Flood Your Kitchen With Light

And transform it into a place you’ll love to be

- Brad Holden

I’ve tackled several kitchen projects over the years, but I’ve never made such a major improvement with so little time and money. I spent less than $350 and just four hours brightening our kitchen. My original intent was strictly practical: I just wanted better light to make food prep and cleanup easier. But replacing the single fixture with bright LEDs transformed the room, surprising me and amazing our guests.

LOW-PROFILE LEDs MADE IT EASY

Initially, I thought I’d install recessed can lights for a sleek look and lots of light. Then, I ran across these ultra-slim Halo LEDs by Eaton ($30 each). These LED lights are super bright (900 lumens) and have such a low profile (less than 1/2 in.) that you can even locate them directly under a joist if needed. They’re rated for insulation contact and wet locations, so you can use them in a shower or even outdoors. A switch on the side of the box lets you adjust the color temperature. They’re also dimmable.

All you need is a power supply, a means to cut round holes, 14-2 NM-B cable, basic electrical tools and a drill. The transformer box converts 120V to low voltage, and it’s UL-listed as a junction box with room for power in and power out. That lets you take power from the first box and string together as many lights as you want. You might need to fish wire, but aside from that, installation is easy. Several companies make a similar product, but this was in stock at the local home center.

1 LAY OUT THE NEW LIGHT LOCATIONS