Led lighting in the kitchen and bathroom. LED lighting for the kitchen from a to z

Actually, why only for a holiday? Our women deserve attention every hour, every minute!
But back to our present. We all probably noticed that the lighting in the kitchen is organized extremely unsuccessfully.
Indeed, the lighting fixture is located in the center of the ceiling, and when we (or our women) approach the desktop, which, as a rule, is located against the wall, we immediately block the light and have to work in the dark:

Illumination of the working area of ​​the kitchen table

To correct the situation, you need quite a bit - pull the string:

It takes very little to accomplish this miracle. We use a plastic electrical box 10x10mm as a lamp. We attach the “small” part with self-tapping screws to the bottom surface of the kitchen cabinet. We can use corners, plugs for this box (I have corner cabinets and, accordingly, corner lamps). In the "deep" part of the box, we drill holes and mount the LEDs. We place the LEDs at such a distance that the installation is carried out directly by their conclusions. I got a step of 50 mm.

Before installing and mounting LEDs, we determine the power source. I had at hand some kind of network adapter without network pins. The voltage of the secondary winding of the transformer turned out to be sufficient for installing a stabilizer of the type 7815 . We connect the LEDs as follows:

We mount ballast resistors in the box directly on the LEDs. The current (actually measured) in each of the 10 chains turned out to be 17 mA, the whole circuit is 170 mA. We hide the power supply in a hinged kitchen cabinet. Having drilled two holes in the bottom of the cabinet, we bring out the power cord (it is possible in a different way) and the chain from the switch (there are such switches in electrical goods):

Note. In order not to run into trouble about damaging furniture, you can drill holes in advance (no one will notice them there), and then say with a clear conscience: I don’t know, the holes were already there ...

It is desirable to choose LEDs with a scattering angle of at least 60 *. I came across Ф4.8 mm white, 2.5 cd, 140 *. If we take LEDs with a smaller scattering angle, for example, 25 *, we get a bright stripe in the middle of the table - unaesthetic.

Bathroom mirror perimeter lighting

The next step is the mirror in the bathroom. Lighting from somewhere over the shoulder - finally a mess.
But here, like in the kitchen, there is nowhere to stick the power supply, so we go the other way.
In the closet, a failed 13 W energy-saving lamp was waiting for its turn, in which the spirals in the flask burned out.
Actually, there are a lot of tips on the Web about the use and repair of SMPS from energy-saving lamps.

I'll tell you how I did it. So, we extract the board with the details, we make the following revision.

Circled in red - the bulb, it is removed by winding the leads of the bulb from faceted racks (circled in red) - a living example of winding mounting. Capacitor C5 is on the board - we don't need it either. We connect with a jumper - indicated in green - the L4 choke and the connection point C4 and C6 - that's all.

Next, we create a secondary winding to power the LEDs. To do this, carefully dismantle the throttle L4. In order not to disassemble it (during disassembly, you can break the glued core), we wind the winding with a double wire of the PEV-2 type 0.3 by “embroidery” until it is full. I got 15 - 18 turns (to be honest, I didn’t count). You shouldn’t worry too much about interwinding insulation - the details of the circuit will not be available for touching.
We install the throttle (now the transformer) in place.

We make the rectifier according to the scheme (in photo C1 - 4.7 μF x 50V, I set it as a test one, because I didn’t know what the voltage would turn out and forgot to replace it):

And we mount it directly on the existing pins.
The choice of the circuit is due to the desire to reduce the voltage losses on the rectifier diodes. Diodes (type KD 512) are soldered from the boards of unusable power supplies. Before soldering, we pay attention to the marking of the diode - if it is marked with the letter D - we solder it, if Z is a zener diode - we do not need it in this case. We call the diodes before installation.

I got 11.9 V across the capacitors. We mount the board in the case from the Soviet adapter using hot melt adhesive drops:

It is undesirable that the circuit is always under mains voltage, so we mount the mains switch there.

Because the power supply voltage is 11.9 V, we connect the LEDs in chains of 3 pcs. and put a ballast resistor in each chain of 10 ohms. I got 5 chains - a total of 15 LEDs, such as indicated earlier. The current in each circuit is about 15 mA, 75 mA in total. The power supply is not even warm.

Proper lighting is one of the components of a spectacular design of any room. It is especially important in the kitchen, where the correct distribution of the light flux turns cooking into a pleasant and comfortable process. All that is needed for this is a project and calculation of lighting. One of the most interesting options in modern interiors, which you can do with your own hands, is LED strip lighting.

