Phantom Lighting - Tips from the Manufacturer

Lighting Cabinets & Bookshelf Lights

2009-11-10T11:18:00.001-06:00

Why Cabinet Lighting is Necessary?
Cabinet lighting, by definition, is the illumination of the interior of a cabinet. By implication as well, it also refers to the illumination of the contents of such a display.

Such a display can exist for purely ornamental purposes. We often see fine antiques and curios showcased in antique reproductions and tall cabinets with non-mirrored back planes. Other displays may serve a more functional purpose, as we see in residential kitchen cabinets that are built with windows that allow you to see view the fine cookware and dinnerware stored within.

Regardless of the intent of the display, however, custom cabinet lighting solutions are needed regardless. Even the brightest of room lights are insufficient when it comes to lighting a closed interior space that is often covered by a glass plane in the front. Add to this the presence of vertical styles and shelves, and you can see very quickly how any attempt to light contents with an external light source would result in much of their surface area being obscured by shadows.

Such shadows are even more pronounced and magnified if housed behind closing doors. Glass windows will still dim the light to some degree, and the wooden frame of the door itself creates a criss-cross of obstructions to light.

It is clearly evident then that display cabinet lighting is an absolute must if you are going to create any type of showcase or display that offers clear visibility to the observer and contributes aesthetic value to the room.

Most designers agree that the best source of display lighting can be found the form of linear strip lights that mount on the interior surfaces of shelves and door frames. Phantom low voltage cabinet strip lights are the best of their kind for this type of application because they are custom-built to the exact dimensions of the surfaces on which they mount and offer a multiplicity of lamping options that are fully dimmable and super energy efficient.

Visit our phantomlighting.com to learn more about Phantom’s library shelf display lighting products. Our cabinet lighting installation facility is located in Houston, Texas. Phantom Lighting a network of nationwide lighting agents and professional lighting sales representatives that fan out throughout all 50 states into cities like Ft. Lauderdale, FL (FLL), Orlando, Florida (MCO), Santa Monica, CA, (LAX) Columbus, Ohio (CMH), (LGA) New York, NY, (JKF), St. Louis, MO, Detroit, Michigan (DTW), Madison, WI (MSN), San Francisco, California (SFO), and Omaha, Nebraska (OMA). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

We invite you to contact us directly at 800-863-1184 to obtain more information on all of these options. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, request literature on our main website, visit our Phantom Lighting mobile website, or read through the many informative summaries and FAQs located on our Phantom Lighting blog.

Installing LED Display Cabinet Lights

2009-10-29T12:52:00.000-05:00

If you are building cabinets with adjustable shelves Phantom Lighting offers you the option of building custom cabinet lights right into the shelving at the time of construction. These in cabinet lights are low-voltage units designed for maximum light output and minimal power consumption. With color temperatures ranging from 5000K-2800K, they are guaranteed to accentuate your product’s aesthetic appeal and directly increase its market value.

With the energy efficiency generated by Phantom LED cabinet lights, you can offer to reduce your clients’ decorative lighting costs by as much as 60%. When you combine LED lighting advantages with superb carpentry and high-end lighting, you add return on investment value to product quality and increase the selling power of your bid with some of the most ingenious technology ever introduced to the world of cabinet lighting.

In spite of its highly flexible nature and diverse range of application, Phantom technology consists of some amazingly simple components. These are the cabinet lights themselves, a CDA kit for each linear strip, a pair of buss bars, and a small, low-voltage magnetic lighting transformer that is easy to conceal.

The CDA kit replaces the standard right-angle pins with a pair of highly conductive brass shelf supports and corresponding brass contact pads. The buss bars are vertical metal strips that are mounted flush with the exterior walls of the cabinet. When a cabinet maker contacts our factory and places a purchase order, both the buss bars and the cabinet lights themselves are custom built to match the dimensions of the structure’s interior.

Each cabinet requires only one pair of buss bars, and each linear strip light requires only one corresponding CDA kit. These components, along with a small, low-voltage transformer that is easy to conceal, are all that is necessary to create a completely hidden, wireless light source that will illuminate everything from rare books and antique china to sentimental curios and fine bottles of wine.

Installing your book lighting display is a simple process that takes only a few hours to complete. Begin by routing out a 1/4” x 5/8” channel on each exterior wall of the cabinet. Route this channel directly at the point where you intend to mount the metal shelf brackets and install the buss bars. Once the cabinet is assembled and painted use the brass screws in the CDA mounting kit to affix the shelf brackets by screwing directly through the cabinet wall to the buss bars.

Once the shelf brackets are in place, attach the brass contact pads in your CDA kit to the ends of each shelf. Install the cabinet lighting fixtures behind the front reveal of every shelf, and then connect them to the contact pads with the small wires that come with the CDA kit. (You do not need an electrician to do this). Now, when the shelf is placed on the bracket, the power will flow from the buss bars through the mounting bracket, then complete circuit through the contact pads connected to the lighting strips.

Contact us now at 1-800-863-1184 to learn more about private library shelf lights or curio cabinet lighting. These concealed adjustable lighting strips can beautify a home or office with an entirely new aesthetic with apparently sourceless ambient lighting. Mobile phone customers can also find us at www.phantomlighting.mobi

Our cabinet lighting installation facility is located in Houston, Texas. Phantom Lighting a network of nationwide lighting agents and professional lighting sales representatives that fan out throughout all 50 states into cities like Ft. Lauderdale, FL (FLL), Orlando, Florida (MCO), Santa Monica, CA, (LAX) Columbus, Ohio (CMH), (LGA) New York, NY, (JKF), St. Louis, MO, Detroit, Michigan (DTW), Madison, WI (MSN), San Francisco, California (SFO), and Omaha, Nebraska (OMA). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

Adjustable Shelf Lights & Cabinet Lighting

2009-10-29T12:28:00.000-05:00

Building display cabinets with adjustable shelves can be easily achieved with Phantom custom cabinet lighting systems. Phantom concealed linear strips can be built directly into the shelves at the time of construction without any exposed wires or electrical connections. As low-voltage units, Phantom lighting strips are engineered for maximum light output and minimal power consumption. They are also guaranteed to accentuate your product’s aesthetic appeal and directly increase its market value with color temperatures that range from 5000K to the warm, inviting tones 2800K.

Architects, interior designers and custom home builders can reduce your client’s decorative lighting costs by as much as 60% with the energy efficiency of Phantom LED festoon lamps compared to incandescent cabinet lights. By combining superb carpentry with high-end lighting, you can provide a unique product offering that sets you apart from the competition.

There are few basic and very simple components make Phantom adjustable cabinet lights amazingly easy to install in a wide range of display lighting applications. These are linear strips (which are already assembled prior to shipment), a CDA connector kit for each linear strip light, a pair of custom steel buss bars with mounting holes for each cabinet section, and a dimmable low-voltage magnetic transformer that powers the entire system.

The concept of installing custom cabinet lighting is not as complicated as you think. A custom mounting support replaces the standard right-angle pin supports which push into the mounting holes drilled by the carpenter. Once the mounting brackets are engaged, they make contact with the concealed buss bars that reside hidden between cabinet sections. (See Buss Bar Illustration) When you place an order with our factory, we manufacture the buss bars with holes drilled every 32mm on center as well as the light strips themselves custom to the dimensions of the piece you are building.

Each cabinet section only needs one pair of buss bars, and every shelf needs only one CDA connector kit. These components, along with a small, low-voltage transformer that is easy to conceal, comprise everything you need to assemble a wireless lighting solution that will accent everything from rare books and china to collectables and fine wine bottles.

Here are a few steps that must be taken by the carpenter, builder, electrician or contractor as the cabinet is being constructed and assembled:

1. The process begins with the carpenter routing out a 1/4” x 5/8” channel on each exterior wall of the cabinet sections to accept the metal buss bars. It is important to make sure the buss bars line up with the mounting holes in the side of the cabinet. (See AC Series cut sheet)

2. Secure buss bar in place using mounting screw provided in package. Repeat this for each cabinet section.

3. As the carpenter begins to assemble the various sections your electrician should then install low voltage home run wiring from the transformer location to the individual metal buss bars in each cabinet section. He or she must also provide a separate low voltage wire from the transformer to the light strip behind the header at the top of each cabinet section. We recommend access to these electrical connections for future maintenance.

4. After the cabinet and shelves are painted, install the Phantom brass right angle mounting brackets at the front of each cabinet section using the provided brass screws. Use standard right angle pins (provided by carpenter) for the back shelf supports.

5. Attach the lights strips on bottom of each shelf as well as the light strip behind the top header. Attached contact pads on each shelf and place the shelves in the cabinet. Connect the top strip behind the header. Install the shelves in the cabinet.

6. Like magic, safe low voltage power will flow from the buss bars through the mounting bracket, then complete circuit through the contact pads connected to the lighting strips on each shelf.

The entire process takes only a few hours to complete, and results in an exciting visual display that appears to be lit by a sourceless luminance emanating from the shelving itself. The results are spectacular!

Contact us now at 1-800-863-1184 to learn more about how customized wireless and completely adjustable library shelf display light. These concealed linear lighting strips can beautify a home or office with an entirely new aesthetic with apparently sourceless ambient lighting.

Our linear lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas. We have a network of nationwide distributorships and United States lighting sales representatives that fan out throughout all 50 states into cities like Ft. Lauderdale, FL (FLL), Orlando, Florida (MCO), Santa Monica, CA, (LAX) Columbus, Ohio (CMH), (LGA) New York, NY, (JKF), St. Louis, MO, Detroit, Michigan (DTW), Madison, WI (MSN), San Francisco, California (SFO), and Omaha, Nebraska (OMA). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

Kitchen Cabinet Lights

2009-09-10T12:07:00.004-05:00

Kitchen cabinet lighting with Phantom linear strips allows the architect and builder a complete freedom of application, and it allows the homeowner and interior designer to expand the decorative quality of kitchen lighting in general. Custom kitchen undercabinet light fixtures manufactured to the exact mounting requirements and dimensions of cabinet undersurfaces and interiors allow designers to source exceptional glare-free luminance thanks to a proprietary method of shielding makes it possible to light countertops, backsplashes, and cabinet interiors with true luxury quality lighting.

We recommend that architects and builders give strong consideration to the benefits of using our linear lighting strips equipped with the latest LED undercabinet lighting technology. We have patented a new festoon lamp design that combines a high intensity light output with a very low heat output. This allows our kitchen cabinet lights to work as completely concealed light sources both underneath cabinets and inside closed cabinets with glass doors.

Kitchen under cabinet lighting can provide an elegant source of task lighting for cabinets and backsplashes. Because they mount on the front undersurface of the cabinet and direct the light across the countertop toward the backwash, illumination more evenly spreads across the surface. The patented shielding that we build into these strips minimize reflective glare to the greatest extent allowable by the laws of physics and reflection. Builders have long noted after they have installed our kitchen under counter lights that homeowners complimented our products on creating both a better work area and a more decorative expression the granite and marble counters commonly found in custom kitchens.

