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 décor and task lighting requirements.