cabinet lighting for both residential and commercial spaces are tape lights, bar lights, and puck lights.

Tape Lights

Tape lights, also called strip lights, are a form of linear lighting that comes in a long, continuous reel. The reels are typically several feet long to allow for one stretch of tape to cover an entire area. Their flexibility allows them to apply over uneven surfaces and around hard corners. Some types of tape lights also have marks that indicate where you can cut them and have breaks in between the strip.

Tape lights allow for multiple styling options because of their customization capabilities. The thinness of the strips allows them to affix to the undersides of counters as well as cabinets. If your installation area has tight corners, or you prefer inconspicuous lighting, then tape lights are a great option.

Compared to other types of under cabinet lighting, tape lights are less bright because of the smaller nature of the LED diodes. If you are using tape lights or light strips in your space, make sure to invest in a reel with high wattage. This will ensure that the lights are bright enough to provide proper visibility.

Puck Lights

Puck lights are small, round fixtures that provide circular lighting. Their compactness allows you to position individual fixtures over specific areas you want to illuminate. Despite their small size, puck lights with LED bulbs can provide ample amounts of light that is both bright and high quality.

Depending on the size of the fixture and how far you space them apart, you can achieve different styles of lighting. Puck lights with narrow beam angles spaced further apart will give more of a spotlighting effect. Placing lights with wider beam angles close enough together can achieve something called cross lighting. Cross lighting is a type of light design that eliminates shadows and gives an even wash of light.

Puck lights are the most traditional option for under cabinet lighting because of their inexpensiveness and simple installation process. Usually, it only takes a few small screws to mount them flush to a surface.

Puck under cabinet lighting also has different methods of wiring depending on the fixtures. Some puck lights can either wire directly to an outlet, or they can connect in a series. Hiding the wiring behind the lip of the counter or inside the cabinetry itself is simple to achieve a concealed look.

Bar Lights

Like tape lights, bar lights also provide linear illumination. Light bars are thin, elongated fixtures that provide a line of evenly distributed light. These fixtures are popular for under cabinet lighting because of their ability to match the linear alignment of cabinetry. They also leave less room for shadows and produce less glare.

One of the main draws of LED light bars is their built-in connection abilities. Most bar light fixtures are linkable, which means they have connectors that streamline electricity between them. This allows you to attach them directly together without the need to separate the wiring between each fixture.

Most bar lights attach to the undersides of cabinets with simple brackets and screws. Their linking capabilities also remove the potential of wiring complications during installation. The ease of the installation process is a large selling point for LED under cabinet bar lights.

Because of their size and shape, linear under cabinet lighting allows you to install less fixtures than you would with puck lights. This makes bar lights more cost effective for larger applications such as commercial kitchens and office spaces.

When deciding what the best under cabinet lighting style will be for your space, there are a couple things to consider:

1. Installation Space

The first and most important thing to consider is where you are putting your under-cabinet lights. Kitchen cabinets, display cases, and office soffits are all going to benefit from different fixture types and lighting specs. The rest of your interior lighting design will inform how your under cabinet lights add to your space.

For cabinets, you want fixtures that will fit comfortably under the cabinet without drawing too much attention. The appeal of kitchen under cabinet lighting is its subtlety. So, choosing shallow puck lights or thin bar lights will avoid obstructing the look of your kitchen.

Certain countertops also reflect under cabinet lighting differently than others. Granite countertops tend to create glare spots, but LED under cabinet lights with diffusers can soften that effect.

Any application that has uneven surfaces, curves, or hard corners will benefit from the flexibility of tape lights. Bar lights are more rigid and better for more robust applications, like garage workshops. Areas that have absences of natural light will benefit from more intense lights, such as high wattage LED bar fixtures.

2. Parameters and Placement

Taking measurements of the available space you have before you choose your under cabinet lighting is vital. The last thing you want is a bar light that extends past the edge of your cabinet, or a puck light that protrudes past the lip.

Deciding on placement is also important, as it determines the effect your under cabinet lights will have. Placing under cabinet lighting towards the front of the cabinets will light the center of the countertop. On the other hand, placing them toward the back will wash the wall in light.

3. Power Supply

The last thing to consider is what type of power supply the lights will draw from. Under cabinet lights can have direct-wire, plug-in, or battery-operated power sources. Depending on the capabilities of your space, you may need a specific type of powered fixture.

If outlets are not reachable in your space, then battery-operated fixtures may be a better option for you. Though, keep in mind that battery-operated fixtures do require more frequent maintenance. Direct-wire lights are more complex and may require the help of a professional. If one of your priorities is simple installation, consider plug-in fixtures.

HomElectrical offers a large selection of under cabinet lights with all different styles, fixture types, and power sources. Browse our catalog to find the best lighting for your next interior design project!