Many of these kitchen cabinets are built with glass doors that allow collections of fine china and dinner ware to be viewed and admired. Illuminating these collections has long been a challenge for builders and designers. Many xenon linear light strips are manufactured specifically for this purpose, but all of them generate heat buildup that limits the amount of time the homeowner can leave them on. Both incandescent and xenon lamps, though very elegant in color temperature and luminance levels, simply radiate too much heat for long periods of operation.

This was one of the LED lighting advantages that led our engineering team to develop the 2800K LED festoon, which is a near-identical match to the color temperature of xenon. The naturally cooler burn of the LED, linked to a unique heat sink we also engineered to work specifically with our cabinet lights, now makes it possible to have the highest quality of light shine radiantly from within cabinet interior space with virtually no forward throw heat. Even more decorative are the effects of these lights when they are dimmed. Low-level lighting can be set at night when the rest of the lights in the room are turned off, allowing late-night guests to admire collections bathed in the warm amber glow of the only high-end warm color LED cabinet lighting on the market. LED also offers the additional advantages of low-power consumption and the longest lamp life of any luminaire on the market, so homeowners can expect a return on their investment in the form of power bill savings and minimized replacement costs.

Phantom kitchen 12 volt LED home cabinet lights can be manufactured as either horizontally or vertically mounted fixtures, depending on the size and build of the cabinet. Because every fixture is cut to the precise dimensions of the surface to which it affixes, ordering these lights simply a matter of calling our factory and publishing drawings or specifications to our team. Our design consultants will answer any questions you may have about which trim mounts and colour temperatures will best work with your cabinet interior and the material build and aesthetic qualities of your counter tops and backsplashes.

Our undercabinet lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas. Feel free to contact us toll free at 800-863-1184 for assistance.

We have a network of nationwide distributorships and Phantom lighting sales reps than fan out throughout all 50 states into cities like Scottsdale, Arizona, Seattle, Washington (SEA), Los Angeles, CA, (LAX) Boston, Massachusetts (BOS), Princeton, NJ (EWR), Philadelphia, PA, Dallas, Texas (DWF), Pasadena, California, Chicago, IL (ORD), Baltimore, MD (BWI), and Minneapolis, MN (MSP).

Lighting Manufacturers

2009-08-01T08:45:00.007-05:00

Phantom Lighting manufacturers optical framing projectors designed for art illumination and low voltage strip lighting designed for cabinet lighting, shelf lighting, cove lighting and other linear lighting applications. All of our custom residential and commercial lighting products are made to order and hand fabricated to fit your job. There are no duplicates or stock fixtures used for your design, just the pure magic of new Phantom Lighting devices. Other lighting fixture manufacturers may appear to offer everything you need for your home design. However, their product line falls far short of the magnificent illumination you will receive once your Phantom Lighting fixture is installed.

Home Lighting Manufacturer
As a home lighting manufacturer, Phantom specializes in illuminating fine art and lighting display cabinets. The product line has two stands outs: Phantom Contour Projector and Phantom LED Strip Lights. Unlike similar fixtures made by other recessed lighting manufacturers, Phantom's products are delicately crafted to create optimal results. Both the contour projector and the strip lights are patented for their unique designs. Each custom low voltage lighting fixture provides the dramatic illumination that your treasured items deserve.

Fine Art Lighting Manufacturer
Phantom Lighting is one of the best lighting manufacturers of fine art illumination equipment. We specialize in handcrafting all of our framing projector products from scratch to fit your specific design requirements. Our innovative contour art projector light gives residents a brilliant touch of illumination over their cherished artwork. We have numerous agents located throughout the country, and are now expanding our Phantom lighting sales representatives to Canada and Mexico. Residents can accomplish a superior illumination décor theme by implementing the proper type of lighting equipment to bring out hidden features.

Under Cabinet Light Manufacturers
Phantom Lighting manufactures custom under cabinet light fixtures intended to provide the architect, home builder, and interior decorator with aesthetically superior, custom-made task lighting fixtures. Their unique accent lighting capabilities contribute add decorative value to the practical considerations of kitchen task lighting. A number of proprietary manufacturer features also make these kitchen under counter lighting fixtures the most versatile and scalable source of counter top lighting in the world of custom architecture, design, and advanced interior design.

Our cove lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas. A network of nationwide lighting distributors are located throughout all 50 states into cities like Ft. Lauderdale, FL (FLL), Orlando, Florida (MCO), Santa Monica, CA, (LAX) Columbus, Ohio (CMH), (LGA) New York, NY, (JKF), St. Louis, MO, Detroit, Michigan (DTW), Madison, WI (MSN), San Francisco, California (SFO), and Omaha, Nebraska (OMA). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

We invite you to contact us direct at 800-863-1184 to obtain more information on all of these options. You can also subscribe to our RSS feed, request literature on our main website, visit our Phantom Lighting mobile website, or read through the many informative summaries and FAQs located on our Phantom Lighting blog.

Under Cabinet Lighting Manufacturer

2009-07-31T16:32:00.003-05:00

Phantom Lighting is a manufacturer of custom under cabinet light fixtures committed to equipping the architect, home builder, and interior lighting designer with custom-made task lighting fixtures for kitchens that need more than simple functional lighting. The unique aesthetic created by our custom cabinet lighting strips contributes an added value to the practical demands of countertop lighting. In addition to a scalability that makes them one of the most concealed under cabinet lighting sources available anywhere, a number of proprietary manufacturer designs also make them the most versatile linear fixtures in a world of highly custom architecture, design, and interior schemes.

One of the most unique low voltage undercabinet light fixtures offered by our company is a proprietary LED festoon lamp with lumens per watt ratio previously unattainable by any under cabinet lighting manufacturer. The genius of its design lies in its physical structure and advanced lighting and heat control features. Combining three LED bulbs into one physical lamp structure, the Phantom LED festoon operates at only 1.7 watts—yet it outputs the same level of light as a 5-watt xenon bulb! The Phantom LED festoon lamp also features a proprietary heat sink that draws the forward throw heat away from the direction that the beam is travelling. With these fixtures, an architect can furnish the homeowner with a high-end light source that is virtually heat-free and fully capable of illuminating any surface with an equally decorative and functional

Phantom manufactures LED undercabinet lighting fixtures to be far more easy to conceal than those made by other manufacturers. Our linear strips are thinner and more compact. They can be concealed behind the forward lip at the bottom of any sized kitchen cabinet. In the event that the cabinet has no such reveal in the front, a trim carpenter can usually add trim pieces that match the color and texture of the wood and thereby conceal the fixtures. This ability to assume a hidden position in almost any kitchen environment actually inspired our manufacturer brand—Phantom—and also inspired our motto, “see the light, not the fixture.”

Not only does this design produce a better quality of light, but it also produces a more controllable source of kitchen under cabinet lighting. As a custom fixture manufacturer, each individual trim style is engineered with its own unique angle of light distribution. This allows builders to choose an angle of incidence directly proportional to the surface area of the countertop being illuminated. The forward mounted position of the fixtures, combined with a very precise distribution pattern of luminance, sends the light backward across the surface of the counter into the backsplash. This minimizes the reflective glare that is common when lighting marble and granite countertops, and it creates both an aesthetic and a level of comfort for the eyes that unify the dual purpose of aesthetics and function for which LED undercabinet lights are intended.

Other manufacturer features that distinguish Phantom strip lighting fixtures include low-voltage power and user-friendly dimmability. As low-voltage devices, these luxury lights create an exceptionally chic compliment to kitchen décor without exorbitant electrical consumption. If the builder opts for incandescent or xenon lamps over LED, the dimmability of our strip lights further allows for reduction of power load and heat by reducing the wattage requirements of the lamp proportional to the level of accent lighting that the homeowner selects. This also has the additional benefit of extending incandescent lamp life and creating even more savings through reduced maintenance and replacement costs.

Our under cabinet lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas, which in turn distributes these specialty linear lights through a nationwide network of lighting supply channels, distributorships, and sales representatives in cities such as Rhinelander, WI (RHI), Yakima, WA (YKM), Windsor Locks, CT (BDL), Mason City, IA (MCW), Sault Ste Marie, MI (CIU), Binghamton, NY (BGM), Lawton, OK (LAW), Pasco, WA (PSC), St Cloud, MN (STC), and Hyannis, MA (HYA). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

We invite you to contact us toll free 800-863-1184 to obtain more information on all of these options. You can also request literature on our online lighting showroom, visit our mobile website, or read through the many informative summaries and FAQs located on our lighting blog. All of these resources contain a wealth of information about our custom; low-voltage lighting products that are the dream come true of art lighting designers and cabinet lighting suppliers and builders on two major continents.

LED Cove Lighting & Cove Lights

2009-07-29T08:03:00.006-05:00

In the past, designers have shied away from LED cove lighting because of the low lumens output and poor color rendering that plagued previous LED technology. With the advent of Phantom LED festoon lamps, however, building cove lighting has evolved to entirely new heights. Our festoons output 45-50 lumens each, while operating at only 1.7 watts of power.

This allows LED replacement festoon lamps to effectively improve previous lamping technologies and offer builders, homeowners, and commercial property managers a cost effective, high end accent light source that is characterized by minimal energy use, low heat output, and exceptionally long lamp life that drives down the frequency and costs of lamp replacement.

There are two factors that contribute to making our cove LED accent lighting fixtures more energy efficient than incandescent or xenon equivalents. The first reason is the nature of LED bulbs themselves, which typically use anywhere from 60-80 percent less power than incandescent bulbs. The second factor that goes into our amazing energy savings comes from the proprietary design of the Phantom festoon lamp.

Phantom LED Lamps run on 12VAC and is built with three one-half-watt LED bulbs featuring tight color binning and a CRI of approximately 80. Standard beam spread is 120 degrees, but for special cove lighting applications, 60 degree beam spreads can be custom manufactured. All festoons are completely dimmable as well, giving the end-user control of both brightness levels and energy usage.

Another advantage our LED energy saving lamps offer is the minimal heat output that allows the fixtures to operate for longer periods of time and keeps room temperatures at a constant without inflating cooling costs. Our festoons are built with an integrated thermal design that dissipates heat on the back side of the circuit board.

Only a fractional amount of heat ever reaches the front of the lamp—roughly equivalent to that of a 1 watt incandescent. This combined with the unusually long lifespan of LED in general, gives our cove lighting lamps a 50,000 hour average lamp life when comparing LED lamps to other festoon light bulbs. This is more than twice that of xenon and approximately four times as long as incandescent.

The new generation of Phantom LED strip lighting now gives the interior decorator total wish fulfillment when it comes to accenting interior room color. A variety of color temperatures exist from which the interior designer can choose. Warm white 2950K, 3500K, 5000K, and daylight 6500K represent a full gamut of color temperature selectivity. For decorators looking for the closest approximation to xenon, the warm 2800K offers a robust accent light source that can compliment both residential and commercial venues.

CM series linear fixtures are just as versatile and unique as our festoon lamping design. All fixtures are custom-built to client specifications. Three custom trim profile options are available for the architect or builder to choose from, and eight popular painted colors guarantee a seamless blend with surroundings. Each trim option can be field cut or notched to achieve a radius or irregular shape. CM series fixtures make ideal accent lights for domed ceilings and serpentine coves.

