How to design and apply LED strip lights in home decoration

strip lights have a very high appearance rate in home decoration. They can not only enhance the sense of spatial hierarchy and enrich the light environment, but also make the space more atmospheric and emotional. We can use strip lights to present different shapes according to needs, whether straight or arc is not a problem. Moreover, the strip light can also achieve an effect of seeing the light but not seeing the light, which is very consistent with the very popular design without main light. So how should strip lights be designed and applied?

What is a strip light?
strip lights, also known as LED strip lights, LED soft strip lights, strip lights, soft strip lights, etc., refer to LED lights that are welded to copper wires or strip-shaped flexible circuit boards using a special processing technology, and then connected to a power source to emit light. , named for its shape. It is widely used in indoor and outdoor design, advertising, signboards, furniture and other fields.

There are two main functions of strip lights: auxiliary lighting and decoration to create atmosphere.

There are many types of strip lights. The four most commonly used ones now include low-voltage strip lights, frameless aluminum trough strip lights, high-voltage strip lights, and T5 lamp tubes. Their respective characteristics are as follows:

1. Low voltage strip light

Low-voltage strip lights are very flexible and can be curled at will. They can be cut and connected as needed and made into different shapes; they are energy-saving and environmentally friendly, have low heat generation, long service life, changeable light colors, flexible use, and small size. strip lights with PVC sleeves are more waterproof and moisture-proof and can be used in bathrooms and other spaces.

The common input voltage specifications of low-voltage strip lights are DC 12V and 24V. The thickness of the substrate itself is small. In order to ensure normal use, the length of low-voltage strip lights is generally about 5-10m. If it is too long, the current passing ability will be poor. Low-voltage strip lights require a transformer, and the location of the transformer should be considered during installation.

2. Frameless aluminum trough strip light

Compared with traditional low-voltage strip lights, frameless aluminum trough strip lights have aluminum grooves and a PVC diffusion lampshade with higher light transmittance. The light is uniform and soft, without graininess and jaggedness, and the heat dissipation performance is better. During installation, after slotting and fixing the gypsum board, apply putty and paint to cover it.

3. High voltage strip light

High-voltage strip lights can be directly connected to 220V high-voltage electricity without a transformer, so the length of high-voltage strip lights can be longer, from tens to a hundred meters, with higher power and cheaper price, but the light is more glaring and the risk of electric shock is higher. , now basically not used for home decoration.

4.T5 lamp

The T5 lamp is a tube-type strip light that emits uniform light, has high brightness, is easy to install and maintain, but has a fixed length, poor space adaptability, high power and high energy consumption, and is not suitable for use as an ambient light. It is often used in kitchens, restaurants and other spaces that require high brightness, and should be used with caution in bedrooms.

strip light installation method
1.Embedded

For embedded installation, you need to design the position of the light trough in advance, and then embed the strip light into the light trough and fix it after the shape is completed. This installation method is suitable for low-voltage strip lights, which can achieve the effect of seeing the light without seeing the light.

2. Snap-in type

Snap-in installation generally involves making slots on the surface or plate of the top or wall, placing the corresponding strip light product into the light slot, and fixing it with buckles and screws.

3.Adhesive type

This is the simplest and most flexible installation method. You can use the adhesive on the back of the strip light to stick it wherever you want, but the hiding effect is not that good.

How to design and apply strip lights?
The characteristics and installation methods of different strip lights are introduced above. Next, we will discuss the application of strip light design in actual decoration. The main ones are as follows:

1.Suspended ceiling

The compatibility between the design of the strip light and the ceiling is very high. It can be said that the shape of the ceiling complements the strip light, downlights and spotlights, and can create a soft, bright and emotional home atmosphere. Especially in scenes without main light design, the suspension design is used to highlight the overall simple and atmospheric visual effect with clear layers.

The halo produced by the strip light gives people a feeling of flowing light, soft and agile. There are many ways to design strip lights on the ceiling. You can choose a solution that suits you according to the size of the room and design style. There are four common types of suspended ceilings:

1) Traditional round edge top

Adding a light trough on the top of the round edge is a more traditional method, and the light has the effect of washing the ceiling.

