When we think of lighting in our homes, we mostly think of ceiling lights, chandeliers, and lampshades. These come with bulbs that screw or click into place. LEDs or light emitting diodes are the latest in lighting technology that’s been making its way into our homes the past few years. You may have seen retrofitted LEDs that screw into place just like any other light bulb you used to own. However, to fully maximize the possibilities with this technology, you should make use of integrated LED lighting.

This type of setup puts the LED on an integrated base. These can come in different forms such as LED strips, fairy lights or puck lights. These can then be built into fixtures, furniture, and of course, your cabinets.

WHY DO I NEED INTEGRATED LIGHTING?

Certainly, not having built-in lights doesn’t mean your cabinets are obsolete. While ultimately an optional addition, we’ve outlined the 3 main reasons why you should seriously consider them.

HELPS WITH FUNCTIONS AND TASKS

The main function of all lighting fixtures is to provide functional illumination so we can do our tasks better. This is still true for integrated cabinet lighting. This can be seen best in the kitchen, where puck lights or strip lights are placed below the upper cabinets. This provides more light over the countertops, allowing us to safely cut ingredients and prepare food. A similar setup can also be done in a home office or study to have better lighting when writing or reading.

SHOWCASES YOUR STUFF BEAUTIFULLY
Another use of integrated lighting is for showcasing items on display. Try and think of the many store shelves in a mall you’ve seen before. A large percentage of them likely have lighted shelving to better show off their merchandise. We can take advantage of this same principle when designing shelves and cabinets for our own homes.

Having lights built into shelves allows for an even illumination between various levels. Compare this to a spotlight on your ceiling. Only the upper shelves will get a good amount of light. The lower shelves, on the other hand, will be in shadow. With integrated lighting, even the lower shelves will be well-lit. If you’re someone with a lot of items to display, then having built-in lighting let you appreciate your prized collection better.

CREATES AN AMBIENCE FOR YOUR SPACE

Aside from retail stores, you’ve likely encountered integrated lighting at high-end hotels, restaurants, and bars. The hospitality industry makes use of built-in lights to help create a desired ambience and mood. We can use similar techniques to bring this similar luxe feeling into our homes.

In living rooms, lounge rooms, and bedrooms, we can add layers of warm light to create a restful ambience similar to spas and hotels. Kitchens and bathrooms will also look more premium with well-designed integrated lighting. By changing the placement, color temperatures, and playing with shapes and shadows, you can create a unique atmosphere for your home.

WHAT KIND OF LIGHT SHOULD I USE?

Just with all other lightings in your home, there are different bulb types to choose from such as CFLs and incandescent bulbs. For integrated cabinet lighting, we recommend using LED lights.

When LEDs were new, fluorescent light fixtures were the top choice for cabinet lighting, especially for task lighting in kitchens. However, LED proved to be more beneficial than the others for a multitude of reasons:

• LED lasts longer than other light bulbs, which means you don’t have to replace them as often

• LED is highly energy efficient, using 90% less energy than an incandescent bulb to produce the same level of brightness

• Because they use less power, LED lights also generate much less heat and are safe to touch.

• Unlike fluorescent bulbs, LEDs do not contain mercury, which means there’s no risk of exposure when a bulb breaks

• LED has a wider range of colors. It can produce warm tones like incandescent bulbs and cool tones like fluorescent bulbs. It can also produce reds, greens, blues, and anything in between such as those used on Christmas lights.

• LED lights up instantaneously. This is in contrast to bulbs such as CFL require a few seconds to warm up before it turns on.

When envisioning their dream homes, many imagine having a hotel-like bedroom, a spa-like bathroom, or a restaurant-like dining room. With well-designed integrated LED lighting, you can certainly bring that premium luxe atmosphere into your home.

Thank you for Visiting Wood and Co.