Our LED under cabinet lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas, which in turn distributes these specialty linear lights through a nationwide network of lighting supply channels, distributorships, and sales representatives in cities such as Rhinelander, WI (RHI), Yakima, WA (YKM), Windsor Locks, CT (BDL), Mason City, IA (MCW), Sault Ste Marie, MI (CIU), Binghamton, NY (BGM), Lawton, OK (LAW), Pasco, WA (PSC), St Cloud, MN (STC), and Hyannis, MA (HYA). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

We invite you to subscribe to our RSS feed or call a contact us toll free 800-863-1184 to obtain more information on all of our accent lighting fixtures for art and display applications. You can also request literature on our main website, visit our mobile website, or read through the many informative summaries and Phantom Lighting FAQs located on our lighting blog. All of these resources contain a wealth of information about our custom; low-voltage lighting products that are the dream come true of art lighting designers and cabinet lighting builders on two major continents.

Cabinet Lighting & Display Lights

2009-07-28T23:14:00.005-05:00

Cabinet Lighting from Phantom Lighting, a Houston Texas based specialty cabinet lighting manufacturer provides commercial grade low voltage LED, incandescent and xenon cabinet lights for a wide variety of cabinet lighting installations, including exclusive patented wireless systems for adjustable shelves, LED under cabinet lighting and kitchen in cabinet lighting.

Phantom is about low voltage concealed display lighting creations - not about seeing light bulbs. We have six custom cabinet lighting series of low voltage cabinet lighting fixtures designed to ensure that the light source is concealed from each viewing angle, no matter how severe. Whether you are using our standard incandescent lamps, xenon lamps or LED replacement lamps your cabinet lighting system will be spectacular!

Here are a few of the types of under cabinet lighting we manufacture:

Adjustable Shelf Lighting
Cabinet lighting solutions for lighting cabinets, collectables, art displays and bookcase units with adjustable shelves.

Fixed Shelf Lighting
Cabinet light ideas for lighting built-in cabinets, art displays and bookcase units with fixed wood or beveled glass shelves.

Furniture Lighting
Cabinet lights for lighting curio display furniture, art collections and bookcase display cabinets with any size glass shelves.

Corner Cabinet Lighting
Antique corner cabinet lighting techniques for the illumination of fine collectables, sculptures, books and display cabinets.

Kitchen Cabinet Lighting
Kitchen cabinet lighting solutions for lighting in cabinet displays or under cabinets, fine china displays and antique silver collections.

Undercabinet Lighting

Undercabinet task lighting fixtures and products for illuminating work areas, cutting boards and granite counter tops.

Feel free to contact us toll free at 800-863-1184, visit our mobile website, lighting blog or online lighting showroom to discover which Phantom Lighting products and models will best adapt to your particular lighting needs.

We manufacture cabinet lighting fixtures in our Houston, Texas facility. A network of nationwide sales representatives fans out throughout all 50 states into cities like Scottsdale, Arizona, Seattle, Washington (SEA), Los Angeles, CA (LAX) Boston, Massachusetts (BOS), Princeton, NJ (EWR), Philadelphia, PA (PHL), Dallas, Texas (DWF), Chicago, IL (ORD), Baltimore, MD (BWI), and Minneapolis, MN (MSP). We also service clients internationally, with lighting salesmen working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

LED Undercabinet & Under Cabinet Lights

2009-07-28T15:31:00.006-05:00

Phantom led under counter lights are custom made to fit the dimensions of the undersurface of the cabinet. Five unique styles of trim styles offer a variety of glare shield designs that produce continuous lighting that shines backward away from the eyes with a minimum of reflection and spill light. This lets our custom cabinet lighting strips be used to light very challenging reflective surfaces such like granite or marble countertops with noticeably better results than competing standard linear strip lights and fluorescent fixtures. The benefits of customization allow builders and homeowners to select anything from light source to color temperature so that our technology will approximate their own objectives hand in glove. Every Phantom led under counter display cabinet lighting fixture is also fully dimmable.

The development of our technology was inspired by the many challenges presented by previous light sources for in cabinet lighting. One of the biggest negatives associated with incandescent and xenon under counter lighting has always been excessive heat buildup. Hot lights under the cabinet can do more than create discomfort for the cook. They can significantly raise room temperatures and trigger HV/AC system into working overtime to cool off the kitchen. This can amount to considerable increased costs to the homeowner, who is already paying a great deal of money to cool one of the hottest rooms in the house. Kitchen under counter lighting with LED lamps, by contrast, is by nature a more cool-burning light source. This is not to imply that the diodes it uses to produce light generate no heat at all—they do. However, the nature of diode light production allow for heat to be dissipated from an LED lamp in a way that cannot be done with incandescents. Heat sinks can be engineered to draw the heat away from the bulb as light travels outward along its intended trajectory. Although at the source level the light may not be technically heatless, from the human, experiential point of view it is. Room cooling costs can be significantly lowered with this technology, allowing the homeowner to get the most out of their kitchen undercabinet lights without having to pay an exorbitant cost in the process.

LED under counter lighting lets you guarantee lower lighting costs to your clients when they move into their home and begin to use their new kitchen task lights. This guarantee is not based on marketing or even Phantom engineering, but rather the scientific fact that Phantom LED light bulbs use 60% less power than incandescent bulbs. This percentage can be used to predict with a high level of accuracy how much less LED energy saving under counter lighting will cost than incandescent or xenon in comparison. While this may not be that much of a concern to the wealthiest of custom home owners, there are other cases where lower energy costs in the kitchen may actually be a point of concern. If you are a design build contractor that is faced with such a scenario, or a homeowner that is seeking looking to lower energy costs out of conscientious concern for the environment, then please see the value that superior lighting with greater energy efficiency can offer both your pocketbook and the environment.

This value is magnified further when we consider the many lighting advantages of LED under counter lighting strips themselves. Designed with patented festoon lamps found only in our product line, the 1.7 watt Phantom LED festoon can generate the same amount of light as a 5 watt Xenon lamp. Previous generations of LED bulbs were often rejected due to noticeably weaker light output. By overcoming this barrier, Phantom engineers have overcome a major obstacle and launched LED into the world of luxury lighting. Color temperatures are as robust as luminance when it comes to our proprietary technology. The warm 2800K is often favored by kitchen designers who want to approximate xenon’s color temperature as much as possible. The 2950K and 5000K are also available to people who either need or want a cooler color temperature.

If you are interesting in LED cabinet lighting fixtures or any professional lighting equipment, give the under cabinet lighting manufacturers a call toll free at 800-863-1184 or locally in Houston Texas at 713-863-1133. You can also contact us online using our request literature form or visit our mobile website where you can download cut sheets and other helpful Phantom Lighting information.

Low Voltage Undercounter Lighting

2009-07-28T14:55:00.004-05:00

Phantom TL series xenon linear strip lights are the ideal choice for low voltage undercounter lighting. Equipped with both low voltage transformers and dimmer controls, they can operate at the most minimal of power levels without compromising aesthetic. Phantom TL series linear strips can also be fitted with any number of lamp choices in order to make low voltage kitchen undercounter lighting a true source of luxury lighting. The builder has the option of incandescent, xenon, and a patented new form of LED festoon.

These new LED festoons are the most remarkable development in recent low voltage undercounter lighting technology. Very different from previous generations of low-output and flat color LED bulbs, these new festoon lamps can operate at only 1.7 watts and output the same amount of light as a 5 watt xenon lamp. This represents a power savings in and of itself, on top of the very nature of LED as a luminaire that only requires 40% of the power as incandescent technology. Phantom cabinet lighting fixture technology has also overcome the color temperature limitations of previous technology by adding warm tones to a historically cooler tone lighting source. We have three different selections that can be chosen by architects, builders, and designers. Custom kitchen designers often opt for the warm 2800K LED festoon lamp, which produces xenon-quality luminance and is ideal for granite and marble counters. The cooler color temperatures of 2950K and 5000K are also available.

These LED, low voltage undercounter lights also feature some rather unique technologies in heat reduction. Unlike incandescent bulbs, our festoons are actually a proprietary lamp designed with three led bulbs inside. A special heat sink is built into the festoon that draws the heat of the bulbs backward while light is directed from the lamp forward and downward onto the countertop below. This eliminates practically all forward throw heat, and it allows the homeowner the option of leaving their low voltage kitchen undercabinet lights on indefinitely without the risk of overheating kitchen task areas. In most instances where this is done, however, homeowners prefer to dim the lights at night in order to create a more subdued and elegant effect.

This generates another cost savings when one considers that heat of any kind, and in any amount, will rise to the top of the room. Even something as small as an industry-standard, low-voltage undercounter light can generate enough heat to raise room temperature by several degrees. This will ultimately increase home cooling costs for a room (the kitchen) that is already typically one of the hottest rooms in the house. The dimmability of Phantom low-voltage custom cabinet lights proves an invaluable counteragent to accumulated forward throw heat. This is of particular value to the designer who feels that incandescent and xenon sourcing is still the best choice for his or her decorative scheme. A 5 or even 7 watt xenon bulb can be dimmed to a luminance level that is luxuriously decorative and simultaneously minimal in heat output compared to fluorescent undercabinet lighting.

Lamp life can also be extended by Phantom low voltage undercounter lighting technology. While the lifespan of LED is typically 40,000 lamp hours regardless of the manufacturer or mounting configuration, the noticeable difference that Phantom engineering makes on the lifespan of incandescent and xenon lamps is remarkable. Simply by dimming the cabinet lights, people can expect for their bulbs to last for the maximum anticipated life expectancy, and, in some cases, even a bit longer.

Our undercabinet lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas. Feel free to contact us toll free at 800-863-1184 for assistance.

We have a network of nationwide distributorships and Phantom lighting sales reps than fan out throughout all 50 states into cities like Scottsdale, Arizona, Seattle, Washington (SEA), Los Angeles, CA, (LAX) Boston, Massachusetts (BOS), Princeton, NJ (EWR), Philadelphia, PA, Dallas, Texas (DWF), Pasadena, California, Chicago, IL (ORD), Baltimore, MD (BWI), and Minneapolis, MN (MSP).

Cove Lighting Manufacturing Company

2009-07-28T07:48:00.004-05:00

Phantom Lighting distinguishes itself as a cove lighting manufacturer whose diversity of technology and consultative approach to client relations makes it the most reliable source of high-end accent lighting in our industry. With an organizational structure dedicated to supporting our custom, made-to-order cove light manufacturing, and an international reach that literally lights two continents from pole to pole, Phantom is a home lighting manufacturing source for every architect, builder, and interior decorator looking to add an impeccable touch to interior architecture, lighting, and design.

Phantom Lighting’s diversity of technology will fit any cove lighting application. Phantom CM Series cove lighting strips can be ordered in three manufacturer trim profiles. These trims can be field cut or notched to fit a radius bend or achieve an irregular shape. Their innately-low profile design keeps them completely concealed in most applications. In challenging areas where positioning may prohibit concealment of any fixtures, CM Series cove lights come in 8 popular painted colors to provide a seamless blend with their environment.

