5 Fast, Affordable Kitchen Upgrades

Every modern, efficient kitchen needs two types of lighting: ambient and task. Ambient lighting is general room lighting that brightens the space. Task lighting is designed to illuminate specific work areas. While most kitchens have adequate ambient light, task lighting is often woefully insufficient. And that?s a concern because poor task lighting makes it difficult to work safely while preparing meals.

Fortunately you can dramatically, and easily, improve the task lighting in your kitchen by installing under-cabinet light fixtures. These slim, narrow fixtures fit into the shallow recesses beneath upper wall cabinets. There are two basic types of under-cabinet fixtures: hard-wired models, which must be connected to an electrical circuit and wall switch, and plug-in fixtures that have their own power cord and integrated switch.

Plug-in fixtures are the easiest to install. Each comes with specific installation instructions, but here?s the gist: Start by removing the plastic lens and bulb from the fixture. Then hold the fixture in position underneath the cabinet, close to the very front of the cabinet. (Mounting the fixture farther back will better illuminate the backsplash, but it won?t shine as much light on the countertop?s work surface.) Mark the location for the fixture?s screw-mounting holes on the underside of the cabinet. Now check the length of the screws provided with the fixture. Make sure they aren?t so long that they?ll poke through the inside of the cabinet?most cabinet bottoms are only about a 1/2-inch thick. Screw the fixture to the underside of the cabinet.

Now reinstall the bulb and lens and plug the fixture?s power cord into the nearest wall outlet. Turn on the light to make sure it works properly. Then, so that you don?t have a dangling cord, use small, insulated cable staples to secure the fixture?s power cord to the underside of the cabinet and along the back edge of the cabinet. Again, make sure the staples aren?t too long. Install one fixture under

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