LED strips for ceilings

A line of light in a ceiling cove or recess makes the ceiling float and fills the room with calm, indirect light, without bright lamps in the corner of your eye. With a COB strip you see one even glow without dots, dimmable from bright to cozy. Choose warm white for the living room and bedroom, or RGB if you want to bathe the ceiling in color too.

What an LED strip does in the ceiling

Floating ceiling: a line of light in a cove around the ceiling makes a room feel taller and calmer.
Indirect light: the light bounces off the ceiling into the room, soft and glare-free. Ideal in living rooms and bedrooms, hotels and lounges.
Clean lines of light: a recessed line in a suspended ceiling, in offices, shops and corridors.
Accent in color: with RGB or RGB+CCT you set the ceiling to the color that suits the moment.

Which strip for the ceiling?

COB, 24V: one even line without dots, even when the strip is visible from the sofa. See the COB LED strips.
8 W/m for atmosphere in a cove, 10 W/m if the ceiling light is also the main lighting.
24V for the whole perimeter: long runs stay just as bright at the end. See the 24V LED strips.
Warm white or RGB: choose warm white for calm, RGB or RGB+CCT for color.

How to fit an LED strip in a ceiling cove

Mount the strip on the bottom of the cove, with the light aimed at the ceiling or wall. The further the strip is from the ceiling, the softer the transition of light.
For an open, visible line, use an aluminum profile with a diffuser.
Make corners with corner connectors, without soldering. See the LED strip connectors.
Around a 4 × 5 meter room you need 18 meters of strip. At 24V you usually feed power every 10 meters: feed in the middle or at two points. Size the power supply with watts per meter × number of meters ÷ 0.8. See the LED strip power supplies.
Dim the ceiling light with a controller and remote or wall panel. See the dimmers and controllers.

Frequently asked questions about ceiling LED strips

Can an LED strip be the main lighting?

In a smaller room, yes, with a strip of 10 W/m or more around the ceiling. In larger rooms, combine the line of light with spots or panels.

How many meters of LED strip do I need?

Measure the perimeter of the cove: length plus width, times two. A 4 × 5 meter room needs 18 meters.

Will I see the LED dots?

Not with a COB strip. With an SMD strip in an open cove you will; then use a profile with a diffuser.

Which color temperature for the living room?

2700K or 3000K warm white. With a CCT or RGB+CCT strip you choose per moment yourself.