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You've spent all your time, money and energy updating your kitchen with new cabinets, appliances and accessories. Now that you're finished, you'd like to add some task lighting that will illuminate your countertops and work areas and provide a decorative effect as well. In addition to providing light exactly where it's needed, under cabinet lighting eliminates shadows created by the cabinets that are mounted overhead. The type of cabinet light you choose will depend on the style and layout of your kitchen, as well as what kind of electrical fixtures you would like to install. The easiest and most popular choice for underneath the cabinets is a plug-in unit that mounts directly to your cabinet and uses the nearest outlet. These rectangular shaped lights usually have a fluorescent bulb and are also available in a hard-wired configuration. Hard-wired lights are connected to a nearby power source and are controlled by a wall switch, which makes installation a bit more difficult but you do not see any wires or plugs. Puck lights, named for their shape are generally used for lighting inside the cabinet. They can be surface or recess mount, depending on the size and style of your cabinets. The surface mount lights are installed directly to the bottom of the shelf. Recess mount lights sit inside a canister that is installed into a hole cut into the shelf. For more flexibility with the direction of your lights, consider a swivel light or a strip light with swivel lights so you can direct the light where you need it most. Cornice lighting attaches to the top of your cabinets to create workspace lighting from overhead. What kind of bulb do you really need? There are four types of bulbs on the market today that can be used for under cabinet lighting: fluorescent, halogen, xenon or LED.
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