I am using rope lighting on top of my cabinets. It's cheap, easy to install and looks good. My ceilings are 13' high on that wall. The rope lighting will probably stay on all the time and act sort of as a night light.

I used rope lighting in the house we built in '01 and am repeating in this house. Loke ccombs plans, we used it as a night light, although we didn't leave it on during the day. My only complaint is as it gets older, it tends to get a more orange look which I didn't like.

I have friends who did flourescent and never turn them on because they are just too bright.

How much light (watts) you put would depend upon your purpose for that light I would think. For example if you want it as a night light then I would put a few small fluorescent fixtures or some LED rope lighting. If you want it as background lighting or additional ambient lighting you would want more watts. My above cabinet lights are fluorescent and when they are the only lights on, it creates a soft warm glow in the room. It's much brighter than a night light, but it's not enough to do much work in. I leave it on most of the evening and turn on the recessed lighting or undercabinet lights when I need to "work" in the kitchen. The rest of the time it's enough light to walk through, put a dish in the dishwasher, get a glass etc. It also keeps the kitchen from being a "black hole" on that side of the house since we don't have an open floor plan. We love our over cabinet lights! All the light is reflected so it seems like perpetual twilight or sunrise. Since it's fluorescent it's not too hot, nor too energy inefficient.

- Jim

In another house, before there were as many options, we used a strand of white Chistmas tree lights -- the mini size. You can get the rope ones now too.