Phantom Lighting System

Kitchen cabinet lighting with Phantom linear strips allows the architect and builder a complete freedom of application, and it allows the homeowner and interior designer to expand the decorative quality of kitchen lighting in general. Custom kitchen undercabinet light fixtures manufactured to the exact mounting requirements and dimensions of cabinet undersurfaces and interiors allow designers to source exceptional glare-free luminance thanks to a proprietary method of shielding makes it possible to light countertops, backsplashes, and cabinet interiors with true luxury quality lighting.

We recommend that architects and builders give strong consideration to the benefits of using our linear lighting strips equipped with the latest LED undercabinet lighting technology. We have patented a new festoon lamp design that combines a high intensity light output with a very low heat output. This allows our kitchen cabinet lights to work as completely concealed light sources both underneath cabinets and inside closed cabinets with glass doors.

Kitchen under cabinet lighting can provide an elegant source of task lighting for cabinets and backsplashes. Because they mount on the front undersurface of the cabinet and direct the light across the countertop toward the backwash, illumination more evenly spreads across the surface. The patented shielding that we build into these strips minimize reflective glare to the greatest extent allowable by the laws of physics and reflection. Builders have long noted after they have installed our kitchen under counter lights that homeowners complimented our products on creating both a better work area and a more decorative expression the granite and marble counters commonly found in custom kitchens.

Many of these kitchen cabinets are built with glass doors that allow collections of fine china and dinner ware to be viewed and admired. Illuminating these collections has long been a challenge for builders and designers. Many xenon linear light strips are manufactured specifically for this purpose, but all of them generate heat buildup that limits the amount of time the homeowner can leave them on. Both incandescent and xenon lamps, though very elegant in color temperature and luminance levels, simply radiate too much heat for long periods of operation.

This was one of the LED lighting advantages that led our engineering team to develop the 2800K LED festoon, which is a near-identical match to the color temperature of xenon. The naturally cooler burn of the LED, linked to a unique heat sink we also engineered to work specifically with our cabinet lights, now makes it possible to have the highest quality of light shine radiantly from within cabinet interior space with virtually no forward throw heat. Even more decorative are the effects of these lights when they are dimmed. Low-level lighting can be set at night when the rest of the lights in the room are turned off, allowing late-night guests to admire collections bathed in the warm amber glow of the only high-end warm color LED cabinet lighting on the market. LED also offers the additional advantages of low-power consumption and the longest lamp life of any luminaire on the market, so homeowners can expect a return on their investment in the form of power bill savings and minimized replacement costs.

Phantom kitchen 12 volt LED home cabinet lights can be manufactured as either horizontally or vertically mounted fixtures, depending on the size and build of the cabinet. Because every fixture is cut to the precise dimensions of the surface to which it affixes, ordering these lights simply a matter of calling our factory and publishing drawings or specifications to our team. Our design consultants will answer any questions you may have about which trim mounts and colour temperatures will best work with your cabinet interior and the material build and aesthetic qualities of your counter tops and backsplashes.

Our undercabinet lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas. Feel free to contact us toll free at 800-863-1184 for assistance.

We have a network of nationwide distributorships and Phantom lighting sales reps than fan out throughout all 50 states into cities like Scottsdale, Arizona, Seattle, Washington (SEA), Los Angeles, CA, (LAX) Boston, Massachusetts (BOS), Princeton, NJ (EWR), Philadelphia, PA, Dallas, Texas (DWF), Pasadena, California, Chicago, IL (ORD), Baltimore, MD (BWI), and Minneapolis, MN (MSP).

Architects know that every home they design has kitchens, and every kitchen has cabinets that need proper lighting. Beneath these cabinets are counter tops that serve a dual purpose of decoration and multi-task utility. Shadows in these spots are both unattractive and possibly hazardous. Eliminating these dark areas with kitchen under counter lights instantly improves the aesthetic and safety of utility areas, and can play a major contributing role in a home buying decisions.