Phantom technology also offers more freedom of choice and advanced engineering when it comes to residential light manufacturing. As a cove lighting manufacturer dedicated to the promulgation of energy efficient technology, Phantom patented the LED festoon lamp—a remarkable equivalent to xenon in both performance and luminance output. Operating at only 1.7 watts of power, and designed with a heat sink to render it a completely cool-burning light source—the Phantom LED festoon lamp is available in 2800K, 2950K, and 5000K color temperature ratings. Home and business owners can operate these luminaires for extended periods of time without heat buildup that will affect HVAC costs or power consumption that will raise electrical costs.

Interior decorators who require the precise color rendering effects produced by xenon and incandescent lamps can still obtain these cove lighting options from our commercial lighting manufacturing production facility. Available 3 watt, 5 watt, and 10 watt options, these luminaires can be regulated by dimmers to control heat and luminance output.

The organization structure and process flow of our organization allows Phantom to work very closely with each individual client. Because our accent lighting tools are custom-made to order, we work directly with the purchaser anytime so requested. We are one of the few cove lighting manufacturers with the available resources or time to work on such a close consultative level with each individual client. We made it a point to structure our organization with the capacity to do so because of the highly specialized nature of our equipment and the need to make it work individually with each specific cove lighting application we are confronted with.

While we work very personally with each client when so requested, we also have an international scope of service that allows us to supply lighting fixtures for exceptionally large orders. Cove lighting is very popular in both commercial and custom residential home building, and we have many clients throughout North, Central, and South America that trust us to be the manufacturer that can be trusted to accurately process bulk purchase orders, handle multiple custom configurations for a large build out, and consistently deliver our product on time.

Our lighting manufacturing plant is located in Houston, Texas. A network of nationwide lighting supply agents fans out throughout all 50 states into cities like Ft. Lauderdale, FL (FLL), Orlando, Florida (MCO), Santa Monica, CA, (LAX) Columbus, Ohio (CMH), (LGA) New York, NY, (JKF), St. Louis, MO, Detroit, Michigan (DTW), Madison, WI (MSN), San Francisco, California (SFO), and Omaha, Nebraska (OMA). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

We invite you to contact us direct at 800-863-1184 to obtain more information on all of these options. You can also request literature on our main website, visit our mobile website, or read through the many informative summaries and FAQs located on our lighting blog. All of these resources contain a wealth of information about our custom; low-voltage lighting products that are the dream come true of art lighting designers and cabinet lighting builders on two major continents.

Undercabinet Kitchen Lighting Fixtures

2009-07-13T12:10:00.003-05:00

Architects know that every home they design has kitchens, and every kitchen has cabinets that need proper lighting. Beneath these cabinets are counter tops that serve a dual purpose of decoration and multi-task utility. Shadows in these spots are both unattractive and possibly hazardous. Eliminating these dark areas with kitchen under counter lights instantly improves the aesthetic and safety of utility areas, and can play a major contributing role in a home buying decisions.

To ensure that the most important elements of kitchen under cabinet lighting are met, architects must move beyond generic puck lights and outdated fluorescent “energy savers” toward a more robust engineering and manufacturing design that captures the intentions of an artist with the precision of a scientist.

Phantom TL series kitchen under cabinet lighting is one of the few strip lights that offer LED lamping in color temperatures that are aesthetically complimentary to the granite and marble counter tops common in high-end homes. Warmer color tones look best under the 2800K led festoon, and cooler temperatures can be accented using our 2950K. These options offer home buyers a long-term return on investment on the front-end costs of the strips. The energy efficiency of LED, which is up to 60% more than that of any other form of lighting, accrues a savings that offsets initial purchase costs. Also, LED lamp life of 40,000-50,000 bulb hours eliminates the need for frequent maintenance and makes bulb replacements very rare.

LED under cabinet lights can also play a contributing role in reducing cooling costs. Most people who invest in under cabinet fixtures tend to want to leave them on in the kitchen if and when it is safe to do so. A hot-burning light source is going to trigger the thermostat to activate the HVAC system, driving up power bills in the process. However, LED light bulbs emit light electronically rather than chemically through the ignition of gas in a sealed glass container. This makes them a very low-heat source of illumination, perfectly safe to burn throughout the night, and negligible in terms of impact on room temperature.

For applications that require color temperatures ranging from 3000K-5000K, Phantom also offers xenon under cabinet lighting options that offset the higher power consumption curve with dimmability options and low-voltage transformers engineered to curtail excessive electrical consumption. Our purpose is to provide our commercial design clients with the full range of necessary color temperature compliments to every cabinet build, interior decorating scheme, and general lighting requirements they may encounter in custom home design.

The linear strips that power our low voltage cabinet lights are sophisticated pieces of engineering in their own right. These linear strips are very small in comparison to most competing models, and they are much easier to conceal beneath the surfaces of a variety of cabinet sizes and custom builds. Two very important features of these lighting strips work to eliminate not only shadows, but also reflective glare. Rather than mounting in the center of the under surface like puck lights, or in the back as many fluorescent fixtures install, Phantom TL light strips fit under the front of kitchen cabinets. Special glare shields that are built into the lights direct the light backward away from the eyes and across the utility areas under countertops. Dimmer controls allow the homeowner to adjust lighting levels to match those created by general overhead lighting. This adjustability allows the end user to create a contiguous luminous that is both sourceless and seamless from the viewer’s perspective, and creates a very attractive setting for gatherings, parties, and cooking demonstrations.

Phantom Lighting makes it easy for architects to incorporate our kitchen under cabinet lighting fixtures into their custom home designs. Each fixture is custom cut to the dimensions provided to us by the architect. The choice of LED or xenon sourcing is determined (with the help of a Phantom specialist if need be), and a purchase order for custom manufacturing of the fixtures is set in order.

Our undercabinet lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas. Feel free to contact us toll free at 800-863-1184 for assistance. We have a network of nationwide distributorships and Phantom lighting sales reps than fan out throughout all 50 states into cities like Scottsdale, Arizona, Seattle, Washington (SEA), Los Angeles, CA, (LAX) Boston, Massachusetts (BOS), Princeton, NJ (EWR), Philadelphia, PA, Dallas, Texas (DWF), Pasadena, California, Chicago, IL (ORD), Baltimore, MD (BWI), and Minneapolis, MN (MSP).

We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer sales representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

Designing Adjustable Cabinet Lights

2009-07-13T11:29:00.004-05:00

If you are building cabinets with adjustable shelves mounted on metal brackets, Phantom Lighting offers you the option of building custom display cabinet lights right into the shelving at the time of construction. These linear fixtures are low-voltage units designed for maximum light output and minimal power consumption. With color temperatures ranging from 3500K-2800K, they are guaranteed to accentuate your product’s aesthetic and directly increase its market value.

With the energy efficiency generated by Phantom LED cabinet lights, you can offer to reduce your clients’ decorative lighting costs by as much as 60%. When you combine this type of savings with superb carpentry and high-end lighting, you add return on investment value to product quality and increase the selling power of your bid with some of the most ingenious technology ever introduced to the world of cabinet lighting.

In spite of its highly flexible nature and diverse range of application, the Phantom adjustable shelf cabinet lighting system consists of some amazingly simple components. These are the cabinet lights themselves, a CDA kit for each linear strip, a pair of bus bars, and a small, low-voltage transformer that is easy to conceal.

The CDA kit replaces the standard metal shelf brackets with a pair of highly conductive brass shelf supports and corresponding brass contact pads. The bus bars are vertical metal strips that are mounted flush within the interior walls of the cabinet. When a cabinet maker contacts our factory and places a purchase order, both the bus bars and the cabinet lights themselves are custom built to match the dimensions of the structure’s interior.

Each cabinet lighting installation requires only one pair of bus bars per section, and each linear strip light requires only one corresponding CDA kit per shelf. These components, along with a small, low-voltage transformer that is easy to conceal, are all that is necessary to create a completely hidden light, wireless light source that will illuminate everything from rare books and antique china to sentimental curios and fine bottles of wine.

Installing your low voltage lighting strips is a simple process that takes only a few minutes to complete. Begin by routing out a 1/4” channel on each interior wall of the cabinet. Route this channel directly at the point where you intend to mount the metal shelf brackets. Install the bus bar in this channel flush with the surface of the wall. Then, use the screws in the CDA kit to affix the shelf brackets directly to the bus bars at whatever height you wish to place the shelves. The bus bars have plenty of screw holes, so you can create all sorts of display options for your clients simply by moving a pair of brackets up or down.

One the shelf brackets are in place, attach the brass contact pads in your CDA kit to the ends of each shelf. Install the cabinet lighting fixtures behind the front reveal of every shelf, and then connect them to the contact pads with the small wires that come with the CDA kit. (You do not need an electrician to do this). Now, when the shelf is placed on the bracket, the power will flow from the bus bars through the mounting bracket, then complete circuit through the contact pads connected to the lighting strips.

If you are a lighting designer, these wireless cabinet AE Series lights can help tip the scales in favor of your proposal with any client who wishes to showcase something special in his or her home or office. If you are a private collector, or simply a homeowner looking to enliven the living room with a new level of light, you can upgrade from outdated and inefficient battery lights to LED wireless cabinet lights that will save on power and provide you with any desired lighting effect you can imagine…at a fraction of the cost of incandescent bulbs or batteries that have to be replaced on an ongoing basis.

Contact us now at 1-800-863-1184 to learn more about how customized wireless and completely adjustable shelf cabinet display lights can beautify a home or office with an entirely new aesthetic with apparently sourceless ambient lighting.

Our adjustable cabinet lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas. We have a network of nationwide distributorships and United States lighting sales representatives that fan out throughout all 50 states into cities like Ft. Lauderdale, FL (FLL), Orlando, Florida (MCO), Santa Monica, CA, (LAX) Columbus, Ohio (CMH), (LGA) New York, NY, (JKF), St. Louis, MO, Detroit, Michigan (DTW), Madison, WI (MSN), San Francisco, California (SFO), and Omaha, Nebraska (OMA). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

Countertop Lighting & Undercabinet Lights

2009-06-19T14:52:00.005-05:00

Phantom Lighting is a manufacturer of custom under counter light fixtures committed to equipping the architect, home builder, and interior lighting designer with custom-made task lighting fixtures for kitchens that need more than simple functional lighting. The unique aesthetic created by our linear lighting strips contributes an added value to the practical demands of countertop lighting. In addition to a scalability that makes them one of the most concealed under cabinet lighting sources available anywhere, a number of proprietary manufacturer designs also make them the most versatile linear fixtures in a world of highly custom architecture, design, and interior schemes.

