Well, I'm going to have to go with plugmold or outlets in my cabinets because of the backsplash window, but I actually like outlets down low on the horizontal. Some people really twitch at the visual of any outlets on the backsplash, but I guess it just doesn't bother me. I don't plan to leave anything plugged in on that wall, so I'm not concerned about floating cords. If you need to leave things plugged in, those cords are going to be way more jarring to the eye than outlets down by the counter, IMHO.

If you do go with plugmold, I like it on the wall right below the upper cabinets. I saw a pic of a plugmold that seemed to fit snug there in a triangulated strip and it looked good.

As for under the counter lighting, I need to research it myself but folks have mentioned an option that allows you to put the bulbs where you want them on a track system or something and that sounds interesting to me. I think it might be LED?

I just ran across that plugmold picture. It's on the "Does it matter if the upper cabinets are super low?" thread and the pic is from lolauren.

Good luck!

We put in horizontal outlets (because they'll be hidden by stuff on the counter or, if they're not, at least I won't be looking at cords going up to the cabinets) as well as the Seagull Ambiance Linear undercabinet lighting (the one where you can put bulbs where you want them on a track system, as mentioned above.) We really like the Xenon, which are dimmable -- and being able to dim was important to us -- but the also make LED bulbs for the system, which don't generate any measurable heat but aren't dimmable. The xenon heat up more than LED but less than halogen, but I haven't ever had trouble touching one that was on, or feeling any warmth through the cabinet. I'd definitely recommend them.

HTH!

Our outlets begin about 5 inches above counter tops; one has two Lutron lighting dimmers on it, one has one Lutron dimmer, and one is a dedicated microwave outlet on its own circuit (required by code). Looking around the room, half of the eight are partly or wholly obscured by the ojbect standing before them which is plugged into them--microwave, toaster, mixer, coffee pot. We went for efficiency--white outlet plates atop terra cotta paint. Very obvious, very easy to see when you need to find the switch plate or outlet. No regrets except that we probably should have switched one light on a two pole switch, adding to the light + outlet units and increasing efficiency even more. If I had used plugmold under the uppers, I would have to bend and look about--takes more time I suspect.

I like to define ours as a working kitchen. Things are where they need to be in order to keep the cook working happily.

Our undercab lights simply use the built-in switch at the left side. Nothing fancy. It's the 2 + 2 + 1 pendants that are switched at the wall plates (as well as on a master plate for peninsula lights, located on the end of the peninsula).

Mine are in the upper corner, angled, where the cabinets meet the wall (as mentioned. :)) If you do keep appliances out and plugged in, you might want just normal outlets. For us, we don't keep appliances out on the counter, so there isn't an issue about cords. Also, I like the look of just a clean, plain backsplash.....

Why doesn't your electrician like plug molds?

Many people here like plugmold for most of the outlets, with lower regular outlets for the appliances that stay plugged in. It would be a highly unusual kitchen to have an appliance plugged into each outlet unless you're running a frozen margarita bar in your kitchen. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Tradespeople do not like to do anything in your house that they didn't do in the last house, and the house before that, and the house before that.

If you do decide to run a frozen margarita bar in your kitchen, can I come over?

I realize this is probably too late for you to do, but for others who come after...

My custom cabinet maker installs a low profile plug upside down into the bottom of the cabinet, facing down toward the counter, then he puts a false bottom less than an inch higher inside the cabinet, so the box, the "works" of the receptacle, is hidden instead of sticking up into the cabinet. On the bottom of the cabinet is a flat, regular two-plug outlet, which is hidden behind the light rail in any case. This works if you don't want outlets in your backsplash, and you also don't want the receptacle box in your way inside the cupboard. I thought it was pretty neat.

Cool UC lights are either fluorescent or LED. I think fluorescent is cheaper than LED, and LED tape is cheaper than the LED strips. "Dimmability" makes it more expensive. There are places in Taiwan where it is cheaper to get LED. There are excellent threads on this on the Lighting Forum, with links to trustworthy sites. Davidtay, I think it is, is very knowledgeable about this, as are some other lighting gurus over there.

We have a combination of three types of outlets that has worked great for us. We have two outlets that are lower and visible--well, not really visible, because they are behind always plugged-in appliances (coffee maker and toaster). We have a strip of plugmold under one longer run of upper cabinets, and we have two low-profile outlets attached to the bottom of two shorter cabinet runs.

I would not want only plugmold/low profile outlets, because it would drive me nuts having dangling cords. If you don't leave anything always plugged in, it might work, but otherwise a few strategically placed lower outlets are a good idea.

Well they needed to know so I made a split second decision to go with the horizontal outlets placed an inch above the countertop. I do keep a couple of appliances plugged in, so I felt the lower outlets would be less obtrusive.

Like florantha my kitchen is a work space and I'm trying hard to keep the focus on function and efficiency. I thought about having to look/feel up under the cabinets every time I wanted to plug something in and felt that would get old real quick.

If it hadn't been for a couple of people who posted pics of their horizontal outlets I would've never thought of that. I'm so thankful to have this place.

Thank you all for the help!

I see you have already made your decision, but we did a combination of plugmold and horizontal outlets. Horizontal where we were going to definitely plug stuff in (tv and coffee maker), and plug mold under the cabinet runs. Our builder uses angled plug mold at the back of the cabinet and pulls the undercounter lighting to the front so you can do both. . .