Cabinet lighting has come a long way from a single light tucked under a kitchen cabinet. When it is planned as part of the cabinetry, integrated LED lighting improves visibility, highlights premium finishes and changes the whole atmosphere of a kitchen, bathroom, closet or custom millwork project.
At HCH Cabinet & Millwork, we choose the lighting system to suit the cabinetry style, how the space will be used and the overall design of each project. Depending on the application, that may mean LED strip lights, puck lights, touch or touchless sensors, motion sensors or a conventional wall switch and dimmer.
LED Strip Lights or Puck Lights: Which One Is Better?
Both strip lights and puck lights can look beautiful, but they create very different effects. The right choice depends on the style of the cabinetry and the mood you want in the room.
Puck Lights
Puck lights are small, round fixtures that create focused pools of light. They are often chosen for traditional cabinetry, display cabinets, glass-door cabinets and any project where the designer wants a more decorative, directional effect.
Many clients and interior designers prefer puck lights in classic kitchens because the individual points of light complement detailed cabinetry, crown moulding, raised-panel doors and traditional finishes. They pair especially well with inset kitchen cabinets and glass-front upper cabinets.
Puck lights can be recessed into the cabinetry for a clean, flush appearance, or surface-mounted when the cabinet construction does not allow enough depth for a recess.
LED Strip Lights
LED strip lights produce a continuous, even line of illumination. They are the most popular choice for modern and transitional kitchens, floating vanities, closets and contemporary custom millwork.
For a professional finish, we install the LED strip inside a recessed aluminum channel with a frosted diffuser. The diffuser hides the individual LED dots, protects the strip and produces a smooth, unbroken line of light. Strips can be cut to length and installed horizontally or vertically, depending on the cabinet design.
Under-Cabinet Lighting for Kitchen Countertops
The most practical place for LED strip lighting is underneath the upper cabinets. Under-cabinet lighting illuminates the countertop and backsplash, which makes food preparation and everyday kitchen tasks easier. It also brings out the colour and texture of a quartz countertop, a stone backsplash or other premium finishes.
Whenever possible, HCH builds the lighting channel into the cabinet design so the fixture, wiring and connections stay hidden. The result is a clean, continuous line of light with no visible wires or bulky fixtures under the cabinets.
Under-cabinet lighting can be controlled with:
- A regular wall switch
- A dimmer switch
- A touch sensor
- A touchless (hand-wave) sensor
- A smart-home lighting controller
Toe-Kick Lighting for Base Cabinets
Toe-kick lighting is installed in the recessed area below the base cabinets, where the cabinet legs and adjustable levelers are concealed a few inches behind the cabinet doors.
An LED strip along the toe kick creates a soft glow at floor level. It makes the cabinetry look lighter and gives the kitchen a modern, upscale feel. Toe-kick lighting is mainly decorative, but it also works as gentle night lighting: connected to a dimmer or sensor, it gives enough light to walk through the kitchen without switching on the ceiling lights.
For the best result, the strip should be positioned so the light washes evenly across the floor without exposing the individual LED points or creating a harsh line.
Vertical Lighting on Cabinet Gables and Panels
LED strips can also run vertically along decorative gables, finished end panels, pantry panels and refrigerator panels.
For example, a kitchen may have a tall pantry on one side and a refrigerator with finished panels on the other. A designer may ask for recessed vertical lighting along these panels to frame the main countertop area and create visual symmetry.
This kind of lighting works best when it is part of the design before fabrication. HCH cuts the required grooves and channels on our CNC during production, so the lighting sits neatly inside the panel instead of being added on the surface after installation. Vertical panel lighting can be controlled with a wall switch, dimmer, touch sensor or a discreet touchless sensor.
Lighting Under a Floating Vanity
A floating bathroom vanity is an ideal place for integrated LED strip lighting. Lighting underneath the vanity emphasizes its floating design and casts a soft glow across the bathroom floor. It makes the room feel more spacious and provides comfortable ambient light in the evening or overnight.
The light source is concealed beneath the cabinet so only the reflected glow is visible. The colour temperature can be matched to the vanity lights, illuminated mirror and other bathroom lighting.
Because bathrooms are humid, the lighting components and installation method must be suitable for the location. Electrical connections and the power supply should be properly concealed but still accessible for service.
Motion-Sensor Lighting Inside Closets
Integrated lighting improves both the look and the function of custom closet cabinetry. LED strips can be recessed vertically along the interior panels, installed beneath shelves or positioned above hanging sections, so clothing, shoes, drawers and accessories stay clearly visible.
The system can be connected to a motion sensor or a door-activated sensor. When the closet door opens, the lights come on automatically; when the door closes or no movement is detected, they switch off. It is a convenient, hands-free experience with no separate switch to look for.
Motion-sensor lighting is especially useful for:
- Walk-in closets
- Reach-in closets and wardrobes
- Pantry cabinets
- Display cabinets
- Interior drawers and accessory compartments
Touch Sensors, Motion Sensors and Wall Switches
Both puck lights and LED strips can be connected to different control systems. A touch sensor turns the lighting on and off when you touch a designated spot on the cabinetry. A touchless sensor responds when a hand moves near it, while a motion or door sensor activates the lighting automatically. A conventional wall switch or dimmer is usually the better choice when several lighting zones need to work together.
The right control depends on the location and how the lighting will be used:
- Under-cabinet task lighting usually works best with a wall switch or dimmer.
- Decorative gable lighting can use a touch or touchless sensor.
- Closet lighting is most convenient with a motion or door sensor.
- Floating-vanity lighting can be connected to a wall switch, dimmer or night-time sensor.
Why Cabinet Lighting Should Be Planned Early
The cleanest cabinet-lighting installations are planned before the cabinetry is built. Early planning lets us decide:
- Where the LED channels will be recessed
- How the wires will run through the cabinetry
- Where the driver or power supply will be located
- How the system will stay accessible for future service
- Which lights should operate together
- Where the sensors and switches should go
- How the colour temperature will coordinate with the rest of the room
Adding lighting after the cabinets have been manufactured often means visible wires, surface-mounted channels or unnecessary modifications. At HCH Cabinet & Millwork, lighting is coordinated during the design and fabrication stage, so the finished installation stays clean, functional and fully integrated with the cabinetry.
Custom Cabinet Lighting in Greater Vancouver
HCH Cabinet & Millwork designs and builds custom kitchen cabinets, floating bathroom vanities, closets and architectural millwork throughout Greater Vancouver, including Vancouver, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Burnaby, Squamish, Whistler and Bowen Island.
Whether your project calls for traditional puck lights, continuous LED strip lighting, illuminated gable panels, toe-kick lighting or motion-sensor closet lighting, we can coordinate the system with your cabinetry design from day one.
Book a free design consultation to discuss the cabinetry, lighting details and finishing options for your next project.