Undercabinet Lighting Options in Fort Myers Homes

We’ve been in a lot of kitchens around Fort Myers, and you’d be surprised how many of them are almost perfect — except the lighting. Everything else is beautiful: new cabinets, stone counters, fancy backsplash. But once the sun goes down, the workspace turns into a shadow pit.

That’s where undercabinet lighting makes all the difference. It’s one of those upgrades that looks simple but changes how the whole room feels. You can finally see what you’re doing, and it gives your kitchen that soft, high-end glow even after dark.

At Coharbor Electric, we’ve installed all kinds of undercabinet lighting setups — from tiny condos off McGregor to big waterfront homes near Sanibel. Every kitchen’s different, but the goal’s always the same: get clean, bright light right where people actually need it.

Why It Matters

Let’s be honest — ceiling lights don’t cut it. When you’re cooking, your body blocks the light, so you end up working in your own shadow. Undercabinet lighting fixes that by pushing light straight down onto your counters.

And it’s not just about cooking. A lot of our customers use it as soft accent lighting at night. You leave it on, dimmed low, and it makes the kitchen look warm and calm. One client told us it’s the only light she uses when she sneaks in for a midnight snack.

The Main Types We Recommend

We usually talk through three options when we sit down with homeowners: LED strips, puck lights, and bar lights. They all do the same job in different ways.

LED Strip Lights

This is the one we install most often. The newer LED strips are slim, bright, and easy to hide under the cabinet lip. Once they’re in, you barely notice them — you just see a smooth line of light washing the counter.

The nice part is how even they are. No hot spots, no patchy glow. You get one continuous ribbon of light. And since Fort Myers kitchens deal with humidity, we use sealed, high-quality LED tape that can handle a little moisture and salt air.

You can even get tunable ones — warm light for dinner time, cool white for early mornings. It’s a small thing, but when everything in your kitchen matches, it just feels better.

Puck Lights

We don’t use puck lights as often anymore, but they still have their place. They’re those small round lights that throw a focused beam — kind of like a spotlight.

They’re great if you want to highlight one area — maybe a coffee bar, a wine nook, or display shelving. We’ll sometimes pair them with LED strips for contrast.

Spacing is important, though. Too far apart and you’ll get dark gaps between each one. We try to keep them 8–10 inches apart for even coverage.

Linear Bars

Then there are the rigid bar lights. They’re like the grown-up version of LED strips — solid aluminum housings, clean look, and long lifespan.

We use them a lot in kitchens with deeper cabinets or when a homeowner wants something sturdy that can handle years of use. They cost a bit more, but they’re dependable and look sharp. You can also daisy-chain them if you’ve got a long counter run.

Wiring and Control Options

This is the part where a lot of DIY jobs go sideways. The lights might look fine, but the wiring behind them tells a different story.

We always start by checking what kind of setup the house already has. Some homes have open walls during a remodel, which makes things easy. Others need us to fish wire behind cabinets or through a crawl space.

A few ways we wire them:

• Hardwired setups: cleanest, safest option. We tie the lights right into your home’s wiring and connect them to a wall switch or dimmer. No cords, no clutter.

• Plug-in systems: better for retrofits when you don’t want to open the wall. It’s not as sleek, but it gets the job done.

• Low-voltage systems: common for LED setups. These need a small driver (transformer) that we usually hide inside a cabinet.

Whatever the setup, we make sure it’s on a properly rated circuit. You’d be surprised how many kitchens are already pushing their limits between microwaves, coffee makers, and air fryers. Sometimes we’ll add a dedicated line just for lighting.

Picking the Right Color and Brightness

We always ask what kind of mood people want in their kitchen. Some like warm, cozy light (around 2700K). Others want bright, crisp light that makes everything look clean (around 3500–4000K).

There’s no wrong answer. We usually suggest getting lights that can adjust color temperature and brightness — that way you can switch things up as you like.

And yes, dimmers are worth it. Once people have them, they never want to go back.

What We Watch Out For

Little mistakes can ruin the look of an otherwise nice install. Here’s what we always check:

• Lights placed too far forward or too far back under the cabinet (causes glare or shadows)

• Exposed cords or connectors that break the clean line

• Flicker caused by cheap drivers or mismatched components

• Lights that don’t match the color of overhead fixtures

It’s those details that separate a “good enough” job from a professional one. And down here in Fort Myers, we also have to think about heat and moisture — especially if your kitchen backs up to an exterior wall. We only use corrosion-resistant fittings and UL-rated parts that can handle the climate.

Maintenance and Longevity

LED undercabinet lights last a long time — usually decades if they’re installed right. You don’t have to change bulbs or worry about heat warping your cabinets like the old halogens used to.

If something ever fails, it’s almost always a loose wire or a bad driver — easy fixes. And since we mount everything cleanly and accessibly, you don’t have to tear apart your kitchen to get to it.

Why Homeowners Love It

Almost every homeowner we’ve done this for says the same thing: “Why didn’t we do this sooner?”

Undercabinet lighting gives your kitchen that magazine look, but it’s not just about appearance. It’s about how it feels when you’re in there. You see better, the space feels warmer, and it just works.

We’ve done hundreds of these installs across Fort Myers, and not once has anyone regretted it.

Thinking About Adding Undercabinet Lighting?

If your kitchen feels dark or dated, adding undercabinet lighting might be the easiest fix you’ll ever love.

At Coharbor Electric, we handle everything — design, wiring, installation, and inspection. We’ll help you pick the right lights, make sure they fit your setup, and wire them safely so they look perfect and last for years.

📞 Call Coharbor Electric today to schedule your kitchen lighting consultation.
We’ll bring real solutions, not sales pitches — just solid work that makes your home brighter, safer, and better to live in.