One of the most unique products offered by our company is a proprietary LED festoon lamp with lumens per watt ratio previously unattainable by any kitchen under cabinet lighting manufacturer. The genius of its design lies in its physical structure and advanced lighting and heat control features. Combining three LED bulbs into one physical lamp structure, the Phantom LED festoon operates at only 1.7 watts—yet it outputs the same level of light as a 5-watt xenon bulb! The Phantom LED festoon also features a proprietary heat sink that draws the forward throw heat away from the direction that the beam is travelling. With these linear lighting fixtures, an architect can furnish the homeowner with a high-end light source that is virtually heat-free and fully capable of illuminating any surface with an equally decorative and functional

Phantom manufactures under cabinet lighting systems to be far more easy to conceal than those made by other manufacturers. Our linear strips are thinner and more compact. They can be concealed behind the forward lip at the bottom of any sized kitchen cabinet. In the event that the cabinet has no such reveal in the front, a trim carpenter can usually add trim pieces that match the color and texture of the wood and thereby conceal the fixtures. This ability to assume a hidden position in almost any kitchen environment actually inspired our manufacturer brand—Phantom—and also inspired our motto, “see the light, not the fixture.”

Not only does this design produce a better quality of light, but it also produces a more controllable source of under cabinet lighting. As a home lighting manufacturer, each individual trim style is engineered with its own unique angle of light distribution. This allows builders to choose an angle of incidence directly proportional to the surface area of the countertop being illuminated. The forward mounted position of the fixtures, combined with a very precise distribution pattern of luminance, sends the light backward across the surface of the counter into the backsplash. This minimizes the reflective glare that is common when lighting marble and granite countertops, and it creates both an aesthetic and a level of comfort for the eyes that unify the dual purpose of aesthetics and function for which under cabinet lighting is intended.

Other manufacturer features that distinguish Phantom cabinet lighting fixtures include low-voltage power and user-friendly dimmability. As low-voltage devices, these luxury lights create an exceptionally chic compliment to kitchen décor without exorbitant electrical consumption. If the builder opts for incandescent or xenon lamps over LED, the dimmability of our strip lights further allows for reduction of power load and heat by reducing the wattage requirements of the lamp proportional to the level of accent lighting that the homeowner selects. This also has the additional benefit of extending incandescent lamp life and creating even more savings through reduced maintenance and replacement costs.

Our xenon under cabinet lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas, which in turn distributes these specialty linear lights through a nationwide network of lighting supply channels, distributorships, and sales representatives in cities such as Rhinelander, WI (RHI), Yakima, WA (YKM), Windsor Locks, CT (BDL), Mason City, IA (MCW), Sault Ste Marie, MI (CIU), Binghamton, NY (BGM), Lawton, OK (LAW), Pasco, WA (PSC), St Cloud, MN (STC), and Hyannis, MA (HYA). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

We invite you to call a contact us toll free 800-863-1184 to obtain more information on all of these options. You can also request literature on our main website, visit our mobile website, or read through the many informative summaries and Phantom Lighting FAQs located on our lighting blog. All of these resources contain a wealth of information about our custom; low-voltage lighting products that are the dream come true of art lighting designers and cabinet lighting builders on two major continents.

Under Kitchen Cabinet Lighting

2009-06-18T08:10:00.003-05:00

Architects and builders order Phantom TL series linear strips anytime they need a source of under cabinet kitchen lighting capable of meeting all the complex demands of custom kitchen cabinet lighting. Our diversity of trim and lamping options makes this unique task light adaptable to the under surface of any cabinet, and its exceptionally small size makes it very easy to conceal behind the front lip of the cabinet.

We built this versatility into our under kitchen cabinet lighting fixtures because we know how important countertops are to custom kitchens. Just as they function as much needed work areas, counter tops are also foundational design elements. Builders will go to exorbitant lengths and invest expense to install a marble or granite counter that sets the entire tone for interior kitchen design. Because this is such an important room, the appearance of kitchen countertops often plays a pivotal role in establishing home sale price.

The two greatest enemies of countertop aesthetic are reflective glare and shadow. Glare creates white spots that can irritate the eyes of people handling utensils such as knives. Shadows make it hard to distinguish between shades of color, which in turn makes it hard to see food products clearly. Uneven kitchen undercabinet lighting diminishes the aesthetic of custom stone work that characterizes many modern kitchens. To combat these enemies, architects must use under cabinet kitchen lighting fixtures engineered with better trims and more precise angles of light distribution. They must also turn to any number of both traditional and non-traditional festoon lamp designs in order to find the very best color temperature to match to the particular material and design of the countertop they are illuminating.

Phantom lighting strips are intended to function as linear templates that can be customized to specific lamping and trim requirements on a case by case basis. For example, beam distribution angles range from 88 degrees to 166 degrees, depending on which trim you select. Because our under kitchen cabinet lights mount on the forward under surface of the cabinet, the light shines backward across the countertop. While this does not reflection, most of the light that is reflected travels away from the eyes and illuminates the backsplash. This is a much better method lighting a counter than using puck fixtures, which are notorious for creating white spots beneath cabinets. A concealed source also results in more attractive presentation than one produced by visible fluorescent fixtures. In spite of the energy-saving qualities of fluorescents, they invariably create an eyesore by shining glare toward the viewer, and by visibly protruding below the cabinet surface.

A better aesthetic luminance that also saves on energy costs is the new Phantom LED festoon lamp. It is capable of producing a lumens output equivalent to a 5 watt xenon lamp, yet it operates at only 1.7 watts. Its patented heat sink technology draws forward throw heat away from the cabinet and the counter, making this a truly cool-burning source of illumination. Capable of reducing energy costs by as much as 60 percent, the Phantom LED festoon gives homeowners he option of leaving their under kitchen cabinet lights on as decorative luminaires for extended periods of time. Our warmest color temperature, the 2800K, is a close approximation to xenon, and one that is highly favored by builders who install marble and granite countertops. Cooler counter top colors, such as white and off white, are often lit with our 2950K series LED cabinet lighting.

For architects who prefer color temperature ranges between 2600-3000K, Phantom also installs xenon lamps in its linear strips in order to provide that traditional, luxurious lighting effects that xenon has always been famous for. Although the lamp life is much shorter than that of LED (7500 hours as opposed to 40,000 to 50,000 hours), dimmers on our cabinet lights let users offset normal power consumption, driving down operating costs and extending lamp life as a result. Dimmer controls also offer the added aesthetic matching decorative and task lighting levels to precisely compliment general kitchen lighting.

Phantom under kitchen cabinet lighting strips are custom-made to fit the exact specifications of every cabinet undersurface. Trims and lamping options are based on cabinet surface area, material build, color, and decorative pattern. These options are chosen with the help of a Phantom Lighting specialist who knows your industry and can help you match our technology to functional and decorative expectations of your clients.

Our in-cabinet lighting supply facility is located in Houston, Texas. We then distribute these nationwide through our network of lighting suppliers that encompasses all 50 states into cities like Keahole, HI (KOA), Dallas, TX (DFW), El Paso, TX (ELP), Duluth, MN (DLH), Charlevoix, MI (CVX), Montrose, CO (MTJ), Telluride, CO (TEX), Dubuque, IA (DBQ), Mason City, IA (MCW), and Chicago, IL (MDW). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

We invite you to contact us toll free 800-863-1184 to obtain more information on all of these options. You can also request literature on our main website, visit our mobile website, or read through the many informative summaries and FAQs located on our lighting blog. All of these resources contain a wealth of information about our custom; low-voltage lighting products that are the dream come true of art lighting designers and cabinet lighting builders on two major continents.

Countertop Lights & Counter Top Lighting

2009-06-18T07:48:00.003-05:00

The Phantom TL light series under the cabinet lighting fixtures are an exceptional source of countertop light for any task needing to be performed in the kitchen. We aim to provide the architect, the builder, and the lighting designer with complete freedom of choice when it comes to countertop light. Each counter top fixture is custom cut to match the precise dimensions of a cabinet under surface. Due to their impeccable engineering, Phantom under cabinet lighting fixtures can also perform important aesthetic functions beyond their obviously practical purpose.

Phantom countertop kitchen lights are dimmable, and they are better able to evenly distribute illumination across counter top surfaces than are standard under cabinet lights. Color temperature options range from the warm LED 2800K up to the cool 5000K in LED, xenon, or incandescent choices. Lamping options range from the traditional incandescent and decorative xenon, to a revolutionary, patented LED festoon lamp that has been engineered to carefully approximate the color temperature and decorative appearance of xenon.

We cannot stress enough the importance of countertop lighting solutions. The kitchen counter is quite possibly the most important surface area in the entire room. Food is prepared here, and many cooking tools and appliances are also showcased here. It is absolutely necessary that we properly illuminate the countertop so that any person who enters the kitchen can clearly see variances in colors and safely handle utensils such as knives. A good many lighting manufacturers advertise all types of fixtures that to give the best and cheapest source of counter top light. Most of these fixtures are energy saving fluorescents that have been designed specifically for the do-it-yourself (DIY) home improvement hobbyist. These lights are fine for the smaller kitchens we normally find in homes, hotels, and apartments. In the more sophisticated domain of custom in kitchen cabinet lighting, however, a more contemporary and chic quality of countertop light is required.

This is because of many reasons. To begin with, larger homes have larger kitchens simply because of design proportions. If each room in the home is larger than its equivalent in a much smaller house, then common sense tells us that the kitchen is also going to be larger. A larger kitchen will have considerably more countertop surface area, and light from generic fixtures will not adequately light its entirety. Shadows will still show up beneath cabinet corners and along the corner of the backsplash. If the light is not positioned correctly, or if it has too wide a beam angle (as most retail under cabinet lights do), then it will cast reflective glare back into the eyes of the person working in the kitchen.

There are other considerations that must be taken into account when you choose and undercabinet 12 volt light fixture for a high-end kitchen. Every kitchen countertop in a custom home will be much more than a functional work area. It will be a work of ornamentation in its own right, often crafted from the finest cuts of marble and granite. Both the type of lamps used, and the color temperatures of the lamps themselves, must be carefully chosen in order to match the countertop colors and designs. Otherwise, the multi-dimensional elements of marble and granite often will look as though they have been flattened out beneath the light. Custom stone work also requires illumination that is carefully angled so it will direct reflected light away from the eyes. Ideally too, it will be adjustable to match surrounding general room lighting. This prevents the counter top surface under the cabinet light fixtures from appearing too dark or too light in relation to the rest of the counter. It also makes the room look bigger and much more vibrant for events like cooking parties and family dinners where the kitchen functions as the hub of gathering and entertainment.

When all of these factors are considerate together, architects and builders freely admit that the best source of countertop light installation in a custom kitchens is the TL series Phantom strip light. With special glare shields that shine the light at an angle across the countertop toward the back splash, forward-mounted Phantom fixtures direct light away from sensitive eyes. This better illuminates the intricacies of the rich colors and patterns of stonework. Precision lighting control is also available through our technology through dimmers that allow luminance to be set to levels appropriate to any occasion.

Our undercabinet linear lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas. A network of nationwide lighting supply sales agents fans out throughout all 50 states into cities like San Juan, PR (SJU), Isla De Vieques, PR (VQS), Fajardo, PR (X95), Erie, PA (ERI), Killeen, TX (ILE), Sheridan, WY (SHR), Casper, WY (CPR), Parkersburg, WV (PKB), and Escanaba, MI (ESC). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

We invite you to contact us toll free 800-863-1184 to obtain more information on all of these options. You can also request literature on our main website, visit our mobile website, or read through the many informative summaries and FAQs located on our lighting blog. All of these resources contain a wealth of information about our custom; low-voltage lighting products that are the dream come true of art lighting designers and cabinet lighting builders on two major continents.

