Gwyneth Paltrow uses LED lights to bring a gallery-like feeling to her kitchen cabinets – you can achieve the same, unique look for $24

Gwyneth's glass-front cabinets become more chic and accessible with their hidden lights, which create a subtle glow in the space

Gwyneth Paltrow
(Image credit: GettyImages)

Gwyneth Paltrow's kitchen is a major source of inspiration to us here at Homes & Gardens. From its modern, minimalist sensibilities to its Mediterranean-inspired details, its truly an oasis of a space. Its functional elements are not to be missed, however, as we just came across a fantastic feature in Gwyneth's cabinets: soft lighting.

The Goop founder recently shared a clip of herself cooking to her Instagram page, and while the food itself looks good, we were drawn to her gently illuminated cabinets, which get a warm glow from hidden strip lights.

When it comes to kitchen cabinet lighting ideas, there are a few different options you can try out, but after seeing Gwyneth's seamless cabinet appearance, we are partial to strip lights.

Shop the kitchen lighting edit

According to experts, LED strip lighting under cabinets gives a kitchen a contemporary feel by illuminating a space without drawing attention to the light source.

'For a sleek, modern lighting solution, consider installing LED strip lighting under cabinets, inside shelving units, or along baseboards,' says designer Nina Lichtenstein. 'This hidden source of light creates a beautiful, ambient glow without overpowering the room. LED strip lights can also be placed behind TVs, headboards, or around windows to provide soft backlighting that enhances the room’s architecture.'

Since LED strip lights do such a fantastic job of highlighting kitchen features, like Gwyneth's glass-front cabinets, other design experts say that they can actually work particularly well in historic or preserved homes.

'The opportunity to light [historic homes] authentically to the time period presents itself perfectly,' says interior designer and advisor to Vinterior, Zoe Newson. 'Play around with different lighting features to create depth, like under-cabinet task lighting or a vintage overhead chandelier that will perfectly complement the space.'

Alternatively, if you do wish to make the light source itself a point of visual interest, consider introducing a small lamp next to cabinets, or even a picture light on a wall. These unexpected sources of light can provide just the right amount of dimension and texture to modern and traditional kitchens alike.


If you're looking to not only make kitchen cabinets more accessible, but also look more aesthetically pleasing and airy, then lighting is the ultimate solution.


Hannah Ziegler
News Editor

Hannah is Homes & Gardens’ News Editor, with a focus on celebrity style and entertainment content. She got her start in media as a digital editorial assistant at ELLE Canada, and has since written about lifestyle and culture for publications such as Nylon and i-D.

Her love of film is rivaled only by one with a great soundtrack, and she hopes to someday decorate a Nancy Meyers-worthy kitchen.

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