You'll probably get lots of suggestions for the undercabinet lighting brands. There are some good LED and fluorescent options.

It is not clear how you are going to get power to the area and where you want the switch to be located. Assuming you have power in the wall or you can drop a wire into the wall from above or below, then it should be relatively easy. In my experience, the easiest option is to remove a large square/rectangular chunk of sheetrock. Ideally you will want to cut the sheetrock in the middle of a stud so that you can refasten it to the wall. Most walls studs are 16" on center, so I would recommend pulling 16 or 32" of sheetrock (by about a foot high). Nothing worse than taking our a small chunk of sheetrock and needing to remove another chunk (or two) to finish the job. If you cut the sheetrock carefully, you can reuse the piece when you are done.

Given that you will be installing a new backsplash, that will make it quite easy for you and you won't have to worry too much about the mud job.

Best.

I used low voltage xenon lights under my cabinets:

Manufacturer's site:
http://www.americanlighting.com/products.cfm?ID=91

One place to buy them:
http://www.csnlighting.com/American-Lighting-LLC-044-12-BK-ALI2110.html

The good thing about low voltage (12v) lighting is that you can run wires in places that you cannot (or should not) run line current (120V). The down side is that you need a transformer, and a place to put it.

The transformer is not large - I installed it into the valance above the sink. From there, I drilled holes into the cabinets and ran all of the wiring inside the cabs for six lights total. My cabs are face frame so there so it was easy to attach the wires inside the frame in a way that they are hidden.

The only drywall work I had to do was to open up the area where the existing single-gang box and switch was and replace it with a double-gang box and switch. The existing switch was for the lighting above the sink and I wanted to have that separate from the controls for the under-cab lights.

Also, these lights can be dimmed - I put a Lutron dimmer switch on mine. I would like to have put in LEDs (cooler, and use less energy) but they cannot be dimmed.

Total cost was about $170 for six lights and the transformer. They look great - having the area under the cabinets lit makes a huge difference. Although I ordered the finished steel to match my kitchen, unless you really look for the lights you don't see them as they are hidden by the cabinet lip.

I'm thinking I can add an additional switch next to an existing light switch and use that to feed an outlet above a cabinet. Sit the transformer on top of a cabinet and plug into the outlet and run the low-voltage line behind or between cabinets.

How far apart do you typically space the puck lights?

Part of your choice depends on the kind of effect you want. Do you want scallops of light on the walls? If so, puck lights are your best bet, but remember most of them are almost impossible to change bulbs in. Halogen is super hot; xenon is warm but not burning hot. LED pucks are also available. I looked at the American Lighting Xenon fixtures this weekend and thought they had a nice color temperature for task lighting.

If you want a smooth wash of light, LED or fluorescent are the way to go. LED's are about 3x the price of fluorescent and less efficient at this point. (Like the LED Ruler, about $100 per foot.) The technology is in flux, so if you have a bad unit down the road you may have to replace the whole system. The new warm LEDs look pretty good.

T5 flurorescents are a lot for bang for the buck, you can replace bulbs easily and get all kinds of different color temperatures. But they are bigger, and if you don't have a moulding around the bottom of the cabinets to hide the fixtures, they'll be less attractive.

I was on a quest for low profile under cab lighting (we aren't putting in a valence). I found this:

It's only 3/4 of an inch deep, super bright, and ultra cool (temperature wise). It's not technically dimmable, but it does have a high/low toggle switch. Plus, it runs on regular old 120 volt and can either be hardwired or plugged in. No transformer necessary!!!

I don't have it yet, but it looks like possibly the perfect light for us.

Can you give me a link to that or tell me what it is and who makes it?

It is made by American Fluorescent. I ordered mine at lightingdesignexperts.com. They had a great shipping policy (I'm in Canada) and a price match guarantee. I ended up paying $69/each (I needed 3 of them).

FYI, I showed all the specs to my electrician and he's really excited to see it in real life. Evidently the design won some kind of innovative lighting award!

I ordered it from

Here is a link that might be useful: I bought mine here

>>>I'm thinking I can add an additional switch next to an existing light switch and use that to feed an outlet above a cabinet. Sit the transformer on top of a cabinet and plug into the outlet and run the low-voltage line behind or between cabinets. That's exactly what I did - except I hid my transformer in a valance, and hard-wired it to house voltage - worked great.

>>>How far apart do you typically space the puck lights?I've got one for each foot of cabinet length - works great, and no noticeable "scalloping".

>>>If so, puck lights are your best bet, but remember most of them are almost impossible to change bulbs inMine are halogen, and changing the lights takes about 30 seconds. Yes, the bulb is basically the size of a dime with two wire leads, but you just pull the old light out, then slide the new one in, pop the cover back on, and slide it back into the housing.

skali, please keep us posted on how those lights work out. I am considering using them too.
TIA
Suzette

Will do, Suzette! Till then, I don't mind admitting that I have high hopes it will be very bright, cool to the touch, and easy to install!!

skali, how are those under cabinet lights working out? I am considering using them too.
TIA
Suzette

yesterday's post did not move this thread up, trying one more bump

We are also now considering adding under cabinet lights so I like this thread : ) In our new kitchen, there is only 14" between cabinets and counters and we are getting shadows under the cabinets that we didn't get with the old kitchen.

Because we weren't going to have under cabinet lights, we didn't plan ahead for them. We don't have an official light rail, but if we install lights there is a 3/4" trim on the bottom of the cabinets that I'm hoping will hide the lights.

Is there an LED light strip that could be hidden behind this 3/4"? Our backsplash isn't in yet so this is the time to make a hole and run the wires. We have an electric outlet that my husband said we can tie into.

I've been looking into LED rope lights. You can find them all over Google. 1/2" diameter is typical although you can also find 3/8". That should stay hidden behind your 3/4" frame.

skali, how do like those lights?. I am considering using them too. (hopefully soon!)
TIA
Suzette