Indirect lighting doesn’t shine straight into your eyes, but onto a wall or ceiling, so the light is spread softly and calmly. With LED strips you can do this cheaply and without major renovation. In this guide you will read where to put them, which strip to choose and how to get a beautiful, even result.
In short
- Locations: a cove above the ceiling, behind the TV, under cabinets, along skirting boards or the stairs.
- Light colour: warm white (2700 to 3000K) for a cosy atmosphere.
- Even light: mount the strip in an aluminium profile with a matt cover, then you won’t see individual dots.
- Technical: choose the right power supply and allow 20% extra power, and dim if you like for the mood.
Jump straight to:
Where do you put indirect lighting?
Cove or ceiling edge
An LED strip in a cove or on a ledge lights the ceiling, which reflects the light back softly. Keep about 10 to 15 cm between the strip and the ceiling so the light fans out nicely. A white ceiling works best.
Behind the TV
A strip behind the TV gives a soft glow on the wall. That is more pleasant for your eyes in a dark room, because the contrast between screen and surroundings becomes smaller.
Under cabinets and above the worktop
Under wall cabinets a strip gives task lighting on the worktop. Choose neutral white here (around 4000K). You will find more ideas at LED cabinet lighting and LED kitchen lighting.
Skirting board, stairs and bedroom
Along a skirting board or under a stair nosing a strip gives safe, soft night light. In the bedroom dimmable warm light is most pleasant, see LED bedroom lighting and living room.
Choosing the right LED strip
Light colour
For atmosphere choose 2700 to 3000K. If you want colours, choose RGB or RGBW. More about light colours is in LED colour temperature.
12 volt or 24 volt
A 24V strip can be longer without the light getting weaker at the end. For short lengths in a cupboard 12V is fine. Choose the power supply with the same voltage.
Calculating the power supply
Multiply the power per metre by the length and add 20%. For 5 metres at 10 watts per metre you then need a power supply of at least 60 watts.
Dimming and controlling
Dim your strip with a PWM dimmer or a smart controller, see Dimmable LED lighting and LED wifi lighting. You can find all strips under LED strips.
Installing for a beautiful result
Profile with matt cover
A strip directly on the wall often shows visible dots of light. An aluminium profile with a matt (opal) cover turns it into one even line of light and cools the strip, which extends its lifespan.
Surface and bends
Make the surface dust- and grease-free before you stick. Only cut at the marked cutting lines and don’t bend the strip too sharply. Use a connector for corners. You can read more about installing in Installing LED lighting.
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Frequently asked questions
What is indirect lighting?
Which light colour do I choose for indirect lighting?
How do I prevent visible dots from the LED strip?
How do I calculate which power supply I need?
Can I dim an LED strip?
Kind regards,
Bas / LEDPLANET.NL