Show Off Your Granite Countertops with Under Cabinet Lighting

Last Updated on February 21, 2022

If you invest money in granite countertops, you want to make sure they are displayed in their best light. Kitchen cabinetry can create dark shadows that cause your beautiful countertops to blend in with the backsplash. General lighting from the ceiling just doesn’t reach those countertops. Adding under cabinet light fixtures will illuminate your granite countertops, calling attention to the texture and colors.

Also, the right under cabinet lighting for granite countertops will provide valuable task lighting for cooking/food preparation. You’ll enjoy it as another “layer” of light for your kitchen. Many homeowners even leave their under cabinet lighting on at night for a subtle night light.

The key thing to remember with granite countertops is that they can create a mirrored effect. It’s a beautiful, glossy surface; but you have to be careful with the type of under cabinet lighting you install above your granite countertops. You’ll want to avoid a situation where the actual light fixture is reflected right onto your countertop. To get the lighting without the reflective light fixture, make sure you choose a light fixture that has a lens over the light bulb. This way, reflections will be minimized.

Another important consideration in selecting under cabinet lighting for granite countertops is to think about the primary color tones in your kitchen.  Dark-colored countertops and backsplashes tend to visually suck up light.  Make sure your light fixtures give off a good deal of light output (called “lumens” in the lighting industry) if your counters, backsplashes, floors, wall color, etc. are primarily dark.

When you start shopping, you’ll notice that under cabinet lighting is divided into two types in terms of the fixture style: puck and linear.  Puck lights are small, typically circular light fixtures that create pools of light on the kitchen countertop. If you go with puck lights, make sure to install one puck light for every six to ten inches of space.

Linear (also known as strip) under cabinet lights are the more common of the two. Linear light fixtures are long and thin, and distribute light more evenly across the countertop. They are designed to fill up the space beneath each cabinet cavity and are sold in standard increments of length. If you go with linear, you should try to select the longest light fixture that will still fit under your cabinet.

Whether you select puck or strip lights, enjoy choosing under cabinet lighting for your new granite countertops!

Emily Widle is a blogger for Pegasus Lighting, an online retailer that sells a wide selection of under cabinet lighting, among other unique lighting products for homes and businesses.