Under Counter Kitchen Lights

2009-06-08T16:55:00.004-05:00

Undercounter lighting is necessary to both the aesthetics and overall functionality of kitchen design and workflow. Dark spots under cabinets make it hard to see colors and work with tools. Food preparation is difficult (and sometimes a bit unsafe) if you do not have an adequate source of glare-free light to work with. It is also more difficult if the light is unevenly distributed or brighter in some places than in others.

Fluorescent under cabinet lights have long been used for undercounter lighting sources for many reasons. Originally developed as energy efficient task lights, fluorescents could operate for long hours with lower energy cost and less frequent lamp replacements. It made sense to then adapt these same sources to indoor task lighting applications like under undercounter kitchen lighting. In some ways, they are ideal for this task—provided the lighting is uniform and aesthetic outcome is not the highest priority.

Fluorescent undercounter kitchen lights are segmented fixtures that mount in series underneath the rear of the cabinet. Depending on type and origin of manufacture, these segments vary in length. Ideally, these segments can be lined from side to side, end to end, and evenly distribute light across the countertop.

Fluorescent undercounter lighting can work very well in such a setting if the counter features a matte finish that reflects virtually no light, and provided that the fixtures can completely line the posterior undersurface of the cabinet. You will encounter problems, however, if you are looking to build a custom home with more sophisticated cabinetry and countertop design.

Custom cabinets vary and cabinet light solutions cut to standard lengths cannot precisely match their horizontal surface. A series of fluorescent fixtures can still be installed here, but there will be gaps on one end or both due to the fact that standard lengths, even when combined, may not precisely match horizontal measurements. You will see an immediate, noticeable deterioration in the quality of undercounter lighting. Dark spots will appear under the sides of your cabinet due to the lack of lighting uniformity.

The problem becomes more compounded if you are planning to install a granite or marble countertop. Because these surfaces are so reflective, glare becomes just as much of an enemy as shadow. Fluorescent undercounter lights installed at the back of the cabinet will not work here because they will shine light forward across the counter which will then reflect up into the eyes.

For these situations, LED undercounter lighting with linear strips is much more effective than fluorescent lighting. Because they mount to the forward undersurface of the cabinet, they direct light backward away from the eyes and provide a higher quality aesthetic. Custom made strips are to be preferred above standard-sized linear strips because they can be manufactured to fit the exact horizontal dimensions of the cabinet. Glare shields should also be present, with options in light distribution angles offered by the manufacturer as well. Lights should also fitted with dimmers so homeowners can adjust countertop lighting to match general room lighting levels. Furthermore, multiple lamp options should be made available to the builder who needs freedom of choice in selecting light source and color temperature.

To meet all of these requirements, Phantom Lighting engineered the TM series linear task light for kitchen cabinet lighting. The TM strip light can be fitted with your choice of incandescent, xenon, or LED festoon lamps. This series comes in 5 available trims, each one having a specific light distribution angle that allows you to precisely match beam spread in kitchen cabinet lighting applications. TM linear strips are 100 percent dimmable, so homeowners can easily and instantly adjust light levels. Each strip is also glare shielded to minimize spill light and direct the majority of luminance away from the eyes into the back splash.

We have further developed our technology with the patenting a new LED festoon lamps that can closely imitate the color rendering and luminance output of xenon—at only 60 percent of the power consumption. Furthermore, heat sinks built into our festoons make it a cool-operating light source that can be left on for long periods of time without measurable heat buildup.
You can order Phantom LED festoons in the warm color temperature of 2800K, the slightly cooler 2950K, and the cool color 5000K. You can also order incandescent and xenon lamps in the same color temperatures for special, luxury under counter lighting applications. If this is your decision, we recommend you use dimmer controls to minimize heat and power consumption, which will also help keep temperature down and maximize lamp life.

We manufacture cabinet lighting fixtures in our Houston, Texas facility. A network of nationwide lighting supply sales representatives fans out throughout all 50 states into cities like Scottsdale, Arizona, Seattle, Washington (SEA), Los Angeles, CA (LAX) Boston, Massachusetts (BOS), Princeton, NJ (EWR), Philadelphia, PA (PHL), Dallas, Texas (DWF), Chicago, IL (ORD), Baltimore, MD (BWI), and Minneapolis, MN (MSP). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

We invite you to contact us toll free 800-863-1184 to obtain more information on all of kitchen and display lighting products. You can also request cabinet lighting literature on our Phantom Lighting website, visit our Phantom Lighting mobile website, or read through the many informative summaries and FAQs located on our cabinet lighting blog. All of these resources, including our online virtual lighting showroom contain a wealth of information about our custom; low-voltage lighting products that are the dream come true of art lighting designers and cabinet lighting builders on two major continents.

Kitchen Countertop Lighting Fixtures

2009-06-03T15:31:00.002-05:00

Phantom TM linear strip lights are the best choice for architects and builders to use in countertop lighting applications. Particularly in custom homes where the kitchen plays a significant role in home value, it is imperative to use the very best fixtures that can be customized to any cabinet design and countertop surface for maximum aesthetic and functionality. Kitchens in these homes almost always feature a high level of customized interior architecture and a deliberately emphasis on the ornamental. This is because the kitchen in today’s custom home has become much more than a place to cook a meal. It has become the hub of entertainment and home society, where everything from family gatherings to neighborhood dinner parties require the very best kitchen cabinet lighting possible.

Countertop lighting in kitchen cabinets is a challenging task in any environment simply because cabinets always block overhead light to a certain degree. Shadows form and make it hard for people to see colors and safely work with knives and other tools. Under cabinet lights have been used for decades now to dispel these shadows and create safer, more attractive work environments. Some, like energy-saving fluorescent, mount underneath the back wall of the cabinet and shine the light forward across the countertop. Other fixtures, such as center-mounted puck lights, shine lights directly down onto the counter from the center of the cabinet above.

Puck lights and fluorescents were not developed for high-end markets, however. Their greatest value lies in energy-savings and utility in small to mid-sized homes in rural areas and suburban subdivisions. They have also found widespread use in many apartments and hotel kitchenettes that require basic countertop lighting. In these environments they often work very well because kitchen counters are usually white, non-reflective surfaces that absorb the majority of light that strikes their surface.

Custom low voltage countertop lighting, on the other hand, is an entirely different manner. Marble and granite surfaces absorb very little light, so anything used to illuminate their surfaces is going to throw out glare in some direction. Linear lighting strips that mount behind the forward lip of cabinets are preferable for this task for two reasons. First, they are concealed in this position and pose no threat to the aesthetic of cabinet design. Secondly, they can direct the light across the counter, sending reflective glare up the back splash. This of course, is provided they are built with the appropriate glare shields that will keep light from shining at a forward angle where it could then reflect back up into the eyes.

Another very important consideration to factor into countertop lighting design is the actual color of the stone work itself. The warmer reds of granite need a cool color temperature light source that will bring out the sharp sense of absolutism that granite has always symbolized. Marble has an even gentler appeal, with swirls and eddies of blue reminiscent of pools of water or even ocean waves. Warm color temperatures work better here because they help differentiate each shade of blue and add an extra golden touch to the white spaces. It helps if the builder can count on having total freedom of choice when it comes to choosing color temperatures.

Phantom TM series linear light strips have been engineered to meet all of the many concerns that architects and builders face when illuminating spaces under cabinets and fine custom stonework. Our TM series strip light is available in 5 different trim styles, with light distribution angles ranging from 88 degrees to 166 degrees. All linear strips have a special patented glare shield that directs illumination down and away from the eyes. Lamping options include incandescent, xenon, and LED festoons in color temperatures that range from the warm LED 2800K lamp to the cool LED or Xenon 5000K lamp.

All linear strips are custom-cut to precise cabinet dimensions, and they can even be painted to match cabinet color on cabinets that have no forward lip on their under surface. Furthermore, all countertop lighting with any of these fixture choices is 100 percent dimmable, allowing the homeowner to control heat output, power consumption, and aesthetics all with one simple control. An added benefit of LED festoon lamps is the patented heat sink that draws forward throw heat away from the lamp, eliminating the need to use the dimmer for heat control. Xenon festoons can be ordered in clear or frosted lenses depending on the sheen, color, and design of the counter top they are lighting.

We manufacture cabinet lighting fixtures in our Houston, Texas facility. A network of nationwide lighting supply sales representatives fans out throughout all 50 states into cities like Scottsdale, Arizona, Seattle, Washington (SEA), Los Angeles, CA (LAX) Boston, Massachusetts (BOS), Princeton, NJ (EWR), Philadelphia, PA (PHL), Dallas, Texas (DWF), Chicago, IL (ORD), Baltimore, MD (BWI), and Minneapolis, MN (MSP). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

We invite you to call a Phantom Agent toll free 800-863-1184 to obtain more information on all of these options. You can also request literature on our Phantom Lighting website, visit our Phantom Lighting mobile website, or read through the many informative summaries and FAQs located on our cabinet lighting blog. All of these resources, including our online virtual lighting showroom contain a wealth of information about our custom; low-voltage lighting products that are the dream come true of art lighting designers and cabinet lighting builders on two major continents.

Lighting Antique Corner Cabinets

2009-05-01T13:03:00.000-05:00

Corner cabinet lighting can present some unique challenges to the carpenter and the designer. On an aesthetic level, one has to precisely match the color temperature of the light to the contents on display to most appropriately showcase their color and form. On a functional level, the designer must select corner cabinet lights that offer some means of controlling heat buildup within the cabinet interior, or install a light source that will produce less heat without sacrificing lighting levels or lighting quality.

To better understand how the present generation of corner cabinet lights evolved in the first place, we need to take a look at back in history. In the very beginning, there were only incandescent lights. Corner cabinets were originally built with hand soldered incandescent lighting strips built into the displays themselves. Incandescent was and still is the closest match to natural sunlight, so early corner cabinet lighting solutions produced a luminance that was incredibly “golden” in tone and ideal for lighting fine antiques and rare collectibles. However, these lights produced considerable heat output that was further magnified by glass door enclosure. Also, incandescents only lasted for a short period of time. Even to this day, incandescent bulbs of any kind suffer from the shortest lamp life on the market.

To create a light source with longer lamp life, cabinet lighting manufacturers began to develop a new, hybrid form of incandescent light called xenon. They also developed dimmer controls that would allow display owners to raise and lower lighting levels at will. Xenon still had the slightly golden appearance of incandescent lights, only with a slightly lighter, whiter tone. It quickly became the new standard in custom cabinet furniture lighting, and the new technology of the dimmer control allowed for forward throw heat to be directly controlled for the first time. The only disadvantage to this, however, was that reducing heat meant reducing the level of light. For some very elaborate antique and collectible displays, this meant creating too much darkness for maximum aesthetic.