LEDs are special semiconductors that emit light when electrical energy passes through. LEDs can have different chemical composition, due to which the brightness of the light generated by them differs. There is one more nuance - the installation of LED backlighting is never carried out directly, because this way the tape can overheat and break. A prerequisite for connecting LEDs is the presence of a stabilizer.

Benefits of LED Lighting

LED backlighting has a number of obvious advantages:

• Resistance to mechanical external damage;
• Durability - kitchen lighting tape is able to work for 14 years or more even when working more than 15 hours a day;
• A variety of colors - lighting in the kitchen under the cabinets can be made in white, red and orange, green and blue, purple and yellow. You can also choose LEDs that work in the infrared and ultraviolet spectrum;
• Excellent lighting brightness, and the device does not require time to warm up;

• Affordability (due to distribution and popularization);
• Possibility to use a tape with a different angle of radiation;
• Safety;
• Environmental friendliness;
• Undemanding to room temperature.

Ways and places for interior lighting in the kitchen

The number of crystals directly affects the number of colors in the ribbon. In general, LED strips can provide 15,000,000 shades - if they combine crystals of different brightness.

You can make LED backlight for the following purposes:

• Combined lighting for zoning, allocation of cabinets, niches;
• Highlighting paintings or other decorative elements of the interior;
• Highlighting a kitchen apron, the backlight looks especially impressive if the apron is made of glass;

• Lighting inside drawers and cabinets;

• Highlight stained glass or transparent glass shelves;

• By installing the backlight at the bottom of the bedside tables, that is, under the cabinets, you can create the effect of "floating furniture";

• Lighting of several levels of the ceiling;

• LED bar lighting creates the atmosphere and style of a real bar.

Installation of warm spectrum LEDs is made for classic interiors, and in a high-tech style, cold light will be more appropriate.

Choosing the right LED strip - classification and comparison

Most often, the installation of LED backlighting is carried out from SMD LEDs. They are classified according to a number of criteria:

• The number of crystals - from 1 to 4;
• Glow type - full color or monochrome;
• Dimensions - in the range of 1.06x0.8 to 5.0x5.0 mm.

Before you buy an LED strip, you need to decide what type of lighting you want to make. Here are the following recommendations:

1. The SMD 50x50 strip with three-chip LEDs is perfect for lighting the work and dining areas and can provide a uniform bright light.
2. For decorative lighting, a single-chip SMD 35x28 tape is suitable.

Light-emitting diode strip (LED) is a series of small light-emitting diodes located within the same plane. It can also have several varieties depending on the density of the LEDs:

• 30pcs/meter;
• 60pcs/meter;
• 120pcs/meter;
• 240 pieces/meter.

The power consumption and the level of brightness of the generated lighting depend on the number of LEDs.

The tapes are divided into groups and according to the degree of moisture protection:

• IP20 - not suitable for the kitchen, because it does not withstand high humidity;
• IP65 - medium level of moisture protection, can be used in the kitchen;
• IP68 - full moisture resistance - even a pool can be illuminated with such a tape.

How to choose a power supply

Power supplies come in different capacities, and hence the size. We need to determine the best option so that the transformer has enough power with a margin, but at the same time, so that it is not too large.

We multiply 12 watts by 5 m (the length of the tape), for a total of 60 watts. But since we need a margin, we will also take into account the coefficient equal to 1.25 - it turns out 1.25 × 60 = 75, therefore, we need to buy a transformer for 75 watts.

How to illuminate the countertop, dining area with LEDs

For the working area, a device with an average degree of moisture protection is suitable - it has a special protective layer that protects against vapors and pollution, water and other liquids. This means that if you need wet cleaning, you can wipe the cabinets along with the lamps.

Mounting the tape to the table involves attaching a special aluminum profile. It is necessary to hide the wires and give the lighting aesthetics. You can also make backlight from self-adhesive tapes. By the way, by installing additional devices, you can create a backlight that will change brightness and / or color.

Advice! The warm white color of the LED strip is optimal for the desktop, as it will not change the natural colors of the food.

Additional lighting can be made from LED strips in the work area. It also requires structures with high protection against moisture. Tapes here are installed with double-sided tape. You can use multiple ribbons to create an expressive decorative effect.

What do we need for installation

Self-installation of LED backlight will require the use of the following tools and accessories:

• The kit itself: a tape reel (12W), an electric cable with a cross section of 0.74 mm2;
• Transformer - 12W power supply and dimmer with control panel (if any);
• Solder with rosin;
• soldering iron;
• Scissors;
• Double sided tape;
• Insulating tape (or heat shrink tube with a building hair dryer);
• PVC corner and or aluminum profile for mounting LED - if necessary;
• Drill - if necessary;
• Electrical mounting brackets - if required.

