Seeing is Believing

For some time now I have been bemoaning the lack of good lighting in my kitchen. It has dark cabinets, dark floor, a north window hidden by a pantry and one small window on the west side above the sink. When the sun comes in that west window, I have to close the blinds or get blinded as I move around the room... so, still not enough light. I'm not overly fond of track lighting because it looks to me like a cheap stage set. Even a larger/brighter light hanging over the table would only add shadows to my working space along the counter tops. For a while I was enamored of the idea of skylights, but the more I researched, the more I was put off by the cost. Then, too, even the most expensive ones occasionally spring a leak. And, after all that, would a skylight give me the kind of light I want?

I suppose I am still spoiled by our Lost River house where there were 6' windows on the east side and along the entire 40' south side, bringing the brilliant outdoors inside. That makes the one little kitchen window in this house look pretty pathetic.

Today, I finally put up the new under-cabinet lighting fixtures I bought a few weeks ago, and by George, I think I've got it! The only downside is the all-too-obvious electrical cords, but I didn't want to search for battery-operated lights. Besides, if I live long enough, lights will be turned off and on by simply willing it. I can see the headline now: "Brain waves remove need for electrical grid."

These pictures show the before and after. I had to use the flash to get the left-hand "before" picture to show anything. The "after" picture was taken with the light coming only from the new under-cabinet fixtures. I am VERY pleased.