Cabinetry & Millwork

Cabinet lighting is judged from a standing position looking down at a work surface, which means two things: the source must not be visible, and the light must not be striped. Narrow COB tape in a shallow aluminum channel, set at the front edge of the carcass rather than the back, solves both.

Color rendering carries more weight here than in almost any other residential position. Under-cabinet light lands on food, timber and stone, and a low-R9 strip makes all three look wrong however bright it is.

Plan the wiring with the shop drawings. Cabinet runs are short, numerous, and impossible to re-route after installation; feeds, driver locations and switching should be settled while the joinery is still a drawing.