As interior architecture becomes more sophisticated, and as the functional and the decorative purposes of lighting converge more and more, linear strips are becoming the preferred form of cabinet linear strip lighting fixtures. More concealable than puck lights, and capable of much better color rendering than fluorescent lights, linear cabinet light fixtures feature a diversity of festoon lamping options, optional low voltage transformer, and lighting controls that make them not only the most robust type of cabinet light fixtures, but also the most energy efficient cabinet light fixtures on the market.
Some manufacturers, like Phantom Lighting in Houston, TX, have made it a point to take a careful look at every possible cabinet lighting application and anticipate where trends in the lighting industry will take this intriguing element of design. What they have found in both homes and offices is an increasing movement toward custom cabinet building in homes and offices that requires much more than generic or retail grade cabinet lighting fixtures. These linear cabinet lights offer choices in both vertical and horizontal mounting, and they can be fitted with any number of festoon lamps and dimmers to achieve a full range of functional and accent lighting effects.
Kitchen Cabinet Lighting
Kitchens are no longer utility rooms for food preparation and serving like they were in the past. Even average homes today feature kitchens that are larger and more comfortable than they were in the past. Kitchen cabinets look much more ornate, and kitchen countertops?even white ones? are usually very decorative in appearance. Kitchen cabinet light fixtures must reinforce these aesthetics and simultaneously render colors with glare free, uniform light distribution in order to make the kitchen appear inviting and comfortable to guests.
Custom linear cabinet light fixtures are equally viable choices for in cabinet and under cabinet kitchen lighting needs. A wide range of finishes makes it possible to match them to virtually any color scheme in even the largest kitchens found in custom homes. Dimmers allow users to adjust these lights to any level desired, so parties, daily meal preparation, and late night low level lighting can all be done with the same cabinet light fixtures. Phantom Agents will help you select from incandescent, xenon, and LED lamping options most appropriate to the color of your decorative scheme and the color and material workmanship of your countertop.
Low Voltage In-Cabinet Light Fixtures
When electric costs are a high priority, low voltage cabinet light fixtures prove an excellent light source with a minimum of power conservation. One of the many advantages that our low voltage cabinet lights offer is a smaller than industry standard transformer that is much easier to conceal, allowing our cabinet light fixtures to be used inside cabinets of any size. Again, the combined luminance of vertical and horizontal strip lighting creates a much more even, shadow-free field of light that is also easy on the eyes because of the unique glare shields and directional photometric of the strip light itself. This makes them ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, storage cabinets in workstations, and special displays in certain retail and public showcasing environments.
Curio Cabinet Lighting with Linear Strip Fixtures
Curio cabinets without mirrors can be superbly lit with custom linear cabinet light fixtures. Again, customization is what makes our curio lighting lights ideal for these displays. Regardless of the dimensions of the cabinet, custom series strips can of sight on either side of the vertical supports, and horizontal strips from any of our other four models can be combined to create an ambient field of what appears to be sourceless light. Xenon low voltage or LED lamps are ideal for these displays because of the special effects they can create.
Under Cabinet Lighting Fixtures
Some custom-built under cabinet light fixtures minimize glare by making angles of incidence work on behalf of the end user. These fixtures typically produce a better quality of illumination than you get from larger fluorescents or puck lights. Puck lights mount in the center of the cabinet underbelly and tend to create white spots on the counter below. The larger fluorescent fixtures mount toward the back of the cabinet, creating the undesirable effect of throwing light straight into a person's eyes. However, cabinet light fixtures mounted at the front bottom surface of the cabinet do just the opposite. They angle the light away from the eyes, back toward the wall. This creates a smooth, even distribution of light that can be fine tuned even further with user friendly dimming controls on the unit. This is probably why we are now experiencing such an influx of orders from commercial contractors through our lighting sales agent network.
Although many people consider custom linear under cabinet light fixtures to be luxury items too expensive to be installed as function lighting sources on many kitchens and bathrooms, this is not truly the case. Low voltage units like we have already discussed make the cost of operating these sophisticated under cabinet lights far less than that of many other light sources. Even typically costly sources such as xenon lamps become super power savers when fitted to a low voltage strip and a transformer fitted with a dimmer that regulates electrical use and light output. Even further savings can be generated by fitting LED festoon lamps to low voltage under cabinet light fixtures. The average home owner can buy what is technically a luxury item that costs less to use and compounds a savings on the light bill that ultimately pays for the equipment. Businesses likewise recover their investment by reducing overhead and contributing to recession proofing their operations.
Regardless of your status as a homeowner, general contractor, or custom home builder, you can certainly benefit from the quality of light and the return on investment that linear cabinet light fixtures can add to your d'cor and task lighting requirements.
Under Cabinet Light Fixtures
Looking for an easy and affordable way to enhance the quality of your home or office with unique under cabinet lighting solutions? Puck lights are a perfect solution for lighting small, isolated or architectural situations where ordinary light fixtures simply will not work. Puck Lighting Fixtures are compact, high performance lights are available in a variety of sizes, colors, finishes and wattages, which provide you with a fully customizable and fully functional, permanent light solution that you and your family will enjoy for years to come.
Puck lights are available with several types of bulbs that have specific functions and characteristics. Use the following descriptions as a guide to determine the right Puck Lights to fit your needs:
Xenon
Xenon bulbs emit the brightest light, without producing harmful ultraviolet, or UV, rays. These lights can last up to 10,000 hours, or more than one full year if used 24 hours a day, every day. Xenon puck lights made with Xenon lights are efficient and affordable, and the bulbs are cool to the touch, unlike Halogen bulbs, which makes them perfect additions to your most delicate situations.
Halogen
Halogen and Mini Halogen puck Lights are more economical and efficient than traditional incandescent bulbs and are a stylish way to illuminate your home or office d'cor. They produce more light per watt than standard bulbs and the light emitted from Halogen bulbs most closely replicates true sunlight, which gives richer and more radiant light, so colors look their absolute best. Halogen puck lighting fixtures have traditionally been used in jewelry stores to bring out the fire in the diamonds and other gems.
LED or Light Emitting Diode
LED lights have very long lives and are the most economical because they don't have a traditional bulb cased within the LED and do not need to be replaced. These lights can be red, green, blue or white, and have been used in everything from calculators to flood lighting. LED puck lights keep displays cool, and can last up to 60,000 hours. Although these lights require a slightly larger initial investment, their long life and energy efficiency will save you tons on your electricity bill and you won't have to spend money on replacement bulbs.
Low Voltage
Low Voltage Halogen or Xenon puck lights add a dramatic effect with indirect lighting, and are superior for highlighting details on artwork, architectural details, or other pieces of furniture.
These highly versatile puck lights work in most lighting situations, because of their compact nature, and unique, yet stylish designs. Button puck lights have a low profile and shallow installation depth for use in shelves, cabinets and display cases. Small under cabinet lighting fixtures have an attractive profile and are commonly made of steel, for durability and available with a surface mount or recessed mount, for installations in ceilings or walls. There are different types of puck lights, with adjustable miniature recessed becoming very popular for direct lighting. Some use the small MR11 halogen and there are some slightly larger which use an MR16, but both have a 2 ?? cutout. The MR16 version has a bit more depth to the housing however at 4?.
Most can be used with a dimmer, to add ambiance to your china cabinets, bathroom, or other area where indirect or direct lighting is needed. Available in black, white or metallic chrome, bronze, brushed nickel, or brass, these versatile lights can add a professional and finished look to your home or office, and you will save money that would have been spent on expensive lamps, fixtures, flashlights and batteries.
Both Russell Neal & Kimberly Quang are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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