Can’t argue with the undercabinet lighting—total game changer. I added those LED strips last year and now I wonder how I ever chopped onions without them. I hear you on recessed cans too.
—that’s exactly why I skipped pendants over my island. I like the look, but I’d rather not have to clean them or worry about knocking one loose. For me, function wins out over fancy every time.“no fuss, no dusting fixtures every week”
I totally get the appeal of skipping pendants—less to clean, less to bump your head on when you’re half-awake making coffee. But I’ll admit, I’m a sucker for a statement light over the island. I went with a single big pendant (matte black, nothing too fussy) and honestly, it’s not as bad to keep clean as I thought. Maybe because it’s higher up? Or maybe I just don’t notice the dust...
Undercabinet LEDs are non-negotiable for me now though. The difference they make is wild—no more weird shadows when you’re trying to see if your chicken is actually cooked through. Recessed cans are great for general light, but I do miss having a dimmer option sometimes. If I could redo mine, I’d probably add more zones or smart bulbs so I could tweak the mood without rewiring everything.
At the end of the day, function wins for me too... but if you can sneak in a little style without extra hassle, why not?
Pendants just seem to collect dust in my house, no matter how high up they are—maybe it’s the airflow or something? I actually swapped mine for a couple of flush mounts and haven’t missed the “statement” look much. The extra headroom is nice if you’re tall, too. I get the style thing, but I’d rather not have to climb a stepstool every month just to keep things looking decent. Anyone else feel like undercabinet LEDs sometimes make the backsplash glare, though? Maybe I just need better diffusers...
Honestly, you’re not alone—pendants are dust magnets, especially in open floor plans where airflow kicks up everything. Flush mounts are a solid call for easy maintenance and headroom. As for the undercabinet LEDs, glare is usually down to cheap strips or poor diffusers. Swapping in higher quality diffusers or even angling the lights slightly can make a big difference. I’ve seen a lot of folks regret skipping that step just to save a few bucks...
I hear you on the dust—pendants look great in photos, but in real life? I swear mine collect more fuzz than my dog’s bed. I keep thinking, is there a way to get that “statement” look without the constant cleaning? Maybe a semi-flush mount with a cool shape could work, but I haven’t found one that doesn’t break the bank.
About the undercabinet LEDs, I totally get what you mean about glare.
Did you find any budget-friendly diffusers that actually help? I tried some cheap stick-on ones and they just made everything look yellow. Is it worth spending more upfront, or is there a DIY hack for this? Sometimes I wonder if just using warmer bulbs would help, or if that’s just wishful thinking.“Swapping in higher quality diffusers or even angling the lights slightly can make a big difference.”
Anyone else try motion sensors for undercabinet lights? I’m tempted, but worried they’ll just turn on every time my cat walks by...