We make installation

So, all the tools and materials are ready, you can proceed with the installation of the diode backlight with your own hands.

Installation is carried out in the following sequence:

1. In the reel, the tape is most often 5 m long. Most likely, you need less, so we cut off the excess. The required length is measured with a tape measure and cut off in a strictly defined place, after which the extreme contacts must be carefully exposed from the silicone coating by about 1.5 cm.

1. Solder 2 cables to the contacts (preferably) or connect them using connectors (not recommended).

1. Then perform insulation (tape or tube). To isolate the wires with a heat shrink tube, you need to cut off a small piece 2 cm long, put it in the soldering place of the wires and fix it with a building hair dryer. What to choose - a tape or a tube - is up to you, but a tube is better, as it is more reliable and looks better.

1. An adhesive tape is attached from the outside on a corner or profile, and a tape is fixed from the opposite part after removing the protective film.

1. A transformer must be mounted near the backlight. This place needs to be thought out in advance. The cleaned wires of the cut tape are soldered to it from the low voltage side. On the opposite side, a plug with an electric cable is attached. The LED strip is attached to a pre-cleaned and degreased surface.

Advice! To glue the tape evenly, it is better not to press it right away, but first just gently stick the entire tape, and then trim if necessary.

1. The wires are connected in parallel and lead to the installation site of the power supply.

1. The installation of a plastic box for wires is certainly carried out, where the wire is fastened with electrical mounting brackets.

It's no secret that the kitchen is one of the most important places in the house. That is why, its arrangement must be approached with all responsibility - after all, comfortable conditions in the kitchen allow you to truly relax while cooking and eating.

Installation of LED lighting for kitchen furniture

Previously, in order to illuminate the kitchen table, it was necessary to install bulky fluorescent lamps, which gave an unpleasant cold light, and also consumed a lot of electricity. But technology does not stand still, and new ones have come to replace the old lamps - LEDs. The choice in favor of LED lighting is due to the fact that you can choose any color gamut of the backlight, brightness, and such backlight consumes many times less electricity than incandescent or daylight lamps. Ceiling lighting is.

There is no need to talk about the durability of incandescent lamps - LEDs work for decades!

• degree of moisture protection - without moisture protection (IP33), with an average level of moisture protection (IP65), and fully protected (IP67, 68). The second and third types are suitable for the kitchen, since the proximity of water can adversely affect the tape and cause a short circuit and even a fire. However, this only applies to tapes that are directly next to the tap and stove. To highlight the rest of the places, you can use a regular tape;
• the number of LEDs per meter, from 30 to 240 pcs / meter, the brightness and current consumption of the tape depends on this parameter;
• the temperature of the glow of the LEDs - cold light, neutral and warm, as well as strips with RGB LEDs, which, using the controller, can give any color and change it.

So, we decided on the tape, but what else do we need?

Additional materials

In addition to the LED strip, you need:

• a power supply unit with a voltage of 12 volts and a power of 15-20% more than the power consumption of the tape. Usually the power per meter is indicated on the tape. For example, if the power per 1 meter is 12 W, and the length of the tape is 5 meters, multiply 12 by 5, get 60 W and multiply by 1.2, you get 72 W, so you can choose a power supply 70 or 75 W. Also, power supplies differ in the type of moisture protection, choose depending on the location of the PSU;
• connecting wires, they are needed in order to connect the tape segments to each other (if it is cut into several parts), and to connect to the power supply. You can buy both a regular two-wire wire and use special connectors (we used them);
• a dimmer (regulator) to control the brightness of the backlight or a controller for an RGB tape. An optional detail, however, the installation of such a regulator will allow you to adjust the brightness (and color for RGB) of the tape, which makes it more comfortable to use LED lighting.
• soldering iron, if you are using ordinary connecting wires and not connectors (observe the polarity of the wires! "+" to "+", "-" to "-") LED lighting
• screwdrivers, screws or self-tapping screws, a drill - depending on the power supply unit or tape profile you have chosen.

So, everything is ready to start work. We measure the required distance and cut the LED strip based on this length.

Important! The LED strip should only be cut in specially marked places!

It should also be borne in mind that the length of the tape from the power supply to the last LED should not be more than 5 meters (connecting wires are not taken into account, however, they should be made as short as possible), otherwise the last LEDs will burn dimmer than the first ones.

Next, we connect the cut section to the power supply using a connector or soldering. Consider in advance the location of the unit and the distance to the electrical outlet. We used the simplest unit that is immediately plugged into a power outlet, however, there are power supplies that are mounted on the surface of furniture with leads for high-voltage wires, in which case you can choose the required cable length.

