Professional cove lighting with linear LED lighting solutions

Here's why you could use cove lighting

The purpose of cove lighting is to provide subtle, indirect lighting that fills the room without creating harsh shadows. This type of lighting is integrated into a suspended ceiling or a raised edge along the wall. There are several reasons for choosing cove lighting.

• Giving an atmospheric and professional appearance to commercial spaces. The indirect light radiating from above creates a soft and pleasant ambience that appeals to customers and employees.
• In stores and showrooms, cove lighting can be used to illuminate items and displays in an attractive way. It helps to draw customers' attention to specific items and enhance the overall shopping experience.
• Highlight architectural features and special elements. For example, ornate ceilings, vaulted arches or decorative wall details.
• Perfect lighting is essential for a productive working environment. The lighting does not shine directly into the eyes, preventing glare and eyestrain. This provides a pleasant visual experience. It contributes to employee wellbeing and performance in offices and workspaces.
• Prevent light sources from being directly visible if this does not suit the design. The focus is on the lighting effect you want to create and not on the luminaire itself.
• By allowing light to beam indirectly upwards or downwards, cove lighting can make the room appear larger. This is especially useful in rooms with lowered ceilings. Moreover, in small rooms, cove lighting can save space.

Benefits of LED solutions for cove lighting

LED strips are a popular choice when for cove lighting because of their flexibility, energy efficiency and limitless possibilities. A versatile lighting solution that can be adapted to different needs, design styles and environments.

One of the main advantages of LED lighting is its low energy consumption. LED strips consume significantly less energy than other lighting solutions, making them an eco-friendly and cost-saving (50-80%) option for cove lighting.

LED strips have a long lifetime of 50,000 to 100,000 burning hours. This means that this lighting solution needs to be replaced less often and maintenance costs are much lower.

LED strips are flexible and can be bent easily. This makes them ideal for illuminating curved cove edges. And because the strips are narrow, they can easily be mounted in compact spaces.

There are endless possibilities with LED strips, allowing you to create any look and atmosphere. You can choose from different colour temperatures that are also programmable, allowing the user to alternate. For example Tunable White LED strips.

With RGB or RGBW LED strips, you can create colourful playful effects. And by combining it with smart technologies, the user can choose the colours that suit the mood he wants to radiate at that moment.

LED strips are available as clear or diffuse versions. With a diffuse LED strip, you can create a nice smooth light image.

You can easily combine LED strips with new smart technologies. This makes the lighting dimmable or programmable based on schedules and events, which offers fun effects. You can also set a timer when the lights turn on or off. This is useful for energy saving and security purposes.

LED strips have a high CRI, which means colours are rendered faithfully. This can be applicable when highlighting architectural features or showing colours in a room.

Cove lighting trends

Cove lighting continues to evolve and is becoming an increasingly essential element in modern interior design. The use of innovative technologies and design elements makes it possible to create the right atmosphere with a harmonious balance between functionality and aesthetics. Here are some notable trends that are currently popular.

• Integrated Smart lighting has made its way into cove lighting. This allows users to adjust brightness, colour and even colour temperature via a smartphone or voice assistant. This provides a personalised lighting experience and improves comfort in that room.
• Colourful lighting is becoming increasingly popular. With RGB and RGBW LED strips, users can set different colours to create a vibrant and dynamic atmosphere.
• Clean lines and minimalist design are in demand these days. Concealed lighting systems that fit perfectly into the design of the environment as it gives an elegant look without compromising functionality.
•  An emerging trend is Biophilic Design, which integrates elements of nature into indoor spaces. Cove lighting can be used to highlight elements, such as wooden accents or plants. This way, you increase your connection with nature.
• Creative lighting patterns and motion effects are increasingly used in cove lighting. These effects can be achieved by programming based on schedules and events with smart technologies.
• Sustainability is an important trend in lighting, so also in cove lighting. Energy-efficient LED lighting is increasingly becoming the standard.

Important factors when choosing LED strips for cove lighting

A well thought-out and detailed lighting design ensures that cove lighting is used to its fullest potential and fits perfectly into the room. The design should take into account the needs of the room, the desired ambiance and the overall interior design. It can also help identify any bottlenecks during installation.

First determine the purpose of the lighting. Is it purely for mood lighting or should it also provide functional light for specific tasks. Will you go for direct or indirect lighting? Then determine the location of the cove lighting in the room and the dimensions of the cove. When determining the location, consider that the lighting should be easily accessible for any maintenance or repairs. And don't forget to include any corners in the design. Of course, you don't want to see dark corners.

Based on the purpose, location and lighting angle of the cove lighting, you can determine how much lumen output you need. And also immediately choose the light colour and possibly the colour temperature that suits the desired ambience. With warm colour temperatures you create a comfortable warm atmosphere and with colder colour temperatures you give the room a more modern look. Choose high-quality LED strips to ensure consistent light quality without colour differences.

Depending on the purpose, you can also decide whether the lighting should be dimmable. Not all LED strips are dimmable or compatible with the chosen dimming system. Pay close attention to this when putting together a solution.

Is the cove lighting going to be an indoor or outdoor application? This also has consequences for the choice of the LED strip. For an outdoor application, you need an LED strip with an IP value higher than IP67. Don't forget that the connector must also have an IP value above IP67. This ensures that no water can get into the strip and prevents hassle afterwards.

What to think about when installing cove lighting

It is important to be familiar with the specifications and technical requirements of the LED lighting you have chosen and ensure that the installation complies with applicable safety standards and regulations.

To maintain the longevity of cove lighting, it is important that the lighting solution is installed properly. Installing cove lighting requires accuracy and skill. Therefore, always follow the installation instructions. This results in satisfied customers and a high-quality end result.

Thorough planning is required prior to installation. This includes establishing the right location for the cove lighting, determining the required electrical cabling and selecting the right luminaires.

Make sure the LED strips are the right size and fit into the cove. You can cut the strips to size on site and assemble the connection. Alternatively, you can have an expert do this and deliver them ready-made. The latter provides much less hassle, the installation goes a lot faster and you can be certain it's right. Especially when it comes to an outdoor application, where a watertight connection is crucial.

It is important to test the lighting before mounting it in the cove. The LED strips are extensively tested before being packed and transported. Something can always happen during transport. It would be annoying if you have mounted everything and a section turns out to have failed. You can then also check the illuminance immediately.

Then carefully mount the LED lighting in the cove and make sure it is securely fastened. Of course, you don't want parts to come loose as you go along. Double-check the connections. Especially with outdoor solutions, it is important that no moisture can get into the LED strip.

If you have chosen a smart lighting solution, connect the lights to the LED controller. Do this also according to the instructions for the best and safest result. You can then configure the controller and possibly link it to a home automation system. Set the desired settings and/or programme the time schedules. It is always useful to test the settings before transferring.

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