I hear you on the charm of plug-ins, especially with those cloth cords—they can totally fit the vibe in a craftsman or an old bungalow. I’m still a hardwire fan, mostly for the clean lines and no tripping hazard, but I get wanting to keep things flexible. Ever tried running conduit on the outside of the wall and painting it to match? That’s my go-to when folks want the hardwired look but don’t want to tear into plaster. Curious if you’ve experimented with that or if visible cords just feel more honest to you?
I actually wrestled with this exact thing when we redid our kitchen last year. The idea of tearing into 100-year-old plaster made me break out in a sweat, so I went the surface conduit route too. Painted it the same color as the wall and honestly, you barely notice it unless you’re looking for it. I do like the honesty of visible cords sometimes, but in a kitchen where things get messy, less to wipe down is better for me. Did you find any tricks for making the conduit bends look neat around corners? That was my biggest headache...
Those corners are the bane of my existence, honestly. I tried those pre-bent elbows, but somehow they always looked a bit... off? Ended up using a heat gun and gently coaxing the conduit into shape—like convincing a stubborn cat to move. Not perfect, but once it’s painted, nobody cares. You’re right about less to wipe down in the kitchen too—cords + grease = nightmare.
like convincing a stubborn cat to move
That’s a pretty accurate description, haha. Did you find the heat gun method left any kinks or weird spots, or did it smooth out okay once you painted? I’ve always worried about melting the conduit too much. Also, are you running your lights on a dimmer, or just basic switches? I keep debating if dimmers are worth the hassle in a kitchen, especially with all the grease and dust that seems to collect on everything.
I was a little nervous about the heat gun too, but as long as I kept it moving and didn’t linger in one spot, it actually worked out fine. The conduit softened just enough to bend, and once it cooled down it held its shape without any weird warping. I gave it a light sanding before painting, which seemed to help everything look smoother. Definitely wouldn’t recommend cranking the heat up too high, though—learned that the hard way on a test piece that turned into a lumpy mess.
About the dimmers, I went for them mostly because I like having control over the brightness, especially in the evenings. Grease and dust are real issues, but I’ve found that the newer dimmer switches are easier to wipe down than I expected. Still, sometimes I wonder if it’s overkill for a kitchen. Do you find you actually use the dimming feature much, or does it just stay on full blast most of the time? I’m always curious if people end up using all those options or just stick to basics.
