The Easy, Affordable Upgrade That Will Make Your Kitchen Look More Expensive

Sure, a slew of brand-new cabinets and sleek stone countertops will make your kitchen look both expensive and on-trend. However, smaller and more subtle updates can have the same impact, and they don't have to break the bank, either. Swapping out drawer pulls and cabinet knobs, adding peel-and-stick backsplash tiles, and even changing light fixtures can elevate kitchens without a significant investment in time, construction costs, or DIY effort. If you add under-cabinet lighting, you'll give your current kitchen a noticeable upgrade that looks far more expensive than it costs. 

Under-cabinet lighting is a simple addition that offers a number of perks for homeowners. While they increase visibility (which is handy for cooking), they also make your kitchen look more expensive and elevated by increasing the room's overall brightness. Adding under-cabinet lighting can make your cabinets appear custom-made for your kitchen, and it can make dark or dimly lit older kitchens feel more welcoming with lights fine-tuned to your preferences in brightness and color temperature. These light fixtures also highlight details, such as your backsplash or your favorite decor pieces. 

Before you choose any kind of under-cabinet lighting, though, you'll want to consider the installation method. Some light strips or pucks simply stick onto the underside of cabinets, while others may need to be drilled into place for a more permanent setup. Both lighting styles can deliver varying levels of illumination, but stick-on options tend to require batteries or regular recharging, while other types can be plugged into an electrical outlet or hardwired, albeit for extra cost.

Any under-cabinet lighting can make your kitchen look and feel elevated or expensive, but in general, it's an affordable upgrade. On average, adding under-cabinet lighting costs about $200 to $800. The price ultimately depends on a few key factors, namely the type of light fixture and how many you're adding. For example, under-cabinet puck lights can deliver a more targeted spotlight-style effect, and you can choose options that stick on the underside of cabinets without requiring more installation. These fixtures can cost anywhere from $10 to $30 per light. 

Strip lighting, light bars, or rope lights, on the other hand, are longer and can light more of your countertop. These under-cabinet lights tend to create more even lighting across your countertops, which can improve illumination for cooking or reading recipes, or they can add a subtle, warm glow throughout your kitchen. Strip lights can cost anywhere from $20 to $50 per foot, while light bars are a bit more costly and fall between $30 to $60 per fixture. As an added perk, strip lights can (depending on the exact style you choose) often be cut to size for super simple customization.

In addition to considering which type of fixture you like best, it's also important to consider the type of choose the right light bulb colors or temperature. Under-cabinet lighting can use LED, fluorescent, xenon, incandescent, or CFL bulbs. LED is the most energy-efficient, long-lasting, and popular pick, and these bulbs are available in a wide range of color temperatures so you can easily find bright white or warm yellow lighting for task or accent lighting.