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A Stylish Way To Illuminate Your Workspace

There are lots of "designer features" that homebuyers can incorporate into to their new home that not only increase function, but add beauty as well. PATCO offers a wide range of these customization options, many of which can be experienced right at our New Home Personalization Studio in Sanford. One of the most valuable additions you can add to your kitchen, office space or shelving unit is under cabinet lighting. It provides a source of evenly distributed light that can make work tasks easier while adding a touch of style!
 
Typically, you'll find under cabinet lights used in the kitchen. Whether you're mixing, shredding, slicing, or dicing, having task lights in the kitchen creates a space where cooking is easier, safer, and more enjoyable. But, don't limit your imagination to the kitchen. The bright, focused illumination from an under cabinet light's slim profile is also ideal for home offices, hobby rooms, bookcases, shelving, and more. Basically, it excels as an application in any area where you need task lighting and want the look to be contemporary and subtle. 
 
Under cabinet lights are also regularly referred to as under counter lights, undermount lights, under the cabinet lighting, task lighting fixtures, kitchen under cabinet lighting and under cupboard lighting.
 
Energy Efficiency
If your main priority is to find the light fixture that uses the absolute minimum amount of electricity, you will want to check out LED under cabinet lights. These light fixtures use as little as 5 watts of electricity. Efficiency is a general term that can be measured in a few different ways. For example, you might compare the amount of light output per watt of energy consumed. In fact, the term for that is efficacy. Another option, fluorescent under cabinet lights, have the best rated efficacy,  delivering impressive light output while consuming very little energy. Keep in mind that using a dimmer will maximize efficiency of your light fixture as well. If you install your lighting with dimmer switches, you'll decrease your energy use significantly, while enabling you to control the rooms ambiance. What a great way to add a bit of drama to your decor!
 
Heat Output
If you're installing your lighting directly beneath kitchen cabinets that are storing perishable food, you have to consider heat output from the light fixtures. Here's the deal: LED light fixtures are cool to the touch. Next on the heat output scale is fluorescent under cabinet lights, which also give off very little heat. Xenon lights are a little hotter than fluorescent but still cooler than halogen - the hottest type of undercabinet light.
 
Lighting Quality
Which fixtures produce light that's similar to incandescent lighting. Did you know that xenon lighting is a type of incandescent light source? The only distinction between the two is that there is a little bit of xenon gas incorporated into the glass envelope of a xenon light bulb. That gas helps lengthen the lifetime of the light fixture. Essentially, xenon light fixtures are incandescent lights that have been engineered for increased efficiency. You can also find the familiar warm glow of an incandescent light bulb in warm white fluorescent light or warm white LED lights. Look for color temperatures of 3200K or lower.
 
If you have granite countertops in your new kitchen, you may be wondering about how the under cabinet lighting will reflect. Since granite is a highly polished surface, you are going to see a reflection of the light fixture no matter what. The best way to minimize the reflection is to ensure your light fixture has a lens over the light bulbs.
 
If you've always loved the look of under cabinet lighting, talk to your PATCO design / build team about this great designer feature. Just imagine your brand new kitchen with this extra "wow" factor!
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