Concrete ceilings in condo buildings
You can't recess lights into a concrete slab. In condos we use low-profile surface LED fixtures, track or a dropped soffit to hide wiring.
Serving Arlington Heights & nearby Mount Prospect, Palatine
Kitchen Lighting Installation in Arlington Heights, IL
Recessed, pendant and under-cabinet lighting for Arlington Heights kitchens, laid out so the counters are bright and wired by a licensed electrician.
- Serving Arlington Heights ZIP 60004, 60005
- A new look without tearing the kitchen out
- Clean, protected work area every day
Kitchen lighting problems we solve in Arlington Heights
Good kitchen light comes down to placement, color and control. We lay out the fixtures before cutting a single hole, pick a warm white that flatters the finishes, and wire everything to switches that make sense in your Arlington Heights kitchen.
Visible LED dots and glare under the cabinets
Cheap strip lights show a row of bright dots on glossy counters. We use diffused channels or fixtures and mount them toward the front of the cabinet.
Light that looks too blue or too yellow
Mixing bulbs of different color temperatures makes a kitchen look patchy. We use one consistent warm white across the fixtures.
Canned or canless recessed lights?
We compare both for your ceiling: wafers for tight spaces and quick installs, cans with LED trims where the depth allows it.
Fluorescent box or panel that hums and flickers
Removing a large fluorescent light box often leaves a recess or hole in the ceiling. We close it up and wire new LED lighting in its place.
Adding recessed lights to an existing ceiling
Adding can lights to a finished kitchen is mostly careful cutting and fishing wire. We plan the grid around joists, ducts and plumbing above.
Switches in the wrong place or one switch for everything
We add switches at each kitchen entry and separate controls for ceiling, island and under-cabinet lighting.
Dark counters and shadows where you work
Ceiling lights behind you throw your shadow onto the cutting board. Under-cabinet LEDs and recessed lights set nearer the counter edge put light where your hands are.
What we do on the job
- Wiring and circuit checkExisting circuits checked for capacity; a permit pulled when new circuits are added.
- Old fixtures removedFluorescent boxes, old cans and outdated fixtures taken down and wiring made safe.
- Ceiling openings and boxesOpenings cut cleanly and pendant boxes secured to framing.
- Wire fished to fixtures and switchesWe pull wire from the switch to each fixture location.
- Fixtures installedRecessed, pendant, surface and under-cabinet lights mounted and connected.
- Testing and adjustmentEvery fixture tested, dimmers checked for flicker and pendants set to height.
- Patching and cleanupWe close up openings and clean the work area.
Finishes we offer
Recessed lightingCanless LED wafers or housings with LED trims, IC-rated where insulation is present.
Color temperature optionsWarm white around 2700 to 3000K, and selectable-color fixtures where you're unsure.
Accent lightingIn-cabinet lights for glass doors, toe-kick strips and lighting above the cabinets.
Surface and flush fixturesCeiling-mounted lights when recessing isn't possible.
Pendants and linear fixturesSingle, paired or grouped pendants and long linear lights over islands and peninsulas.
Kitchen Lighting Installation before and after — Arlington Heights homes
Before
AfterKitchen Lighting Installation in a postwar Cape Cod, Arlington Heights
A postwar Cape Cod in Arlington Heights, a typical kitchen for Arlington Heights. The kitchen as it was: a fluorescent box light. What bothered the owners most: a humming fluorescent light that left the counters flat and dim. After: two glass pendants and recessed lights on separate switches. The job covered ceiling openings and boxes, testing and adjustment, plus patching and cleanup.
Before
AfterPalatine kitchen, 1990s two-story colonial: kitchen lighting installation
This one is a 1990s two-story colonial in Palatine. What we started with: two hanging glass pendants. The main complaint was dim counters despite the ceiling lights. After: black cage pendants and slim recessed lights on separate switches. Work included old fixtures removed, fixtures installed, plus patching and cleanup.
Kitchen Lighting Installation in Palatine →
Before
AfterBefore and after: a 1950s ranch in Arlington Heights
Finished: cabinets in dark teal with brushed nickel bar pulls, charcoal concrete-look quartz counters, a white 2x8 tile in a vertical stack backsplash, hickory luxury vinyl plank flooring and recessed lights and under-cabinet LED strips.
Kitchen Remodeling in Arlington Heights →
Before
AfterAn Arlington Heights postwar Cape Cod: before and after
Finished: the same doors sprayed in pale sage, new polished nickel pulls; counters and floor stayed as they were.
Kitchen Cabinet Painting in Arlington Heights →
Before
AfterAn Arlington Heights postwar Cape Cod: before and after
New five-piece shaker doors in creamy white uppers and navy lowers on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and unlacquered brass knobs and cup pulls.
Cabinet Refacing in Arlington Heights →Day by day
- Share photos and plansTell us what feels too dark and what lights you have in mind.
- Layout visitWe check the ceiling type, joists, insulation and wiring, and mark fixture positions.
- Written estimateA clear written price before any ceiling is cut.
- Install and testWe install, test each light and clean up.
Kitchen Lighting Installation questions from Arlington Heights homeowners
What color temperature is best for a kitchen?
Around 2700 to 3000K for a warm, natural look. Selectable-color fixtures let you decide after install.
Can you install fixtures I already bought?
Yes. Many owners pick their own fixtures and we handle the wiring and mounting.
Do I need a permit for kitchen lighting?
Often when new circuits are added; simple fixture replacements usually don't need one. We check with the village before work starts.
What's the best lighting for a small kitchen?
Bright, even ceiling light plus task lighting under the cabinets. We size the fixtures so they don't crowd the room.
Can recessed lights go into a plaster ceiling?
Yes. Plaster needs careful cutting and sometimes added support, and slim canless fixtures often fit best.
Does Arlington Heights require a licensed electrician for kitchen lighting project?
Electrical permit application must include a copy of the electrical license. New circuits and wiring are done by licensed electricians.
Do Arlington Heights condo associations need to approve kitchen lighting project?
Associations usually set rules for work hours, elevators, deliveries and insurance, and many require approval for plumbing, electrical or structural changes. We provide the certificate of insurance and follow the building's rules.
Do I need a Arlington Heights-registered contractor for kitchen lighting project?
The Village of Arlington Heights contractor license number must be listed on permit applications; homeowners doing their own work file a Homeowner as General Contractor form. We take care of that before work starts.
What is the Arlington Heights building department phone number?
Permits go through Building & Life Safety Department, phone (847) 368-5560. When your scope needs one, we prepare the application and schedule the inspections.
Do I need a permit for kitchen lighting project in Arlington Heights?
It depends on the scope. Arlington Heights's rule in short: Remodel permit applications (shown here via a basement remodel checklist dated 2020) require a building permit application, plans and a contractor proposal; plumbing and electrical permit applications are added if applicable. We handle the permit when one is needed with Building & Life Safety Department.
Do you work in my part of Arlington Heights?
Yes. Our crews work across Arlington Heights — ZIP 60004, 60005 — and nearby Mount Prospect, Palatine, Buffalo Grove.
Working in Arlington Heights
- A lot of Arlington Heights kitchens date from the 1970s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Condo or townhome? We follow association rules on work hours and elevators and bring the insurance certificate your board asks for.
- We know how Building & Life Safety Department handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60004ZIP 60005
Kitchen Lighting Installation nearby
Other kitchen services in Arlington Heights
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.
Cabinet RefacingNew doors and fronts on your existing cabinet boxes.
Countertop Fabrication & InstallationQuartz, granite and butcher block, templated and installed.
Kitchen Backsplash InstallationTile backsplashes with clean lines and flush outlets.