“the real win is automation. I set mine to turn off everything at midnight, and I swear my electric bill dropped a bit, just from not leaving lights on all night.”
That’s exactly what I found too—automation is sneaky good. When we redid our kitchen, I hesitated about smart switches because it felt a bit techy for my taste, but honestly, being able to dim the lights for dinner or crank them up when we’re cleaning is way more useful than I expected. Plus, I set up a “morning” scene that brings up just the under-cabinet LEDs while the coffee brews. It’s oddly satisfying.
If I had to do it over, I’d probably go with even more layered lighting—recessed LEDs on dimmers, pendants over the island (with smart bulbs), and definitely those under-cabinet strips. The combo makes it feel cozy or super bright depending on what’s happening. Not sure the energy savings are massive, but it feels good knowing nothing gets left blazing all night.
I get wanting to keep things simple, but once you live with the convenience for a while, it’s hard to go back.
Layered Lighting Makes All the Difference
“If I had to do it over, I’d probably go with even more layered lighting—recessed LEDs on dimmers, pendants over the island (with smart bulbs), and definitely those under-cabinet strips. The combo makes it feel cozy or super bright depending on what’s happening.”
Couldn’t agree more about layering. I’ve seen so many kitchens where people just throw in a grid of recessed cans and call it a day, but honestly, that’s how you end up with a space that feels like a dentist’s office at night. Layering is where the magic happens—pendants for mood, under-cabinet for task, and then the general overheads for when you’re hunting for that one rogue spatula.
I used to be skeptical about smart switches too. My first thought was, “Do I really need my phone to turn on the lights?” But after living with them for a while, I’m hooked. The ability to set scenes is a game changer, especially if you’re juggling dinner, homework, and a dog that thinks the kitchen is his personal racetrack. I set up a “movie night” scene that drops everything to a warm glow—makes cleaning up popcorn way less depressing.
One thing I’d add: don’t underestimate toe-kick lighting. It sounds fancy, but it’s just LED strips along the base cabinets. At night, it’s enough to sneak in for a glass of water without waking up the whole house. Plus, it looks pretty slick.
Energy savings are nice, but honestly, the real win is just not having to nag everyone about leaving lights on. Automation does the nagging for you. If you’re on the fence about going all-in with smart stuff, maybe start with dimmers and under-cabinet strips—they’re low-commitment but make a big impact.
Funny how something as simple as lighting can totally change how a kitchen feels. It’s one of those things you don’t realize you care about until you get it right... or wrong.
The ability to set scenes is a game changer, especially if you’re juggling dinner, homework, and a dog that thinks the kitchen is his personal racetrack.
Not sure I’m totally sold on all the smart lighting. I get the convenience, but sometimes it feels like adding more tech than needed—especially when "automation does the nagging for you." I’ve had smart switches glitch out and leave us in the dark during a firmware update. If you’re going for efficiency and simplicity, I’d suggest just sticking with high-quality dimmable LEDs and skip the extra gadgets unless you really love tinkering. Fewer points of failure, less e-waste down the line. It’s not as flashy, but sometimes low-tech is just easier to live with long-term.
Honestly, I’m with you on the less-is-more approach. I’ve seen too many kitchens where a fancy system just complicates things. Have you tried layering basic dimmable LEDs with under-cabinet strips? It’s not “smart,” but it covers most needs without the headaches. Sometimes, reliability wins out over bells and whistles... especially when you’re mid-recipe and just need the lights to work.
I hear you on the reliability front—nothing worse than a “smart” system that decides to glitch when your hands are covered in dough. I usually recommend a three-layer setup: recessed dimmable LEDs for general light, under-cabinet strips for task areas, and a pendant or two over the island if you’ve got one. Keeps things simple but flexible. If you want to get fancy, a basic wall dimmer is about as high-tech as I’d go for most folks.
