Jennifer Garner Made a Tiny but Crucial Kitchen Upgrade

Jennifer Garner has become one of the internet’s favorite budding chefs, and it’s all thanks to her delightful “Pretend Cooking Show” on Instagram, where she navigates the triumphs and tragedies of her culinary adventures for fans. The actress recently built a house, and she’s sharing the one tiny upgrade that offered up some serious payoff in the kitchen.

“I just built my house, so I’m still in the honeymoon phase with my kitchen,” Garner recently told Domino. “But the one thing I did after moving in is add even more under-cabinet light and high-up light. You just need it; you need to see what’s going on.”

The new lighting additions to Garner’s kitchen can be seen in several of her recent “Pretend Cooking Show” videos, brightening up her workspace as she whips up everything from holiday treats like peppermint bark ice cream and cloud cookies to fresh takes on classics like zucchini noodles and tomato sauce. And yes, the illuminated glow coming from underneath her gorgeous neutral-hued cabinets not only makes for a perfect Instagram lighting scheme, but also helps to keep things running smoothly no matter what menu items she’s got on the agenda.

While installing under-cabinet lighting typically requires the expertise of a pro, you can master an easy DIY by sticking battery-operated puck lights to the underside of your cabinets with an adhesive pad, and some TikTokers have even threaded holiday string lights beneath theirs for a soft, subtle glow. So whether you opt for a more budget- (and renter-) friendly solution or go all out by installing lighting above and beneath your cabinets, you’ll love the extra brightness without resorting to harsh overhead lighting — just like Garner does in her cool new digs.