A cove light is a line of light that can obtained via a LED strip hidden from view inside a cove in the wall or ceiling. This illuminates an adjacent surface and light is reflected from it into the space that has to be illuminated. That is why lines of light are commonly known as cove or indirect lighting.
Cove lighting is beneficial trend to design lighting, with focus on human nature and how natural light behaves. It is today widely adopted, with lines of light as a principal way to illuminate many interiors.
The allure is the similarity with natural light. With the proper light source used, we could imagine that the cove is actually a hidden window to the outside from where sunlight flows in.
Lets explore how we can have the best results with cove lighting
1. Use energy efficient light sources
Pick LED modules or strips with high energy efficacy, at least 90-100 lm/w, and place them inside the cove light in a way that most of the emitted light reaches the reflective surface, such as a wall or ceiling. Wasting energy to illuminate the insides of the cove should be prevented. LED strips with 120-180° are recommended, placed, when possible, at an angle.
We suggest to always use Aluminium profile with diffusor with all LED strips in Cove Lighting. The aluminium profile will absorbe the heat from the LED strip to increase lifetime will protect the strip from dust and guarantee straight and homogenous line of light.
2. Choose a LED light source with the right light output
Cove lighting can serve a variety of purposes. It can guide people, highlight architectural elements or evoke a certain design trend while providing ambient, general or task lighting.
It is highly recommended that the purpose and role-played in the illumination of a space decide the type of light source to be used.
Ambient light or highlight of objects or furniture elements:
Highlight architectural elements: around 900 lumens per meter (many other light sources exist in the space)
General illumination via lines of light and task lighting via spot lights: up to 1400 lumens per meter, depending on the cove design and materials used.
3. Choose the right colour temperature of your Cove-light
Our LED strip lights are available in all single colour temperatures from Warm White 2700 and 3000K thru Natural White 4000K up to Cool White 6000K.
The selection of the colour temperature is mainly a personal like and feel - important is that the colour temperature of your cove lighting matches with the rest of the General Lighting luminaires in your space (Spot and Down-lights) . It does not necessarily have to be the same colour temperature as your feature or decorative lights as long as you don't use them without additional General Lighting Luminaries (Spot and Down-lights) as General lighting itself ( in case you use your decorative or feature light as the only source of General Lighting we suggest or to have separate circuits for Decorative Lights and the Cove lights or the same colour Temperature if on a single circuit).
Use of Color Changing RGBW LED Strip light for your Cove Lighting
RGBW (red/green/blue/White) Led strip lights can be a nice feature for your cove and furniture Lighting. Controlled via remote or App with the RGBW strip all colors of the Spectrum can be managed - even if its possible to have a yellowish or blueish white if you want also the option to have a pure white color we suggest to select the RGBW (red/green/blue + white ) strip.