The ultimate solution to all of these concerns came with the most recent development in corner cabinet lighting-- LED technology. LED allows us now to create much higher lighting levels with less heat. The patent pending Phantom LED festoon lamp, for example, is a 1.7 watt unit that emits the equivalent of 5 watt xenon bulb. However, the heat generated in the production of light is dissipated by a heat sink that draws heat away from the cabinet interior. Additional benefits of LED technology are the longest lamp life of any light source and a power consumption of only 20%-40% that of previous technologies.

Ranging in terms of the warmest to coolest, LED festoons are available in color temperatures 2800K, 2950K and 5000K. Of course, Phantom has a policy never to limit the choices of our clients for display cabinet lighting. Some decorators have already determined specific ambient qualities they wish to create that require xenon or incandescent strip lights. For such clients, we recommend the use of dimmer controls to control heat, and we also suggest that lights be turned off for periods of time. Also, our engineers strongly recommend that for lighting closed corner cabinets with glass doors, one should use xenon bulbs rated at 3 or 5 watts. Anything more than that will generate too much heat buildup to effectively control without sacrificing luminance and aesthetics.

Our home lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas, which in turn distributes these specialty linear lights through a nationwide network of lighting supply channels, distributorships, and sales agents in cities such as Rhinelander, WI (RHI), Yakima, WA (YKM), Windsor Locks, CT (BDL), Mason City, IA (MCW), Sault Ste Marie, MI (CIU), Binghamton, NY (BGM), Lawton, OK (LAW), Pasco, WA (PSC), St Cloud, MN (STC), and Hyannis, MA (HYA). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

We invite you to contact us toll free 800-863-1184 to obtain more information on all of these options. Feel free to visit our mobile website, lighting blog, read our client testimonials or visit our online lighting showroom to discover which Phantom Lighting products will best adapt to your particular lighting needs.

All of these resources contain a wealth of information about our custom; low-voltage lighting products that are the dream come true of art lighting designers and cabinet lighting builders on two major continents.

Lighting Cabinets With Fixed Shelves

2009-04-24T15:36:00.006-05:00

Do you manufacture fixed shelf lighting fixtures specifically for custom furniture and retrofit applications?
Yes. We not only manufacture light fixtures specifically for non-adjustable shelf lighting, but we take it one step further by making each individual strip light custom to the dimensions of the shelf or vertical style to which you intend to mount it. We have engineered the basic components of our display cabinet lights to accommodate a wide range of wiring techniques that allow you to install what amounts to a completely concealed or almost completely concealed hidden cabinet lighting source.

This customization allows you total freedom in a much wider range of cabinet lighting installations. Customization means more application power when it comes to illuminating build outs and retrofits that are characterized by highly stylized cuts of wood and unique construction designs.

This sounds like a very bold claim. Is there any type of cabinet you cannot light with your equipment?
To be honest, there is. Any cabinet with a glass or mirrored backing tends to produce too much reflective glare. However, when it comes to lighting private library cabinets with solid wood backing or panel backing, there really is no style our fixed shelf lighting fixtures cannot be adapted to fit.

I read about your HM series (Horizontal Mount) on your website. How can I install these fixtures on a shelf that has no reveal?
There are two ways we can help you do this. One would be to custom design a trim that matches color of the wood. This would be the equivalent of creating the equivalent of a reveal out of a fixed shelf lighting fixture itself. Another way we could accommodate you is to add a reveal to the front of the shelf behind which we can conceal the lighting strip. Your intentions in design and quality of aesthetic are very important to us, so we will ultimately recommend what both works best—and looks best—for your particular project.

I have another cabinet I’m looking to add fixed shelf lighting to. I do not want to alter the shelves in any respect because it is an antique reproduction that requires minimal alteration.
In your instance, we recommend using vertically-mounted curio cabinet light strips concealed along the interior edges of the vertical cabinet styles. If there is a small space between the shelves and the style interior, we will notch the trims on your fixtures so that one continuous vertical strip light can be installed on either side.

If no space is available, we can cut vertical segments proportional to vertical dimensions between each set of shelves.

What if I light a cabinet that has no vertical styles, but instead has large hinged doors?
Hinges present a challenge for fixed showcase cabinet lighting, but it is never an insurmountable challenge. European-style hinges, even though very effective in function, can be quite large and cause you a great deal of difficulty if you attempt to install a continuous accent light strip. For this application, we recommend you get strip lights with lamps spaced around the hinges. We also recommend that you notch the glare shield in the field to maintain a finished look.

Do you have vertical strips that mount to the door interiors rather than cabinet interiors or shelf bottoms?
Yes, but this is only recommended for fixed shelf cabinets that measure 30” or more in width. It is a very effective accent lighting tool for displaying solid objects such as china, vases, sculptures or books which may block the light and produce shadows. A center mount trim requires special wiring provisions that will give the wiring enough slack to allow for door movement.

Is it difficult to conceal the wiring for fixed shelf cabinet lighting fixtures?
It is much easier to conceal wiring with our cabinet lighting system than with any type of standard or generic fixture available on the open market. Since all of our cabinet lights are custom built, we have evolved our technology to accommodate unique techniques that are custom to both the individual cabinet and the trim of the fixture. Also, our transformers are much smaller than other competing models and are therefore also much easier to conceal.

We invite you to contact us toll free 800-863-1184 to obtain more information on all of these options. You can also request literature on our Phantom Lighting website, visit our Phantom Lighting mobile website, or read through the many informative summaries and FAQs located on our cabinet lighting blog. All of these resources, including our online virtual lighting showroom contain a wealth of information about our custom; low-voltage lighting products that are the dream come true of art lighting designers and cabinet lighting builders on two major continents.

Under Cabinet Lighting Lights

2009-04-23T14:37:00.003-05:00

Phantom under cabinet lights are distinguished by a variety of unique attributes that allow them to be adapted to any custom kitchen. Counter tops appear exceptional when illuminated with Phantom products thanks to a number of patented components and a robust set of options in lamp type and color temperature.

To begin with, each under cabinet lighting strips is custom manufactured to the under surface of the specific kitchen cabinet to which it mounts. Because we make our fixtures much smaller than fluorescent under cabinet lights, their low profile design makes them almost impossible to detect. Additionally, under cabinet lighting strip can be adjusted with a dimmer switch that allows for lighting levels to be raised or lowered at will. Traditional xenon lamping options are available for these strips, along with new LED festoon technology that generates a lumens output and quality of light that closely approximates xenon.

If you are an architect, builder, or designer, these characteristics give you a number of advantages over previous xenon under cabinet lighting technologies. To begin with you do not have to worry about chasing down fixtures to fit cabinets with custom dimensions or unique specifications. If you will send us your spec sheets or drawings, we can use these as a template to manufacture your under cabinet lights to match your cabinet out so you can install them directly into its structure at the time of build out.

Because our kitchen under cabinet lights are smaller than competing, standard linear lights, they remain invisible from a normal standing or seated position. Your clients will see the light, but they will not see the fixture. This adds value to the work of the interior decorator, who no longer has to worry about his or her work being diminished by extruding equipment. Additionally, our patented new LED light bulb technology is now able to rival xenon in lumens output; yet it is by nature energy saving, and it offers the additional advantage of a cool operating source that can be left on throughout the night without risk of overheating.

As an construction or design professional, one of the most important benefits you will receive from Phantom’s under cabinet lighting manufacturing process is a complete freedom in design options that allows you to specify what you deem fit without having to worry if you can find fixtures to match. We can make them match. More options than ever before exist when it comes to LED color temperatures, and the continued availability of xenon lamps allows you to opt for traditional linear strip lighting sources with the added value of lighting control that can minimize heat and extend lamp life. Adding the “golden touch” to counter tops and back planes can be done with less heat and with extended xenon lamp life thanks to Phantom dimmer technology.

We do, however, strongly recommend you consider the benefits of new, improved LED lamps that can give you virtually the same results—particularly with the warm color temperature of the 2800K. This, along with the respectively cooler color temperature options of the 2950K and the 5000K, will allow you to illuminate virtually any surface in the kitchen.

Call a Phantom Agent for more information on all of these options. We invite you to call toll free 800-863-1184 to request literature online or visit our lighting blog to learn more about Phantom custom low voltage lighting products.

Our cabinet lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas with professional lighting sales agents located throughout the United States that enable us to service all of Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America and the United States including Washington DC, Nashville Tennessee, Las Vegas Nevada. Portland Oregon, Oklahoma City Oklahoma, Tucson Arizona, Orange County California, Atlanta Georgia, Austin Texas and Palm Springs California.

Adjustable Cabinet Shelf Lights

2009-04-23T09:59:00.003-05:00

Phantom adjustable shelf lights can be used to illuminate any custom creation of an architect, builder, or designer (provided the cabinet or bookcase has a solid back plane). Our custom shelf lighting fixtures are designed specifically for displays with varying shelf heights that are commonly found in collections and private libraries. Library cabinet lighting levels can be fine tuned through dimmer controls to create both functional and decorative lighting effects. Heat sinks and glare shields help bulbs operate at cooler temperatures, extending lamp life and protecting display contents from excessive IR output. Phantom strips can be made with either xenon or any one of three custom LED color temperatures—giving the interior decorator total freedom of choice in selecting a source that ideally compliments artistic lighting interior designs.

The amazing range of our adjustable shelf lighting applications that our fixtures can be used for is made possible by several unique and patented features of our custom technology. Because adjustable shelf lights are specifically designed for new constructions, they can be configured and installed as wireless hidden custom cabinet lighting source. This is made possible through a unique combination of patented buss bars, brass metal shelf supports, and brass contact pads connected to the linear strips themselves. Installing this proprietary technology takes only a few simple steps.

Custom Phantom buss bars are custom cut to the vertical height of the cabinet so they can be installed in routing on either side of the case. Each buss bar has screw holes located a regular intervals so metal shelf supports can be affixed to them at any desired height. The adjustable shelf linear lighting strips attach to the forward bottom of each shelf, concealed behind the reveal. Contact pads connected to the lighting strips complete the circuit when they are laid on top of the shelf supports. This wireless, low voltage circuit is thus completed using a few pads and screws making simple touch contact with one another—completely replacing the need for internal or external wiring with ingenious Phantom innovation.

If you are a collector, this gives you a tremendous freedom for setting up your display any way you choose to do so. For example, if you are collecting antiques of different types, you will no doubt need to vary shelf height to create variable display spaces to accommodate differently sized objects. The same could also hold true if you are an avid collector of hardback books. Rare prints and first editions will invariably feature different spine lengths, forcing you to adjust your shelving height accordingly. With in cabinet lighting strips that do not require rewiring the entire cabinet, you can do this in minutes without the help of an electrician, and at no risk of electrical hazard to yourself.

If you are a contractor responsible for building display cabinets and libraries for custom homeowners, consider the benefits you can pass along with adjustable LED shelf strip lighting that is not only easy and safe to manipulate, but also generates a superior quality of light than competing, standard fixtures. Our patented strips are made with glare shields that direct light downward and backward from a concealed location beneath the front of the shelf. This creates a more even distribution of light on book spines and collectibles, and it more effectively fills cabinet space with a warm, decorative, luminous aura.