To ensure that the most important elements of kitchen under cabinet lighting are met, architects must move beyond generic puck lights and outdated fluorescent “energy savers” toward a more robust engineering and manufacturing design that captures the intentions of an artist with the precision of a scientist.

Phantom TL series kitchen under cabinet lighting is one of the few strip lights that offer LED lamping in color temperatures that are aesthetically complimentary to the granite and marble counter tops common in high-end homes. Warmer color tones look best under the 2800K led festoon, and cooler temperatures can be accented using our 2950K. These options offer home buyers a long-term return on investment on the front-end costs of the strips. The energy efficiency of LED, which is up to 60% more than that of any other form of lighting, accrues a savings that offsets initial purchase costs. Also, LED lamp life of 40,000-50,000 bulb hours eliminates the need for frequent maintenance and makes bulb replacements very rare.

LED under cabinet lights can also play a contributing role in reducing cooling costs. Most people who invest in under cabinet fixtures tend to want to leave them on in the kitchen if and when it is safe to do so. A hot-burning light source is going to trigger the thermostat to activate the HVAC system, driving up power bills in the process. However, LED light bulbs emit light electronically rather than chemically through the ignition of gas in a sealed glass container. This makes them a very low-heat source of illumination, perfectly safe to burn throughout the night, and negligible in terms of impact on room temperature.

For applications that require color temperatures ranging from 3000K-5000K, Phantom also offers xenon under cabinet lighting options that offset the higher power consumption curve with dimmability options and low-voltage transformers engineered to curtail excessive electrical consumption. Our purpose is to provide our commercial design clients with the full range of necessary color temperature compliments to every cabinet build, interior decorating scheme, and general lighting requirements they may encounter in custom home design.

The linear strips that power our low voltage cabinet lights are sophisticated pieces of engineering in their own right. These linear strips are very small in comparison to most competing models, and they are much easier to conceal beneath the surfaces of a variety of cabinet sizes and custom builds. Two very important features of these lighting strips work to eliminate not only shadows, but also reflective glare. Rather than mounting in the center of the under surface like puck lights, or in the back as many fluorescent fixtures install, Phantom TL light strips fit under the front of kitchen cabinets. Special glare shields that are built into the lights direct the light backward away from the eyes and across the utility areas under countertops. Dimmer controls allow the homeowner to adjust lighting levels to match those created by general overhead lighting. This adjustability allows the end user to create a contiguous luminous that is both sourceless and seamless from the viewer’s perspective, and creates a very attractive setting for gatherings, parties, and cooking demonstrations.

Phantom Lighting makes it easy for architects to incorporate our kitchen under cabinet lighting fixtures into their custom home designs. Each fixture is custom cut to the dimensions provided to us by the architect. The choice of LED or xenon sourcing is determined (with the help of a Phantom specialist if need be), and a purchase order for custom manufacturing of the fixtures is set in order.

Our undercabinet lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas. Feel free to contact us toll free at 800-863-1184 for assistance. We have a network of nationwide distributorships and Phantom lighting sales reps than fan out throughout all 50 states into cities like Scottsdale, Arizona, Seattle, Washington (SEA), Los Angeles, CA, (LAX) Boston, Massachusetts (BOS), Princeton, NJ (EWR), Philadelphia, PA, Dallas, Texas (DWF), Pasadena, California, Chicago, IL (ORD), Baltimore, MD (BWI), and Minneapolis, MN (MSP).

We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer sales representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

Undercounter lighting is necessary to both the aesthetics and overall functionality of kitchen design and workflow. Dark spots under cabinets make it hard to see colors and work with tools. Food preparation is difficult (and sometimes a bit unsafe) if you do not have an adequate source of glare-free light to work with. It is also more difficult if the light is unevenly distributed or brighter in some places than in others.

Fluorescent under cabinet lights have long been used for undercounter lighting sources for many reasons. Originally developed as energy efficient task lights, fluorescents could operate for long hours with lower energy cost and less frequent lamp replacements. It made sense to then adapt these same sources to indoor task lighting applications like under undercounter kitchen lighting. In some ways, they are ideal for this task—provided the lighting is uniform and aesthetic outcome is not the highest priority.

