Phantom Lighting - Tips from the Manufacturer
Original equipment manufactuer specializing in fine art lighting, art lights, picture lighting and cabinet, shelf and display illumination - See The Light, Not The Fixture!Friday, December 21, 2007
In Cabinet Lighting with Puck Lights and Low Voltage Linear Lighting Strips.
In cabinet lights come in two main varieties: puck and linear strips: Puck lights mount in the center of the cabinet’s upper top space and shine illumination downward in a widening, circular spread.
Linear light strips mount either along the back vertical top or bottom wall space, or as in the case of a Phantom strip, along the top-front horizontal cabinet strut. Linear strip lighting in cabinets will cascade and radiate downward, resulting in a gentler and even wash of light that puck lights generally do.
Phantom LED cabinet lighting strips are ideal for all display cabinets with the exception of those with mirrored back planes. They also provide very good task lighting in kitchen cabinets above eye level where the wiring and fixture of puck lights may appear unsightly to visitors opening cabinet doors.
Knowing these basic facts helps one to determine in advance what will work best for a particular purpose, environment, and task. The following examples constitute general guidelines recommended by our US Lighting Agents as helpful points to consider when choosing between fixture types.
Over the Counter Kitchen Cabinets:
Linear in cabinet strip lights are better here for the reasons already mentioned above. A puck light in a kitchen cabinet will instantly stand out to anyone who opens the cabinet. Also, the wires, the fixture, and the more intense concentration of light will also tend to work against the decorative design elements of today’s larger, more hospitality oriented kitchens.
Under counter cabinets:
On the other hand, the opposite is usually true with larger kitchen cabinets near the floor where pots and pans are stored. Puck lights in these cabinets remain hidden from normal view, and the more intense output they produce makes it easier to find utensils and cookware more quickly.
Fine Antique and Curio Cabinets:
Linear strip lights in cabinets are almost always superior to puck lights when decorative appeal is the foremost consideration. Linear in cabinet custom lighting strips like the ones we manufacture at Phantom are designed to hide themselves along horizontal or vertical shelf edges. This allows the viewer to better see lighted contents without noticing the fixtures.
Retail Display Cabinets:
Sporting good stores often display guns in cabinets with a red back plane and a glass door that keeps weapons safe under lock and key. You also see similar cases also used to display expensive diamonds and gemstones. Cabinet lights in these environments need to be as sophisticated and as low profile as possible to not only showcase the value of expensive merchandise, but to also emphasize higher price points with a truly complimentary, luxury lighting fixture.
Linear strips with LED or low voltage xenon lamps are good choices for doing this much more effectively than puck lights.
Understanding the three basic uses of almost all cabinetry will go a long way toward simplifying the process of choosing the right in cabinet lights. In the most broad and general terms, cabinets are either functional, decorative, or a synthesis of function and display. Lighting in a cabinet should support its general function and compliment its form without visual distraction or physical obstruction. Display lighting in cabinets must also convey an additional decorative element that enhances contents as well as containment. It is necessary to have these basics fixed firmly in mind before trying to make any decisions on what to purchase for your kitchen, bathroom, or antique collectibles, or retail showcase display.
Phantom Lighting in cabinet light strips combine sophisticated decorum with practical energy efficiency and user-friendly installation and adjustment features found nowhere else in the world. Detailed technical documents and informative articles on all six of our strip lighting products can be found throughout our website. You can also call 800-863-1184 for literature or other information about Phantom Lighting.
Linear light strips mount either along the back vertical top or bottom wall space, or as in the case of a Phantom strip, along the top-front horizontal cabinet strut. Linear strip lighting in cabinets will cascade and radiate downward, resulting in a gentler and even wash of light that puck lights generally do.
Phantom LED cabinet lighting strips are ideal for all display cabinets with the exception of those with mirrored back planes. They also provide very good task lighting in kitchen cabinets above eye level where the wiring and fixture of puck lights may appear unsightly to visitors opening cabinet doors.
Knowing these basic facts helps one to determine in advance what will work best for a particular purpose, environment, and task. The following examples constitute general guidelines recommended by our US Lighting Agents as helpful points to consider when choosing between fixture types.
Over the Counter Kitchen Cabinets:
Linear in cabinet strip lights are better here for the reasons already mentioned above. A puck light in a kitchen cabinet will instantly stand out to anyone who opens the cabinet. Also, the wires, the fixture, and the more intense concentration of light will also tend to work against the decorative design elements of today’s larger, more hospitality oriented kitchens.
Under counter cabinets:
On the other hand, the opposite is usually true with larger kitchen cabinets near the floor where pots and pans are stored. Puck lights in these cabinets remain hidden from normal view, and the more intense output they produce makes it easier to find utensils and cookware more quickly.
Fine Antique and Curio Cabinets:
Linear strip lights in cabinets are almost always superior to puck lights when decorative appeal is the foremost consideration. Linear in cabinet custom lighting strips like the ones we manufacture at Phantom are designed to hide themselves along horizontal or vertical shelf edges. This allows the viewer to better see lighted contents without noticing the fixtures.
Retail Display Cabinets:
Sporting good stores often display guns in cabinets with a red back plane and a glass door that keeps weapons safe under lock and key. You also see similar cases also used to display expensive diamonds and gemstones. Cabinet lights in these environments need to be as sophisticated and as low profile as possible to not only showcase the value of expensive merchandise, but to also emphasize higher price points with a truly complimentary, luxury lighting fixture.
Linear strips with LED or low voltage xenon lamps are good choices for doing this much more effectively than puck lights.
Understanding the three basic uses of almost all cabinetry will go a long way toward simplifying the process of choosing the right in cabinet lights. In the most broad and general terms, cabinets are either functional, decorative, or a synthesis of function and display. Lighting in a cabinet should support its general function and compliment its form without visual distraction or physical obstruction. Display lighting in cabinets must also convey an additional decorative element that enhances contents as well as containment. It is necessary to have these basics fixed firmly in mind before trying to make any decisions on what to purchase for your kitchen, bathroom, or antique collectibles, or retail showcase display.
Phantom Lighting in cabinet light strips combine sophisticated decorum with practical energy efficiency and user-friendly installation and adjustment features found nowhere else in the world. Detailed technical documents and informative articles on all six of our strip lighting products can be found throughout our website. You can also call 800-863-1184 for literature or other information about Phantom Lighting.
Labels: Cabinet Lighting Systems, Kitchen Cabinet Lighting, LED Linear Under Cabinet Lighting, Linear Lighting Strips, Low Voltage Cabinet Lighting, Puck Lights
