Someone recommended I post this in the Bathrooms forum since I wasn't getting responses in Kitchens.

Below is an old picture of our kitchen that shows the shelf. It's down right now after having new counters installed and awaiting undercabinet lighting before we have a new backsplash installed.

The question is: our handyman/electrician thought we ought to run the LED strip under that shelf (which we had not considered before) because the shelf blocks the current over-sink light from covering the sink area. It has never really bothered us, but imagining having the lighting under the cabinets, it probably would look a little odd to have that area be dark. (Although it now occurs to me that you'll see the strip which you won't under the cabinets.)

Backsplash ideas · More Info

We were going to have the tile (whenever we finally choose it) go up above the shelf. It will probably be a 6x6 diagonal all the way up. The shelf is currently right up against the wall, but it could be reinstalled to allow the tile to continue without being cut.

So the question is: the electrician was going to do all this before the tile goes up, but how hard would it be to work around that shelf if it's already in place and wired?

The electrician thinks maybe we should take the shelf down altogether, but I like it as it is. I've never understood the point of having this big blank area over the sink. The shelf to me finishes it off by looking intentional (even though we added it later and it's not an absolutely perfect match to the cabinets). Electrician is thinking little bitty side shelves on either side so the light can still shine down--but I really hate that idea.