Fluorescent undercounter kitchen lights are segmented fixtures that mount in series underneath the rear of the cabinet. Depending on type and origin of manufacture, these segments vary in length. Ideally, these segments can be lined from side to side, end to end, and evenly distribute light across the countertop.

Fluorescent undercounter lighting can work very well in such a setting if the counter features a matte finish that reflects virtually no light, and provided that the fixtures can completely line the posterior undersurface of the cabinet. You will encounter problems, however, if you are looking to build a custom home with more sophisticated cabinetry and countertop design.

Custom cabinets vary and cabinet light solutions cut to standard lengths cannot precisely match their horizontal surface. A series of fluorescent fixtures can still be installed here, but there will be gaps on one end or both due to the fact that standard lengths, even when combined, may not precisely match horizontal measurements. You will see an immediate, noticeable deterioration in the quality of undercounter lighting. Dark spots will appear under the sides of your cabinet due to the lack of lighting uniformity.

The problem becomes more compounded if you are planning to install a granite or marble countertop. Because these surfaces are so reflective, glare becomes just as much of an enemy as shadow. Fluorescent undercounter lights installed at the back of the cabinet will not work here because they will shine light forward across the counter which will then reflect up into the eyes.

For these situations, LED undercounter lighting with linear strips is much more effective than fluorescent lighting. Because they mount to the forward undersurface of the cabinet, they direct light backward away from the eyes and provide a higher quality aesthetic. Custom made strips are to be preferred above standard-sized linear strips because they can be manufactured to fit the exact horizontal dimensions of the cabinet. Glare shields should also be present, with options in light distribution angles offered by the manufacturer as well. Lights should also fitted with dimmers so homeowners can adjust countertop lighting to match general room lighting levels. Furthermore, multiple lamp options should be made available to the builder who needs freedom of choice in selecting light source and color temperature.

To meet all of these requirements, Phantom Lighting engineered the TM series linear task light for kitchen cabinet lighting. The TM strip light can be fitted with your choice of incandescent, xenon, or LED festoon lamps. This series comes in 5 available trims, each one having a specific light distribution angle that allows you to precisely match beam spread in kitchen cabinet lighting applications. TM linear strips are 100 percent dimmable, so homeowners can easily and instantly adjust light levels. Each strip is also glare shielded to minimize spill light and direct the majority of luminance away from the eyes into the back splash.

We have further developed our technology with the patenting a new LED festoon lamps that can closely imitate the color rendering and luminance output of xenon—at only 60 percent of the power consumption. Furthermore, heat sinks built into our festoons make it a cool-operating light source that can be left on for long periods of time without measurable heat buildup.
You can order Phantom LED festoons in the warm color temperature of 2800K, the slightly cooler 2950K, and the cool color 5000K. You can also order incandescent and xenon lamps in the same color temperatures for special, luxury under counter lighting applications. If this is your decision, we recommend you use dimmer controls to minimize heat and power consumption, which will also help keep temperature down and maximize lamp life.

We manufacture cabinet lighting fixtures in our Houston, Texas facility. A network of nationwide lighting supply sales representatives fans out throughout all 50 states into cities like Scottsdale, Arizona, Seattle, Washington (SEA), Los Angeles, CA (LAX) Boston, Massachusetts (BOS), Princeton, NJ (EWR), Philadelphia, PA (PHL), Dallas, Texas (DWF), Chicago, IL (ORD), Baltimore, MD (BWI), and Minneapolis, MN (MSP). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

We invite you to contact us toll free 800-863-1184 to obtain more information on all of kitchen and display lighting products. You can also request cabinet lighting literature on our Phantom Lighting website, visit our Phantom Lighting mobile website, or read through the many informative summaries and FAQs located on our cabinet lighting blog. All of these resources, including our online virtual lighting showroom contain a wealth of information about our custom; low-voltage lighting products that are the dream come true of art lighting designers and cabinet lighting builders on two major continents.