Undercabinet with smooth illumination

13 years ago

We're trying to figure out fixture type and fixture placement for undercabinet lighting over the dark, polished granite counters and a mirrored backsplash we're planning to install in our kitchen. To get smooth illumination, energy effciency and a temperature that will blend with our overhead halogen track lighting (MR 16 50W) without backsplash mirror glare, will we need to go with a warm flourescent installed at the back of the cabinet? Or are there LEDs with smooth illumination and CRI and kelvins to blend with the overhead halogens? Any dimmable solutions?

BTW - We tested Phillips LED ew Powercore (2700) and didn't like the hard beads of light it threw on the granite sample.

Any advice will be appreciated. TIA.

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Comments (5)

David
13 years ago
Dimmable solutions would probably involve either xenon/ halogen or led.

To soften the reflection, use lights with diffuser covers.

All lights (halogen/ xenon / led) will have hard beads of light if there is no diffuser.
dodge59
13 years ago
There is a company in North Vancouver BC that makes smooth Led light panels. I am thinking of updating my backlit onyx around my fireplace with their smooth panels. Right now I have it backlit with Xenons and of course you see the bright spots from the individual bulbs.
Check the link at the bottom of my post to see their web-site. I live in Calif and have no connections with this company other than I may be buying their products in the near future---I'm thinking of doing an Onyx countertop in one or 2 of our bathrooms and from what I've seen and the info they have sent to me, this looks like a possible very nice way to backlight it---Alas, I will have to delay it a bit, as I am recovering from almost being "Terminated" along with Oh Mama, getting what the terminator didn't
(Taxes)
Good luck with your design!

Gary

Here is a link that might be useful: LED Light Panels
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David
13 years ago
Looks really interesting. The design potential is HUGE.

Wonder how much it would cost though.
galleycook
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for the suggestions, Gary and David. The Nu World panels look fantastic for backlighting your onyx fireplace surround. (If you do it, please post pics.) I'm not sure they'll work for UC but I'm going to take a closer look.

Unfortunately, the LEDs I tried out had a diffuser but still threw down hard beads.

Philips is planning to introduce a light bulb, later this year, that will really compete with a standard incandescent bulb. It looks like it has great, smooth illumination. If so, no telling how long it would take for that tech to migrate to u/c lighting.

We're probably going to go with a low voltage xenon from WAC.
dodge59
13 years ago
David, the price varies according to the size of the panel/
panels that you need for your particular project.
They were very fast in giving me a quote for mine.
I guess they do a lotta commercial bldgs too, according to their website.

Once we recover from the various Govt's Pillaging --- etc etc, I will post before and after pics of my backlit onyx fireplace.

Gary