13 Stunning Under Cabinet Lighting Ideas That Will Have Your Home Glowing

The perfect light choice can make all the difference to the aesthetics of a room. While an overstated chandelier with dripping cascades of shiny crystals is the focal point, strategically placed cabinet lighting brings an air of refinement. This subtle, ambiance-enhancing illumination highlights the prettiest spaces of your home, like an elaborate backsplash and sleek architectural lines, or brings emphasis to an unexpected pop of color. 

Although an often overlooked design element, accent lighting can boost the functionality and beauty of your space. By adding brightness to the dimly-lit areas beneath and inside your cabinets — like closets, pantries, and a laundry room, for example — your home's vibe can go from ordinary to cozy elegance in a blink. Most under cabinet lights operate with LED lights, and when compared to incandescent lighting, they expend at least 75% less energy and last up to 25 times longer. These easy-to-install gadgets don't just ooze sophistication, they're a super practical, energy-efficient pick too. 

So, even if your home doesn't come with pre-installed under cabinet lighting, there are a slew of options for creating your ideal atmosphere. For example, light bars provide a bright, focused illumination, puck lights are perfect for inside cabinets, and light strips offer indirect lighting effects — and none require an electrician. To add a glowing scene to your cabinets and anywhere else begging for a little pizazz, read on for the different under cabinet light ideas that set the stage for every moment.

Light bars give off a more uniform illumination and are great in closets and under kitchen cabinets. The Rechargeable Motion Sensor Light Bars ($70 on Amazon) have a slim profile and add ambient lighting without a bunch of wires getting in the way. The motion sensor will only turn on with movement when natural light levels are low. So, if your kitchen is bright during the day, these lights won't turn on when you're moving around. Then once dusk comes, the light bars pop on just in time for extra, uniform light.

Tape lighting can illuminate and beautify the neglected nooks in your home, cupboards, or line cabinet shelves. They're also useful for providing ambient light under counters, like a bar area. Commercial Electric's Dimmable White Tape Light Kit Under Cabinet Light ($70 at Home Depot) is ready to go straight out of the box. This all-in-one LED accent light set brings a soft white glow, making it an affordable pick for adding just the right amount of accent lighting. Plug it into an outlet or have it hardwired to make the strip lights more permanent.

Puck lights put the brightness exactly where you need it, with uniform lighting to the surface below — like a spotlight. The GE Wireless LED Puck Lights ($10 on Amazon) are battery-operated, making them easy to hang and even easier to use. The touch-activated puck turns on and off with a quick tap, so it's ideal for tight spaces where you need focused lighting. Each puck comes with a bright white LED light that emits 20 lumens. It's available in two-, four-, and six-pack options. You won't ever have to worry about changing a light bulb again. 

Anywhere you put a spotlight will demand attention, and that's why it's perfect for brightening up and highlighting your china, crystal, collectibles, or other cherished pieces in an enclosed cabinet. The MITTLED LED spotlight ($15 at IKEA) is available in white, black, and aluminum colors for a smooth integration with your cabinet. Its warm white lumens pack a powerful punch, but it does have a dimmable option. The LED spotlight works with other IKEA smart home products. You'll also need the ANSLUTA LED Driver.

Add a bold splash of color to your kitchen cabinets with vibrant color-changing LED light strips that brighten and elevate your home, like this set from Govee ($70). Their rich colors can be changed to fit your mood or the season year-round. The Govee strip lets you choose multiple colors on just one strip light for a customized ombre look. Just use the Govee Home App to adjust the light strip's brightness, scene mode, timer, and color temperature. If you get bored with a colorful appearance, you can change it to different shades of white. 

Create a dramatic effect in any space with flexible rope lighting. It's great for the top and underneath of cabinets or providing lighting along your patio, since it casts light upward for a softer ambience. The MFWW Neon Rope Lights ($22 on Amazon) can be changed to a rainbow of colors whenever the mood strikes. It can sync with music by changing the light color with the beat of the music or during special times of the year. Plus, they come with 29 dynamic modes that are customizable through an app or the remote control.

For light that's easy to control, the Asoko Under Cabinet LED Plug-in Light ($30 on Amazon) has a rotary dimmer switch that adjusts to any brightness level (up to ‎1,200 Lumen). The under cabinet lights have an extra slim profile to wash your counters with bright white lighting. With its memory function, the next time it turns back on it defaults to the last setting. Although they don't have a timer function, these wired lights can be easily plugged into a smart timer. Besides countertops, these lights can also give a warm glow to your DIY crown molding.

When you're decorating your bathroom on a budget, adding mood lighting behind a mirror or cabinet can instantly boost the functionality and aesthetics of the space. Armacost Lighting's Under Cabinet Tape Light ($70 on Wayfair) lets you customize the battery-operated lights by dimming them or adding special effects. Its peel-and-stick mounting makes it easy for nonprofessionals to install and even easier for cutting to the right size for the space. Plus, it comes with two connectors to help connect cabinet corners. The remote control can operate up to three kits for larger, custom installations.

Illuminate those small spaces and tight corners in your closet with the Torchstar Under Cabinet Dimmable Linkable Light Bar plug-in kit ($62 on Wayfair) and draw attention to your favorite things, including your shoes, handbags, and more. Its 90-degree triangular design can be effortlessly installed and discreetly hidden under any cabinet or inside any closet cabinet, letting you connect up to six bars for a seamless light display. This versatile light bar has five color temperatures to pick from and each 12-inch light bar emits 150 lumens.

When you add special strip lights to baseboards and underneath those cabinets that are closer to the floor, you're bringing in a whole new aesthetic to your space. The Govee RGBIC LED Strip Lights ($90 on Amazon) have a cover over them to create softer, uniform lighting effects and feature 50 customizable segments and 64 scene modes. They can easily fit both inner and outer corners and can be adjusted by cutting them to the ideal length for your home's baseboards. Plus, this LED light strip can also be voice-controlled with Alexa or Google Assistant.

Not all ambient lighting will highlight the prettiest things in your home. Sometimes, it helps illuminate those things in the dark instead. The Brilliant Evolution Motion Sensor Puck Lights ($28 at Target) are perfect for sticking to the sides of cabinets inside a dark pantry or linen closet and will automatically turn on when you move within 10 feet of them and then turn off when the motion stops. Whether you're reaching for a towel, microwaveable macaroni and cheese, or some other essential, these sleek, battery-operated puck lights have your back with a quick, grab-and-go glow.

Cabinets aren't just found in your home. They're also inside your vehicle and can be illuminated with a plethora of light options. Enter the Govee Smart Car LED Strip Lights ($33 on Amazon). Not only do they make your vehicle stand out from the crowd, they're instant mood boosters that bring a new level of personalization to your car. The multicolor lights display more than one color at a time and have 30 scene modes and four music modes so the lights are jamming with you, which are customized through the Govee Home App.

This three-piece Multicolor Recessed Mount Puck Light set ($41 at Bed Bath & Beyond) adds color to your focused, under cabinet mood lighting and puts emphasis on any architectural or decorative places in your home. Featuring 16 different static colors, it adds a fun, colorful ambience to anything underneath with a touch of a button on the remote control. The LED lights offer a wide range of colors that can change from flash to strobe mode for an even more dynamic effect when you're hosting parties or just feel like changing up the overall vibe in your space.