Installing kitchen countertops is an expensive undertaking, so wanting to show them off is perfectly natural. Dark colored flooring, wall paint or cabinetry might cause your new investment to blend in with the kitchen.
To make your granite countertops stand out, you should add proper lighting. Standard ceiling lights fall short – their light output is seized by the shadows below your cabinets. The best way to feature your granite countertops in all their glory is to add under cabinet lights. Follow the 3 tips below to make sure you decide on a great lighting fixture for your granite counters.
Lens Cover: Don’t forget that granite has a tendency to act as a mirror for your countertops. You don’t want to see a reflection of the entire light fixture onto the countertop, you prefer to just view the light it emits. Make certain you go with a light fixture that includes a lens over the light bulb. That way, any reflections will be minimized.
Light Distribution: When you’re considering your choices, you’ll likely see two fundamental types of under cabinet lighting fixtures; puck and linear. Puck lights are the more dramatic of the two, since they tend to produce several pools of light on the counters. A single puck light will do for six to ten inches of cabinet space. If you’re looking for light distribution across the entire countertop, go for linear lights, which are long and thin. Linear lights create even light distribution unlike the pools of light from puck fixtures. Figure out whether you prefer the even, subtle look of linear light fixtures or the dramatic, spotlighting effect of puck lighting fixtures.
Hot and Cold: When you’re considering the options, be sure to think about how heat output fits into your under cabinet lighting goals. The light source with the greatest heat output is halogen; you shouldn’t keep food on the counters or cabinets directly above your lighting fixtures if you go with halogen lighting. Xenon resembles halogen in terms of appearance, yet it doesn’t give off as much heat. Stick with LED or fluorescent under cabinet light fixtures if you’re trying to find minimal heat output.