Completely redid the kitchen lighting in our 1990s Etobicoke semi last spring. The before state was: a single fluorescent strip fixture centered on the ceiling. No under-cabinet lighting. The after state is dramatically different.
The Before State
One fluorescent strip, 4 ft, centered in the 170 sq ft L-shaped kitchen. Created a single harsh bright spot in the middle of the room. Both countertop runs were in shadow for most of the day. Cooking at the island (we have a small peninsula) was like working in shade.
What We Did
Hired an electrician for 1.5 days of work:
Ambient: 10 x 4-inch ICAT LED pot lights (Halo, 2700K, 650 lumen) on 2 dimmers (perimeter circuit + island circuit)
Task: 9 linear feet of wired Kichler under-cabinet LED strip lights (3000K). Installed in the kickspace between the cabinet bottom and the wall, pointing down. Switched from a single wall switch.
Accent: 2 pendants over the peninsula (Kichler Niles, 8-inch diameter, brushed nickel), on dimmer
Electrician Cost (labour): $1,820
Materials:
- Halo 4-inch ICAT LED (10 units): $380
- Dimmer switches (3): $140
- Under-cabinet Kichler LED strip (9 ft kit): $280
- Pendants (2): $340
- Wire, connectors, boxes: $180
Total: $1,820 labour + $1,320 materials = $3,140
The Difference
Night and day. The countertops are now uniformly lit for prep work. The island pendants define the space. Three separate dimmer zones let us go from task-bright cooking mode to ambient dinner mode. My partner’s comment the night it was done: “this doesn’t feel like the same kitchen.”
What I’d Do Differently
Nothing. The under-cabinet lighting was the single best decision. If budget was constrained I would have cut the pendants and kept the under-cabinet LEDs - they make more practical difference.