Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
icenet

Trim For The Bottom Of Upper Cabinets - Need Advice

icenet
15 years ago

Hi All,

This is a pic of my cabinet above the sink:

{{gwi:1545085}}

If you tilt your head down, you can see a typical recessed opening of the frame to the bottom of the cabinet. All the other cabinets have CFLs lights in this area except for this one.

Should I finish this underside with a rectangular insert for the bottom and a piece of trim for the edge of the frame?

My wife thinks it looks unfinished. It's doesn't bother me at all. Thanks!!!!!!

Comments (12)

  • hestia_flames
    15 years ago

    My dh and I were looking at your cabinet, and it is difficult to tell without seeing a picture of the cabinet along with the flanking cabinets. Did you install a finish panel to cover the wires of the other CFL's in the other cabinets (so that just the lights poke out?) and your wife is concerned that they do not match? Or is it just because she can see the frame since it is higher? It could be that she sees the underside of the cabinet more readily (is there a height difference between you two?)

    Something we did to highlight the tile under a higher upper cabinet (like yours, though above a baking area) was that we installed an led strip (from ikea) directly behind the front lip of the cabinet (like you now have) so that it would shine on the glass tile that we are going to install. Nice effect - we tried it with a mock up of tile on foam core. We didn't like installing under cabinet lights there, as the cabinet was higher, and we could see them. We cannot see the led strip, it adds nice ambience, and the leds will last a long time. The pack of 4 at Ikea connect together (in the picture they look like 4 separate strips.)

    Here is a link that might be useful: dioder strip

  • icenet
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    hestia,

    The CFLs under the other cabinets are hidden and do not poke out. So looking at the kitchen from a distance, all the bottoms look the same. Yes, my wife is 5'3 and I'm 5'11. Maybe that's a factor.

    I like the Ikea LED. How did you hide the wires?

    Thanks!

  • hestia_flames
    15 years ago

    We drilled a hole up through the cabinet (can't see it - it is behind the frame,) hid the wires and the transformer there (ours is an open cabinet, but high enough so that we do not see the wires to the side) then a small hole in the back to bring the plug down to the outlet. I do not know if it can be hard wired. Before I cut a hole in my cabinet bottom, I made sure that I really liked them. Ikea is pretty good about taking things back with a receipt if you don't like them. Plug it in and check it before you drill, as the light can be different - we had to experiment with different types of lights to find what we liked.

    I wonder if having the light on the tiles would put the focus on the tiles instead of the showing cabinet edge?

  • Buehl
    15 years ago

    Icenet, I think your idea of the rectangular insert would work. I'm surprised the cabinet doesn't have a front apron like on the sides & back...I thought most (all?) had the apron on all 4 sides.

  • icenet
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    This picture will help:

    The insert I have but I'm out of material for an apron or horizontal trim at the bottom front. Does everyone think this is important?

  • caryscott
    15 years ago

    I'd stall if I were you I bet in a week she will have forgotten about it (or gotten some perspective). The trim I can see (if it really really bothers her) but the insert seems sort of nuts to me.

  • hestia_flames
    15 years ago

    Now that I see the flanking cabinets and the beautiful tile on either side, I think that she is reacting to the lack of light. It is dark at the sink, at least between the two cabinets. Without light, the tile lacks life. So it appears unfinished. Is there any way to try lighting that area with a directed table lamp as an experiment (before making the trip to Ikea) to see if that is the case?

  • icenet
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    hestia,

    My recess lights are rotatable so I can point them towards the sink. It just may work. Major rewiring is too late to do I guess I'll put the insert in to make my wife and the under 5'2 crowd happy. :)

  • bmorepanic
    15 years ago

    Just to make you feel better, I agree with your spouse. I think the exposed cabinet bottom is melamine? Over time, the colors will diverge and it'll look crummy.

    Btw, that's a wonderful look with the glass tile, stainless and maple.

  • buddyrose
    14 years ago

    I agree with your wife. I had a similar situation with some of my shorter cabinets. When I looked up I saw the bottom and it just looked "off". So I had the trim or lip or apron... I guess it can be called a few things.... put on and it made all the difference. I no longer could see under the cabinet. It was a simple fix. Here's a photo of my middle shorter cabinets and you'll see what I mean. The cabinets are full overlay so the piece at the bottom of the glass ones is trim.

  • catsibiski
    14 years ago

    are those Ikea cabinets? If so what brand of undercabinet lighting did you use?

    I am using Ikea cabs, but don't like the decor molding, so I wanted to find lights that you couldn't see, but didn't need to decor strip.

    It looks like you have the solution!