Custom kitchen cabinet lighting involves a few components working together: a power source, a driver, a distributor, and the lights themselves. Once you understand how those pieces connect, specifying lighting for a project gets a lot simpler. This guide walks through each component and where it functions, then covers a few design tips to help you with your custom cabinet lighting plan.

Here’s How Custom Cabinet Lighting Works

The easiest way to picture cabinet lighting is to follow the power from the wall to the light:

Power → driver → distributor → light ports → lights

Each light plugs into a port. The driver manages the power. The distributor splits that power out to several lights. Once you can see that path, the rest of the components make sense.

Starting with Switches: How Lights Turn On

As a designer, one of the first things to think about is how the lights actually turn on and off. You have a few switch options:

• Compatible dimmer wall switch. Lets the client adjust brightness from the wall.
• Standard wall toggle or rocker. A simple on/off at the wall.
• Cabinet switches. These mount on the cabinet itself and include options like wave sensors and touch sensors, so the light responds to a hand motion or a tap.

In a hardwired setup, the electrician runs the switch to the driver. If the lighting is not wired in, the installer handles that connection instead.

One thing to flag early: the switch you choose affects the driver you need. More on that next.

Drivers: Getting Power to Your Lights

The driver takes power and sends it on to the lights. There are two types:

• Constant voltage drivers. Used for standard on/off lighting.
• Dimmable drivers. Required if you want dimming.

This is why the switch matters. If the client wants a dimmer, you pair a dimmable driver with a compatible dimmer switch. If they only need on/off, a constant voltage driver works.

We also offer a driver that plugs into a standard wall outlet. That makes installation easier because there is no hardwiring involved.

The driver should sit somewhere reachable in case it ever needs service. Common spots include a floor joist, a hood cabinet, or a base cabinet.

Distributors: Splitting Power to Multiple Lights

Once the driver has power, it connects to a distributor. A common one is the 6-way bearer. It gives you the light ports, and you can plug in up to six lights.

Need more than six lights? Add another distributor. You can also use a Bluetooth-enabled distributor, which lets the client control the lights from their phone.

Extension Leads: Giving Yourself Room to Connect

Sometimes the distance between a light and a distributor, or between a switch and a driver, is longer than the standard lead. Extension leads solve that. It is worth keeping a few on hand and ordering extra, so every connection reaches without a stretch.

Types of Kitchen Cabinet Lighting

Now that you understand the functional components of lighting, you can choose what type of custom lights you need. Two main types cover most projects: puck lights and strip lights. They do different jobs, and most well-lit kitchens use both.

Puck lights

Puck lights are small, round fixtures that throw a focused, direct beam. They create distinct pools of light rather than an even wash, which makes them a good fit for highlighting a specific spot. Think inside a glass-door cabinet, over a display shelf, or on a section of counter you want to draw attention to.

The mounting plates come in different colors, including silver and black, so the hardware can match the cabinet or hardware finish.

Strip lights

Strip lights are long, continuous runs of LEDs. Instead of spotlighting, they spread an even line of light across a surface. That makes them the go-to for under cabinet runs, toe kicks, floating shelves, and inside drawers. Anywhere you want a clean, consistent glow, strip lighting does the job.

Light Temperature

Both puck and strip lights can come in different temperatures. Color temperature changes the whole feel of a kitchen. It is measured in Kelvin (K), and lower numbers are warmer:

• Around 2700K. Warm and yellow-leaning. Cozy, relaxed, closer to a living space.
• Around 3000K. A common kitchen choice. Clean and bright, but still warm enough to feel comfortable.
• 4000K and up. Cooler and whiter. Good for task-heavy areas, though it can feel clinical if used everywhere.

The most important rule is consistency. Cabinet lighting should match the color temperature of the room’s other lighting. When the temperatures clash, the eye notices, and the kitchen feels off even if nothing is obviously wrong. Like when you replace light bulbs at different times and they all look a little different. That doesn’t work for a custom kitchen.

Where Kitchen Cabinet Lighting Works Best

Layered lighting creates the best atmosphere, where different lighting locations and types are added for different purposes, instead of hoping one overhead light will do the job. Most custom projects use a mix of locations and lighting fixtures to accomplish their lighting plan. Here are the common ones:

• Under cabinet. The most popular by far. It lights the countertop for prep work, and strip lighting gives the even coverage you want for a task surface.
• Toe kick. A soft glow at floor level. It looks great at night and makes base cabinets feel like they float.
• In-drawer. Lights up when the drawer opens, so the client can see what is inside.
• Glass-door cabinets. Shows off dishware or display pieces. Puck lights add a focused highlight, while strip lighting gives a fuller wash.
• Open and floating shelves. Accent lighting routed into the shelf keeps the fixture hidden.
• Above cabinet. Aimed up toward the ceiling for a soft ambient glow in the room.
• Pantry and interiors. Practical visibility in spots that usually sit in shadow.
• Overhead lighting: A wash of light for the entire space.

Design Tips for Planning Cabinet Lighting

1. Mix puck and strip lighting. Strip lighting gives you even coverage, and puck lighting adds focused accents. Mixing the two provides visual interest.

2. Layer your lighting. Think in layers rather than a single source. Under cabinet lighting for task work, toe kick lighting for a soft glow at night, and interior or shelf lighting for accent. Layers let the client set different moods for different moments.

3. Create the lighting plan with the cabinet design, not after. This is the big one. When lighting is part of the design from the start, you can route wiring cleanly, place drivers where they are easy to reach, and avoid awkward workarounds later. Lighting added as an afterthought tends to look like one.

4. Route the lighting in for a clean look. When the lighting is routed into the cabinetry during manufacturing, the wiring and fixtures stay hidden. The result is a cleaner finished look, with light that feels built in rather than added on.

5. Consider the style of the space. Contemporary spaces tend to favour strip lighting and traditional spaces often look at home with puck lights.

Cabinet lighting is one of those details that quietly makes a kitchen feel finished. When you plan it alongside the cabinetry and understand how the components fit together, it stops being complicated and becomes a tool you can use on every project.

Want to go deeper on integrated lighting and how to design it into your next project? Explore the Essential Lighting Components course through the Decor Academy.