Indirect lighting adds ambiance and depth to your space without glare. Instead of direct light in your eyes, the light bounces off the walls or ceiling and diffuses softly throughout the room. LED strips are perfect for indirect lighting: flexible, energy-efficient, and available in any color.
Where do you place indirect LED lighting?
Behind your TV stand, you can create a soft glow that soothes your eyes while watching. A ceiling molding or decorative border adds height and ambiance to the room. Under kitchen cabinets, you can illuminate the countertop for a functional yet atmospheric effect. Behind your bed or headboard, you can create a hotel-like atmosphere in the bedroom. Along the skirting board, you can give the floor a floating effect. On stairs, you can illuminate each step for safety and ambiance. The possibilities are endless, as long as the LED strip itself isn't visible, but only the light it emits.
Warm white for atmosphere, cool white for function
For mood lighting in your living room, bedroom, or dining room, choose warm white 2700-3000K. This creates a cozy, relaxing glow perfect for evenings. For functional indirect lighting in your kitchen or workspace, choose cool white 4000K. This provides bright, work-friendly light, but indirect so it's not blinding. Looking for flexibility? Choose dimmable LED strips or even RGB strips that allow you to adjust the light to any color and temperature. This way, you can adapt the lighting to your mood and activity.
Sufficient lumens for visible effect
For subtle mood lighting, LED strips with 300-500 lumens per meter are sufficient. For functional indirect lighting that actually illuminates, choose 800-1200 lumens per meter. Too few lumens will barely create a visible effect, while too many can still cause glare if the light reflects too directly. Measure the distance between the LED strip and the surface where the light is reflecting: the greater the distance, the more lumens you need for the same effect. For a 3-meter-wide TV wall, a 3-meter strip with 400 lumens per meter is sufficient, for a total of 1200 lumens.
Installation tips for beautiful results
Always place LED strips out of sight, in a niche, behind a ledge, or under a cabinet. Use an aluminum profile with a diffuser for even light without visible LED dots. Ensure sufficient distance between the strip and the surface (at least 5-10 cm) for soft light distribution. Connect multiple strips in parallel, not in series, for even brightness. Use a suitable power supply with sufficient power: add the wattage of all strips and add 20% for a safe margin. Dimmable LED strips require a special LED dimmer, not a standard incandescent dimmer.
Energy-efficient and long-lasting enjoyment
LED strips consume little energy, even if you leave them on for hours every day. A 5-meter strip with 10W per meter consumes 50W total, comparable to a single old incandescent bulb but with much more light output. With 4 hours of use per day, this costs only €5 per year in electricity. LED strips last 25,000-50,000 hours, which equates to 15-30 years with normal use. The investment in high-quality LED strips with aluminum profiles will pay for itself through years of maintenance-free enjoyment of atmospheric indirect lighting.
