Switch the main lights off in the evening and a good kitchen still glows. Nine times out of ten, that’s kitchen plinth lighting: a strip of LED light tucked into the kickboard under the base units, washing soft light across the floor.
It’s one of the cheapest upgrades in a new kitchen and one of the hardest to add later. At KitchenSMART we plan it in at the design stage of every Schüller kitchen that wants it. Our kitchen lighting page covers the wider options.
01. What Is Kitchen Plinth Lighting?
The plinth (or kickboard) is the panel that runs along the floor under your base units and island. Plinth lighting sits in or behind it. It isn’t task lighting, so you won’t chop vegetables by it. Its job is mood: a low glow for late-night drinks, a night light for the kids, and a way to make units look like they’re floating.
It works especially well on handleless kitchens and islands, where the clean lines carry the light all the way along.
02. Kitchen Plinth Lighting Options: Strips or Spots?
LED strip gives one continuous line of light, which is the look most people are after. It can be cut to length, so it runs the full width of a run or wraps around an island.
Plinth spots are small round lights set into the kickboard at intervals. They give pools of light rather than a wash, which suits a more traditional or Shaker-style kitchen.
Either way, colour matters. Warm white sits better with wood, cream and sage, and cooler white suits greys and whites. If you want colour changing, plan the controller in from day one. Schüller also has its own integrated lighting, from plinth lights to lit drawers.
“Plinth lighting costs very little at the planning stage. Trying to add it once the floor and plinths are in is a different story.”
03. What to Plan Before It Goes In
Water and dust: plinths get splashed and mopped, so most people choose a sealed IP65 strip at floor level. Downlights Direct’s plinth guide explains the ratings well.
The driver: LED strip runs at low voltage (usually 12V or 24V), so it needs a driver connected to the mains. That needs a home in a nearby cupboard with some ventilation, and the mains side should be done by a registered electrician.
Switching: decide whether it runs off its own switch, a sensor, or a dimmer. Linking it with under-cabinet lights and any lit larders keeps things simple. See our venting hob guide and quartz vs granite worktops for other things best decided early.
04. Kitchen Plinth Lighting in Milton Keynes, Bedford and Northampton
See plinth and cabinet lighting working in person at our Linford Wood showroom. Our kitchen planning service places the lighting, drivers and switches on the plan, and our own installation team fits the kitchen around it.
Browse real installs in our projects, such as this Newport deep blue kitchen, and check our reviews. We fit across Milton Keynes, Bedford and Northampton. For worktop and appliance choices, see our worktops and appliances pages.
05. Frequently Asked Questions
Is plinth lighting worth it in a kitchen?
For most kitchens, yes. It’s a small part of the overall budget, it gives you a low mood light for evenings, and it makes units and islands look lighter. It’s far easier to include at the design stage than to add later.
What IP rating do kitchen plinth lights need?
Plinths sit at floor level where they get splashed and mopped, so a sealed IP65 strip or fitting is the usual choice. Lights inside dry cabinets can use a lower rating.
Can plinth lighting be added to an existing kitchen?
Sometimes, but it often means lifting plinths, running new cables and finding space for a driver. If you’re planning a new kitchen, it’s much simpler to build it in. Ask us at your free home visit.
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