In the past, strip lights were commonly associated with holidays and parties, but today they are widely used in lighting design. The flexible LED strips offer sufficient brightness and enable completely new design options. These versatile lights can be used anywhere: from the living room, where colored LED lights create different moods, to the bedroom, where soft, indirect lighting creates a calm and pleasant atmosphere.
Where can you attach LED strips?
Creativity is the key in lighting design and is only limited to technical aspectsduring implementationmust be taken into account. However, you shouldn't overdo the wow factor.
In most cases, it is recommended to install the LED strips where shadows form, such as corners, behind and under furniture. The light strips are flexible and can easily be placed around a corner. If necessary, these can be shortened to the correct length or extended.
The technical requirements for lighting with LED strips
Before purchasing it is important to look at the technical data. The density of the LEDs on the tape determines the brightness of the lighting produced. For high-performance strips, the density of LEDs/m can even be 240-360 diodes. Of course, as the number of LEDs increases, so does the power consumption. The supply voltage of the bands is standardized. The most common models are designed for 12, 24 and 230 volts. Low voltage options such as applyLED-Strips (12 Volt)as particularly cost- and energy-efficient. To connect, you need a special power supply or a transformer that supplies direct voltage. The protection class IP indicates the resistance of the LED strip to external influences such as foreign bodies and water. A model with protection class IP20, for example, is dustproof but not protected against moisture. In the bathtub or shower area, the lights must have IP65 or IP67.
Possible uses are almost unlimited
Before you buy LED strips, you not only need to know the operating conditions, but also what effect you want to achieve with them - whether it is a decorative light or functional lighting. There are basically four ways to create attractive ambient light with LED strips:
Indirect light
With LED light strips, indirect lighting becomes child's play. Mounted as an Ambilight on the television, under the sideboard, behind the bathroom mirror or on the desk - the lightstrips perfectly highlight objects. You can also use light to emphasize structured surfaces such as a stone wall.
Functional lighting
The LED strips not only impress visually, but also with their high functionality. Due to their versatility, they can be used for various lighting tasks. The strips are perhaps the best solution for under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen because they diffuse the light evenly across the entire work surface. They are also particularly helpful as a source of light in a dark closet.
Dimmer
With a dimmer you can dim the LED strips to find the perfect brightness for every situation. For example, to watch a movie or take a relaxing bath. Dimmed light is gentle on the eyes and gives the room a romantic atmosphere.
Set accents
This allows you to create attractive lighting accents with colored or white LED light and highlight certain areas. This allows you to create the effect of floating or blurring the edges. The most striking example is the arrangement of the LED strips around the perimeter of the ceiling, creating the illusion that it is floating in the air, absolutely weightless, and does not touch the adjacent walls. LED strips attached under the edge of the bed give the bed a certain lightness.
If you're looking for an extra creative flair, go for colored RGB LEDs and take advantage of themPower of color psychology. If you want to create an exciting mood in the room, turn on purple lights. Green light, on the other hand, stimulates creativity. There are not only different light colors, but also different lighting programs.
Whether colorful, warm or cold white, LED lights are guaranteed to be a bright eye-catcher!
Image source: pixabay.com / unsplash.com
