Pelmet lights are LED lights fitted behind the pelmet, the strip of board that runs along the bottom or top edge of kitchen wall units. Fitted under the pelmet they light the worktop; fitted on top of the units, behind the cornice, they wash light up the wall and ceiling for a soft evening glow. This guide covers what to use for each, and how to fit it so you see the light and not the fitting.
Under-pelmet lights: lighting the worktop
The pelmet along the bottom of a wall unit is there to hide what sits behind it, which makes it the natural home for worktop lighting. The two options are a run of LED strip in an aluminium profile, or a row of under cabinet spotlights.
LED strip gives an even line of light with no pools or shadows along the worktop. Fit it in a profile with a diffuser so you do not see the individual LEDs reflected in a shiny worktop, and set the profile back from the front edge of the pelmet so the strip itself is out of sight when you stand at the counter. Spotlights give brighter pools of light over the areas you use most and are quicker to fit, one per unit.
Fino surface mounted aluminium LED profile.
Over-pelmet or cornice lights: lighting the wall
LED strip laid along the top of the wall units, behind the cornice, throws light up onto the wall and ceiling. It is not for working by, it is the light you leave on in the evening. Use a warm white strip here, 3000K or lower, because cool white on a ceiling can look clinical. A dimmable strip with a dimmable driver lets you take it down to a glow.
Choosing the strip
Colour. Natural white (4000K) under the pelmet for the worktop, warm white (3000K) on top for the wall. TrioTone® strip lets you choose warm, natural or cool when you fit it, and CCT strip lets you change it later from a switch or app.
Brightness. Worktop lighting wants a brighter strip than a cornice wash. Check the lumens per metre on the product page and go brighter under the pelmet than over it.
Cutting to length. Sensio strip cuts at marked points so a run can end where the unit ends. If you want it cut, soldered and ready to plug in, our TrueFIT service makes it to your lengths.
Polar X COB LED strip, colour temperature options.
Fitting pelmet lights
Sensio 24V strip and spotlights plug into a 24V LED driver, which hides on top of the wall units. Add up the wattage of everything on the run and choose a driver with headroom; what size LED driver do I need? walks through it. Run the driver lead down behind the units to the pelmet, clip the profile to the underside of the unit, and join runs around corners with corner connectors. The only mains connection is at the driver, which should be made by a qualified electrician. Everything on the 24V side is plug and play. Our LED strip installation guide has the step by step.
Switching
Under-pelmet lights are usually switched with the kitchen lights or from a sensor on the unit, so they come on when you walk in. Over-pelmet lights on a separate switch or a remote let you have the evening glow without the worktop lights.
Browse our LED strip lights and aluminium profiles, or see the full kitchen lighting range. For the worktop itself, read our under cabinet lighting guide.