2) Double eyelid ceiling

Double-eyelid ceilings are very popular recently. The decorative effect is simple and elegant. A layer of gypsum board is superimposed on the traditional round edge ceiling, and the heights are staggered to create a cascading sense of hierarchy.

When adding strip lights to a double-eyelid ceiling, you usually make slots directly on the gypsum board and snap the strip lights in. You can choose to add strip lights at different locations according to your preference. Generally, you make slots on the short sides of the gypsum board, or you can also add strip lights under the side top. Slotted, light emission direction is different.

I will explain in detail about the double eyelid ceiling in the next article. Friends who are interested can like and follow it.

3) Suspended ceiling

Leave side troughs around the top surface. The suspended ceiling is divided into two parts: the side top and the middle flat top. The light trough is usually around the middle flat top, creating a visual "suspended" feeling. The middle and side tops can be flush or somewhat Height difference.

For spaces with a floor height of less than 3m from the ceiling to the ground, the width of the light trough is about 10-12 cm, and the depth is about 10-15 cm. If the floor height is tight, it can be controlled to about 10 cm; the floor height is greater than 3m. You can make the light trough wider and deeper. It is recommended not to exceed 20 centimeters, otherwise the light effect will be affected.

4) Flat ceiling

On the basis of the suspended flat ceiling, strip lights are placed close to the wall to create a wall-washing effect.

Not only can you add strip lights above the background wall, but you can also add strip lights to the curtain box, which can be combined with gauze curtains to make the light more hazy.

2. Wall

Wall shapes plus strip lights can add an elegant and restrained temperament to the space. Common places include TV background walls, sofa background walls, bedside background walls, staircase walls, etc. Use strip lights to enrich the design sense of the background wall. At the same time, It can also improve space lighting.

Wall strip lights can outline the outline of the shape. No matter which direction the light is facing, enough space must be left for the light to achieve a "blooming" effect.

3. Ground

strip lights are very flexible to use. They can not only go up to the sky or walls, but can also be used for decoration on the ground. They are usually used under the platform, under the stairs, on the baseboards, etc. They are very good in creating atmosphere and lighting effects. They are beautiful and practical. . It can also be combined with a sensor device to turn it into a night light at night, which is very convenient to use.

Installing strip lights on the stairs can not only solve the problem of space lighting, but also enhance the artistic sense of the stairs, making the originally ordinary stairs become high-end.

4.cabinet

The design of customized cabinets and strip lights is also a very common combination, especially as more and more people choose to set up display storage cabinets at home. The combination of strip lights and glass cabinet doors is very practical.

For example, installing inductive strip lights in the wardrobe makes it easier to access clothes. Similarly, installing strip lights under cabinets and TV cabinets can solve the problem of insufficient light and also play an emphasis role.

Precautions:
1. The design of strip lights should be planned in the early design stage to avoid omissions during the decoration process, and the later remediation effect may not be good.

2. For low-voltage strip lights, you must pay attention to the location of the transformer so that it can be effectively hidden.

3. Although the main function of strip lights is to create an atmosphere, they still have a certain lighting effect. It is recommended to purchase strip light products without stroboscopic light to reduce damage to the eyes.

4. If you want to install a strip light in the bathroom, you must choose a strip light that is waterproof and dustproof. Pay attention to the IP protection level. IP67 waterproof performance is enough.

5. The color temperature of strip lights is generally between 2700-6500K. It should be selected according to the decoration style and color tone of the home. The more commonly used ones are 3000K warm white light and 4000K natural white. The light color is comfortable and the effect is warm. There are also color-adjustable strip lights and RGB colored strip lights. You can switch the light color at will to create different usage scenarios, such as the recently popular e-sports room design.

6. The brightness of the lamp strip depends on the power of the lamp strip and the number of lamp beads per unit length. The higher the power, the brighter the lamp, and the greater the number of lamp beads, the brighter the lamp.