Color temperature ranges include new 2800K LED festoon lamps, which emit a warm color tone that very closely approximates that of xenon. Adjustable shelf lights can also be built with the slightly cooler color temperatures of 2950K and 5000K. Xenon is also still available through special order, and even though it represents a traditionally shorter-life lighting source known to generate a great deal of heat, these negatives can be offset with heat sink technology that dissipates the heat away from contents, and from dimmer controls that allow wattage to be reduced to conserve both power and lamp life.

Our home lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas. Feel free to contact us toll free at 800-863-1184 for assistance on strip lighting or fine art lighting projector equipment.

A network of nationwide distributorships and Phantom lighting sales reps fans out throughout all 50 states into cities like Scottsdale, Arizona, Seattle, Washington (SEA), Los Angeles, CA, (LAX) Boston, Massachusetts (BOS), Princeton, NJ (EWR), Philadelphia, PA, Dallas, Texas (DWF), Pasadena, California, Chicago, IL (ORD), Baltimore, MD (BWI), and Minneapolis, MN (MSP). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer sales representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

Private Library Display Shelf Lights

2009-04-17T16:39:00.004-05:00

Library shelf book lighting is often very different from display and cabinet lighting. Private libraries tend to feature shelving units that are much taller than collectible displays and storage cabinets. They also tend to be highly decorative in nature to better showcase collections of books. Only the finest woods, staining techniques, and finishing methods are used in their construction. Shelves must be easy to adjust, because different groupings of books may feature different spine lengths that require library shelving heights to be adjusted to their dimensions. Lighting such an environment effectively requires a shelf lighting strip that will compliment the aesthetics of the bookshelf and facilitate unencumbered repositioning of shelves at will.

Mill workers can more easily achieve these objectives with library shelf lights that are built into the bookshelves at the time of construction. Attempting to retrofit fixtures to a cabinet that has already been constructed seldom generates satisfactory results. Finding a fixture that will precisely match the dimensions of custom library display bookshelf often proves a time-consuming challenge. Even if such a match is located, lights and wiring are also difficult to conceal, and the value of the presentation is diminished as a result.

Phantom library shelf lighting fixtures are engineered in anticipation of all these concerns and provide a flexible alternative to the cumbersome challenges of forcing a generic fixture fit on a high-end cabinet build out. These cabinet lighting systems are built to the exact dimensions of each library shelf and are powered by wireless technology built into the bookshelves themselves. Rather than requiring our clients to devise time-consuming and awkward strategies for concealing long wire runs, we use buss bars that are installed in the vertical walls of the cabinet to deliver power to the strip lights. Each buss bar is cut to match the vertical height of the bookcase on either side and is made with multiple screw holes that allow metal shelf supports to be mounted at any desired height. Contact pads affixed to the under surface of each shelf complete the circuit when the shelf is laid on top of the supports.

Because our library shelf lighting solutions feature a low-profile design that operates on an adjustable, wireless platform, the aesthetic results our fixtures can produce are far superior to competing, generic cabinet lighting fixtures. The fixtures are small enough to be concealed behind shelf reveals, providing a hidden light source that emanates light downward and backward over book spines. They are also completely dimmable, allowing collectors to raise lighting levels to search for books, and then reduce illumination when low-level, decorative lighting is desired.

Phantom library shelf lighting can be ordered in a variety of color temperatures that compliment a wide range of wood types and finishes. Our patent-pending festoon lamp design enables us to replicate the quality of xenon lighting with LED 2800K lamp technology that is much safer than incandescent technology when it comes to lighting old and rare books. As a light source the outputs no heat and no ultraviolet radiation, an LED lamp can be left on indefinitely with minimal power consumption and no risk of damaging book collections.

Call us today for more information on cove lighting design in commercial and residential interiors. Our lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas. A network of nationwide distributorships and United States lighting sales representatives fans out throughout all 50 states into cities like Ft. Lauderdale, FL (FLL), Orlando, Florida (MCO), Santa Monica, CA, (LAX) Columbus, Ohio (CMH), (LGA) New York, NY, (JKF), St. Louis, MO, Detroit, Michigan (DTW), Madison, WI (MSN), San Francisco, California (SFO), and Omaha, Nebraska (OMA). We also service clients internationally, with lighting manufacturer representatives working out of Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America.

We invite you to contact us at 800-863-1184 to obtain more information. You can also visit our mobile website, lighting supply page or read through the many informative summaries and frequently asked questions located on our lighting blog. All of these resources contain a wealth of information about our custom; low-voltage lighting products.

Custom Kitchen Cabinet Light

2009-04-14T14:46:00.003-05:00

What do you recommend as a low-heat light source for kitchen in-cabinet lighting?
We recommend an LED linear kitchen cabinet lighting fixture with a special patented festoon lamping design made only by Phantom Lighting. These light sources have been special engineered to produce a luminance output equivalent to incandescent light sources. Phantom does not attempt to increase the lumens output of the individual LED diode, but rather uses a patented lamping configuration that combines multiple bulbs into a single festoon unit. The combined light output is comparable to xenon lamps and can compliment everything from fine wood finishes, fine china and dinner ware, and sheik, contemporary interior kitchen cabinet lighting designs. These lights produce zero UV or IR radiation, so they are the ideal light source for lighting cabinets behind wooden doors with glass windows.

How attractive are these linear strip lights?
Technically speaking, the light strips themselves are never seen due to their low-profile design. The illumination they produce tends to be superior to competing models due to their forward mounted positioning. Light is directed backward and downward from a concealed locating behind the cabinet reveal. This produces a more even distribution of light along the front surfaces of cabinet contents and fills the interior with an even wash of light. When horizontal mounting is not practical, we can configure our in-cabinet display lights to mount along vertical styles to direct lighting inward from either side.

What standard fixture sizes do you carry?
Phantom Lighting does not manufacturer linear strips in standard fixture sizes. We have standard mounting and conductivity options (see our cut sheets for more information) which are then customized to the precise dimensions of kitchen cabinet interiors.

What color temperatures do you have available?
Our LED in-cabinet lights can be ordered in 2800K, 2900K, and 5000K color temperatures. Many builders and interior designers prefer the 5000K when it comes to lighting the Spartan absolutes of contemporary kitchens and marble countertops. Other, more warm and traditional interior designs look better under the near-xenon quality of the 2800K LED festoon lamp. The 2950K represents the mid-point of the color temperature range and is often used to highlight special types of glass ware and china. The choice of color temperature is a highly subjective one that should be made in consultation with the homeowner. We can provide detailed photographs upon request that you can show your clients so you can be certain that the fixtures and lamps you choose work best for their personal expectations.

How well do these in-cabinet lights work with other room lights?
All of our low voltage lighting systems are dimmable, and they will work well with any type of general or overhead lighting. Our products are designed to provide high-end decorative lighting that also fulfills a functional purpose. As such, they are designed to anticipate a variety of general lighting designs and work within the boundaries of any lighting design theme.

Tell me about Phantom Lighting

Phantom Lighting is a pioneer, Houston-based art lighting company and low voltage lighting manufacturer established in 1981 to service the lighting and design community. Phantom Contour Projector and Phantom strip lights feature lighting technology that is completely unique, 100% proprietary, and found nowhere else in the world of lighting. Phantom’s revolutionary approach to decorative picture lighting and low voltage display, shelf, and under cabinet lighting has taken it from humble origins to the level of an international leader in lighting manufacturing on two continents.

Kitchen Under Cabinet Lighting

2009-03-31T12:52:00.004-05:00

Architects know that every home they design has kitchens, and every kitchen has cabinets. Beneath these cabinets are countertops that serve a dual purpose of decoration and multi-task utility. Shadows in these spots are both unattractive and possibly hazardous. Eliminating these dark areas with kitchen under cabinet lights instantly improves the aesthetic and safety of utility areas, and can play a major contributing role in a home buying decisions.

To ensure that the most important elements of kitchen under cabinet lighting installations are met, architects must move beyond generic puck lights and outdated fluorescent “energy savers” toward a more robust engineering and manufacturing design that captures the intentions of an artist with the precision of a scientist.

Phantom TL series kitchen under cabinet lights is one of the few strip lights that offer LED lamping in color temperatures that are aesthetically complimentary to the granite and marble countertops common in high-end homes. Warmer color tones look best under the 2800K led festoon, and cooler temperatures can be accented using our 2950K. These options offer home buyers a long-term return on investment on the front-end costs of the strips. The energy efficiency of LED, which is up to 60% more than that of any other form of lighting, accrues a savings that offsets initial purchase costs. Also, LED lamp life of 40,000-50,000 bulb hours eliminates the need for frequent maintenance and makes bulb replacements very rare.

LED kitchen under cabinet lights can also play a contributing role in reducing cooling costs. Most people who invest in under cabinet fixtures tend to want to leave them on in the kitchen if and when it is safe to do so. A hot-burning light source is going to trigger the thermostat to activate the HVAC system, driving up power bills in the process. However, LED bulbs emit light electronically rather than chemically through the ignition of gas in a sealed glass container. This makes them a very low-heat source of illumination, perfectly safe to burn throughout the night, and negligible in terms of impact on room temperature.

For applications that require color temperatures ranging from 3000K-5000K, Phantom also offers xenon lamping options that offset the higher power consumption curve with dimmability options and low-voltage transformers engineered to curtail excessive electrical consumption. Our purpose is to provide our commercial design clients with the full range of necessary color temperature compliments to every cabinet build, interior decorating scheme, and general lighting requirements they may encounter in custom home design.

The linear strips that power our kitchen under cabinet light fixtures are sophisticated pieces of engineering in their own right. These linear strips are very small in comparison to most competing models, and they are much easier to conceal beneath the surfaces of a variety of cabinet sizes and custom builds. Two very important features of these lighting strips work to eliminate not only shadows, but also reflective glare. Rather than mounting in the center of the under surface like puck lights, or in the back as many fluorescent fixtures install, Phantom TL series fit under the front of kitchen cabinets. Special glare shields that are built into the lights direct the light backward away from the eyes and across the utility areas under countertops. Dimmer controls allow the homeowner to adjust lighting levels to match those created by general overhead lighting. This adjustability allows the end user to create a contiguous luminous that is both sourceless and seamless from the viewer’s perspective, and creates a very attractive setting for gatherings, parties, and cooking demonstrations.

Phantom Lighting makes it easy for architects to incorporate our kitchen under cabinet lighting fixtures into their custom home designs. Each fixture is custom cut to the dimensions provided to us by the architect. The choice of LED or xenon sourcing is determined (with the help of a Phantom specialist if need be), and a purchase order for custom manufacturing of the fixtures is set in order.

Call a Phantom Agent for more information on all of these options. We invite you to call toll free 800-863-1184 to request literature online or visit our lighting blog to learn more about Phantom custom low voltage lighting products.

Our lighting manufacturing facility is located in Houston, Texas with professional lighting sales agents located throughout the United States that enable us to service all of Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America and the United States including Washington DC, Nashville Tennessee, Las Vegas Nevada. Portland Oregon, Oklahoma City Oklahoma, Tucson Arizona, Orange County California, Atlanta Georgia, Austin Texas and Palm Springs California.