How to Banish Kitchen Gloom: Genius Under Cabinet Lighting!

2 Materials
$26
30 Minutes
Easy

If you're like me and always on the lookout for simple and creative ways to enhance your living space, I've got a fantastic solution for you.


Today, I want to share an exciting project that will bring a whole new level of brightness and charm to your kitchen (or any other room!). It's all about adding DIY under cabinet kitchen lighting and trust me, the results are absolutely stunning!

Goodbye, kitchen gloom! Just look at that glow in the video—now it’s so bright and festiveicon

Before installing cabinet lights: Dark and gloomy kitchen

BEFORE: On this gloomy, rainy day, my house feels just as dim and dark even with all the windows. Whether it's days like today or the evenings, I've come to realize that I need some extra light to brighten up my kitchen. Let me show you how easily I achieve that below!

How to add lights to your kitchen cabinets

Tools and Materials for DIY Cabinet Lights :

  • Rope/tube lights (I purchased 18' but 10' is sufficient)
  • Command rope lighting hooks


Note: The rope lighting came with clips and screws for installation, but I found them impossible to work with. The screws were as tiny as the ones holding the ears of your sunglasses together, making the whole process horrible. So, I opted to give the Command brand clips a try instead. Not only were they much easier to use, but they also won't create any permanent holes under my cabinets, providing a convenient and reversible solution.

Removing blue protective paper from the sticky tab

1. Applying the Command Clips

To begin, I followed the instructions on the packaging and removed the blue paper to adhere the tape tabs to the Command clips.

Attaching the tab to the Command clip

Then, I stuck the tape tab to the back of the Command clip and applied pressure.

DIY ambient kitchen lighting

Next, I took the paper off of the other side of the tape tab.

Prepared Command clip

Here is what the clip should look like once the tape tab is correctly applied.

Attaching Command clips to the underside of the kitchen cabinets

2. Attach Command Clips to the Cabinet

Moving on, I took all of my Command clips and firmly attached them to the underside of my cabinets. It's essential to ensure that the wood surface is clean, free from cobwebs, and any other debris for a secure grip.

Kitchen lighting hacks

Apply pressure when sticking the clips to the wood. I used all of my Command clips, spacing them out every 4 inches.


Note: If you're able to install the clips with the tiny screws that came with the rope lights, STEPS 1 and 2 would basically just be you installing the clips with a drill.

Clipping the lights under the cabinets

3. Clip in Lights

Finally, just snap in the rope lights into the clips. I tried to keep mine as tight as I could so that there was no slack. It sounds a little tricky, but once you see how it’s done in the video, it’s actually pretty simple. 

DIY under cabinet lighting

DIY Kitchen Cabinet Lighting Tutorial

By installing command hooks under your kitchen cabinets and attaching rope/tube lights, you'll achieve genius lighting that not only brightens up your kitchen but also adds a festive touch. And here's the best part – this entire project is budget-friendly, costing just $26!

Resources for this project:
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Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 11 questions
  • Betty Schuh Brandes Betty Schuh Brandes on Jul 27, 2023

    Where do you plug the rope light into?

  • BJ Moreland BJ Moreland on Jul 28, 2023

    I used cup hooks to hang rope lights around the top of my screened porch. They might work here too. Love the idea. Thanks for sharing

  • Jennifer Alberini Jennifer Alberini on Aug 03, 2023

    What kind of command did u used? I’m going to order them today along with lights

Comments
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3 of 28 comments
  • Jaejae Jaejae on Jul 27, 2023

    I love it!

  • Dawn Dawn on Jul 28, 2023

    This is a great idea! Especially if you have a baby (midnight feeding), elderly relatives that have had to move in with you or just guests staying over. This eliminates falls and fumbling for light switches. True, it may not be everyone's taste but rude comments are not necessary.

    • GrandmamaFefe GrandmamaFefe on Sep 09, 2023

      That’s a great idea though , better than a night light but it lights the floor where you really need to see when walking

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