BeJane.com, January 14th, 2007
Ask Jane: How to Change a Florescent Light Box
Dear Jane,
I have one of those 70’s fluorescent light boxes in my kitchen. It makes me feel like I’m cooking in an operating room. I was quoted $1,200 to replace it and can barely afford $200! What can I do?
Gina B.
Hi Gina,
We can certainly relate. A kitchen should be a place you enjoy spending time in. After all, cooking can be a fairly enjoyable process – you’re literally creating the nourishment for you and your family. But if you’re in a surrounding that doesn’t suit your taste or comfort level, you’ll rush through it and that lack of care and attention will often translate into the food you prepare.
That said, take heart. You can create a more “cookable” kitchen. The fluorescent light box units can be removed and replaced pretty easily. It looks more substantial than it is, because other than the fluorescent light fixture itself, there’s not much else you’ll need to remove. You may want to consider shopping around a bit to find a replacement fixture first before removing the old one.
Replacing the old fluorescent light box is one of the many projects we highlight in our new book, BE JANE’S GUIDE TO HOME EMPOWERMENT. For our project, we chose a cable lighting system which gave us a wide variety of lighting options. The removal of the light box is the same no matter which light fixture you choose to go with, but there are a few things you’ll want to be aware of when you do.
First off, always make sure when working with electricity that the power is off at the circuit breaker or fuse box. Never assume otherwise. After you remove the plastic panels and the metal frame, you might notice that this area may not have been completely finished by the original builder. This is common in many homes built during this era. It may be that you’ll have to prep the area first by applying a coat or two of drywall mud and then priming and painting. Keep in mind that you can choose a different color for this area of your kitchen to give your lighting a bit more dramatic flair. You might consider bold colors like red or even black!
When installing a cable lighting system, you want to first determine the pattern you want. You could simply do two parallel strips and direct the lighting to its desired destinations, of you could do something a little more geometric, such as an X shape or a diamond shape. Think creatively but also think functionally – what parts of your kitchen need the most light? Over the sink, or over the stove? Maybe you have a countertop island that you prep most of your food on. Either way, consider these issues when determining the layout of your lighting scheme. One great way to finish off your lighting recess is with decorative molding around the border. When painted or stained to your liking, this will frame your new lighting accessory.
We hope this helps!
Hugs ‘n hammers,
Jane
For the detailed how-to the project above, be sure to pick up a copy of our book and be sure you share before and after photos of your project with all of us at www.BeJane.com!
