Under-Cabinet and Accent Lighting

Under-cabinet and accent lighting is about the light source, the driver and the hiding places

Good under-cabinet and accent lighting should make the counter, shelf or display brighter without showing a mess of wires, plugs or hot spots. We install LED tape, puck lights and hardwired cabinet lighting for kitchens, coffee bars, wet bars, floating shelves, bookcases, display cabinets and millwork features across Toronto and the GTA.

The first decision is the fixture type. LED tape works well for long, even runs under wall cabinets, inside open shelving and along toe kicks or coves. Puck lights are better when you want a small pool of light, such as inside a glass cabinet or over a bar shelf. Hardwired linear fixtures suit practical task lighting where durability, replaceable parts and a clean switched installation matter more than hiding every component.

The second decision is where the driver goes. Most LED tape and many puck systems use a low-voltage driver or power supply. That driver needs a safe 120V feed, space for ventilation, and future access if it ever needs replacement. We do not treat a driver like a piece of trim that can be buried permanently behind drywall or sealed inside inaccessible millwork.

We plan:

• Fixture type and brightness for the work surface
• Colour temperature so the cabinet lighting does not clash with ceiling lights
• Driver size, location and access
• Low-voltage wire routes through cabinets or millwork
• Switching from a wall switch, dimmer, smart control or cabinet switch
• Dimming compatibility between the fixture, driver and control
• Final cleanup so cabinets are left neat

If the room also needs general lighting, under-cabinet lighting pairs naturally with pot light installation. Pot lights light the room; cabinet lighting lights the counter, shelf face or display item. They solve different problems, and a kitchen often needs both.

You need it when shadows, dark shelves or visible plug-in strips are the problem

Under-cabinet and accent lighting is usually requested after the cabinets are in and the room still feels unfinished. The most common complaint is shadowing. Ceiling fixtures are behind you when you stand at a counter, so your body blocks the light exactly where you are chopping, reading a recipe or using a coffee station.

It also helps when a renovation has nice millwork but no way to show it. Floating shelves, glass cabinets, liquor displays, built-in desks and wall units often need their own light source. A single ceiling fixture cannot light the inside of a cabinet or the underside of a shelf evenly.

We often see these situations:

• New kitchens where the cabinet supplier left space for lighting but no wiring was roughed in
• Older kitchens with plug-in strips, surface cords or switched receptacles that do not suit LED tape
• Bars and coffee stations that need a small, warm accent scene at night
• Open shelving where the wire must disappear into a side panel or chase
• Display cabinets where glare on glass matters as much as brightness
• Condo kitchens where routing options are limited by concrete, bulkheads or existing cabinetry

The best time to install this lighting is before backsplash tile, stone panels or finished millwork are closed up. It can still be added afterward, but access affects the amount of visible raceway, drilling and fishing required. If you are planning the whole room’s lighting, our lighting design service can coordinate cabinet lighting with ceiling fixtures, pendants and dimming zones.

For stores, salons, showrooms and service counters, accent lighting can be part of a broader retail lighting plan. The same technical issues apply: the driver must be accessible, the light must not create glare, and the switching must make sense for staff opening and closing the space.

Fixed cabinet lighting must be wired safely and left accessible

Under-cabinet lighting may look decorative, but once it is hardwired it is electrical work. Where an ESA notification is required, we file it and arrange inspection. Every job is permitted with the ESA where required and inspected, and we clean up when the work is complete.

The Ontario Electrical Safety Code matters in practical ways on this type of work. The 120V side of a driver must be installed with approved wiring methods and proper electrical boxes or enclosures. Splices must remain accessible. Cables passing through cabinet panels need to be protected from sharp edges and future screws. Devices near sinks, wet bars or other damp locations must be chosen and located appropriately.

Dimming is another common failure point. Not every LED tape, driver and dimmer combination works together. A mismatch can cause flicker, buzzing, poor low-end dimming, ghosting when switched off, or premature driver failure. Before installation, we confirm whether the system needs a standard dimmer, low-voltage dimming driver, smart dimmer, remote driver setup or a simple on/off switch.

If you want app or scene control, cabinet lighting can be tied into lighting control systems. That is useful when you want one “cooking” scene with bright counter light and another “evening” scene with softer cabinet and shelf light. We keep the control conversation separate from the wiring basics: the light still needs a safe feed, the driver still needs access, and the dimmer still has to be compatible.

The visit starts with access, switching and a written quote

We start by looking at the cabinets, the panel or nearby circuit source, the desired switch location and the surfaces we are trying not to damage. Access is the main variable. A cabinet with an open top, removable crown, basement access below or an unfinished wall behind it is very different from a finished condo kitchen with tile backsplash and no attic or basement access.

During the visit we check:

• Whether power is already available in the right place
• Whether the existing circuit can support the added lighting
• Where the driver can be mounted accessibly
• Whether wires can be hidden inside cabinets, behind valance or through a serviceable chase
• How the lighting will be switched and dimmed
• Whether the backsplash, stone, cabinet finish or shelving limits drilling
• Whether ESA notification is required for the scope

Small cabinet lighting jobs and larger millwork packages are quoted in writing after a site visit. There is no one honest flat price for under-cabinet and accent lighting because the cost depends on fixture type, driver count, switching, dimming, access, wall finish and whether new 120V wiring is needed. For a fuller discussion of the cost variables, see our Under Cabinet Lighting Cost Ontario guide.

If the cabinet lighting is part of a larger kitchen lighting upgrade, published pot light pricing may help with planning: most pot light installations in the Greater Toronto Area run $100–$150 per light installed, including the LED fixture, wiring, and switching; a typical living room with 6–8 lights costs $700–$1,200. Cabinet lighting itself is quoted in writing after a site visit.

City Power is founded and run by Sam, a licensed electrician with fifteen-plus years in the trade. Our office is at 1800 Sheppard Ave E in North York, and we serve Toronto and the GTA, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Oakville, Burlington and Hamilton. For service planning beyond cabinet lighting, you can also browse our full electrical services.