Using a connector, we connect the tape and cable.

Check the connection and plug the power supply into the outlet - it is much more difficult to redo the wiring diagram after installation in place.

Now you can install the tape directly on the surface of the furniture. Place the tape not too close to the edge, otherwise the LEDs can shine sharply into your eyes, you can also use an L-shaped aluminum profile for installation by gluing the LED strip on it, and directly mount the profile itself on the surface. This method of mounting will protect you from the direct rays of the LEDs and add aesthetics to the installed structure.

Well, that's all, the installation is completed, it remains to connect the power and enjoy the long-awaited result.

Let's see how it was before installing the backlight and how it became after.

Isn't it beautiful and functional?

In the kitchen, you can highlight many places. In addition to illuminating the work surface, the illumination of the lower part of the kitchen set looks beautiful, creating the effect of furniture floating in the air.

That's all for me, good luck and inspiration in the repair!

Modern kitchen equipment makes the process of cooking less burdensome. Proper lighting of the room and LED lighting for the kitchen under the cabinets creates a comfortable environment for the home chef.

Everyone knows about the advantages of LED lighting in comparison with both traditional incandescent lamps and energy-saving lamps. This is extremely high efficiency and durability. It is also important that the LEDs light up at full power instantly, without requiring warm-up time, their service life does not depend on the number of on-off switches. The only drawback is the relatively high cost. But the costs justify themselves: LED lighting in the kitchen will last for several decades, saving a lot of money due to low electricity consumption.

If you already have a different type of kitchen lighting, do not rush to change it to a new one. Manufacturers produce LED lamps for almost any type of base and, most likely, you can only replace the lamp itself, without changing anything in the lamp or limiting itself to minor alterations.

Where to place the backlight

Proper lighting in the kitchen should be multi-zone. This is general lighting, a light above the dining table and, of course, LED lighting for the kitchen work area.

A sophisticated consumer, technically savvy and familiar with the latest in interior design, is often not limited to functional lighting alone.

Where should and can the lighting for the kitchen be located?

• Work area - lighting under the cabinets.

The level of illumination in the working area should be the highest

• The hood above the stove has built-in lighting.

If the light of the hood seems insufficient to you, standard lamps can be replaced with brighter and more economical diode ones.

Adds convenience or simply decorates the interior with additional lighting in the following places:

• Illuminated glass cabinets. If you do not have collectible dishes, put frosted glass in the door, it is no less beautiful.

The soft light emanating from the glazed cabinets visually lightens the kitchen set.

• Above the upper cabinets, if the room has sufficient height. Light directed at the ceiling will make the room visually higher.

• Under the lower tier of cabinets. The light source should not be visible, so a thin and inconspicuous LED strip for the kitchen is best.

LED lighting directed to the ceiling and floor in the kitchen above and below the cabinets is not intended for work, therefore it may not be white, but colored. The top light can be bright, and the bottom light should be muted, noticeably softer than in the work area

• The LED strip in the kitchen can be installed under the countertop and directed along the facades of the lower cabinets, highlighting their contents.

The tape is fixed directly under the tabletop. The tabletop itself should protrude relative to the furniture front at a distance not less than the width of the light element

• You can highlight the tabletop itself from the inside, for this it must be transparent. They are made of glass glued in several layers, a transparent polymer.

An LED strip is installed along the contour of the translucent tabletop

Another option is hidden LED lighting for the glass top. The light source is directed from the end. To maximize the effect, the tabletop is made of transparent quartz glass with matte details applied to the surface. They are the ones that will glow.

• Bar counter lighting, if any.

Diode lighting for the kitchen in the bar area is directed, as a rule, down

• Luminous skinal - the latest fashion. Light does not fall on it from the outside, but comes from within.

Luminous skinal came to the kitchen interior from advertising lighting. This is a flat diode panel with an image printed on milky glass.

Actually, LED lighting in the kitchen can be placed almost anywhere. Only financial considerations can limit your imagination.

What are LED kitchen lights?

Do-it-yourself LED lighting can be made using ready-made fixtures, or you can actually assemble the lighting system yourself from individual elements. We list the main types of devices used:

• Overhead linear lamps. They are sold both individually and in sets, where several modules are connected in series into one block using a special adapter.

Do-it-yourself LED lighting for the working area of ​​the kitchen from ready-made linear modules

• Overhead spotlights.

LED illumination of the working area, made of corner lamps

Lamps appeared on sale, both linear and point, equipped with touch switches. It is enough to touch their body in a certain place to turn the light on or off.

The touch switch is usually indicated by a permanently lit blue LED.

• Recessed luminaires, linear and spot. Being very thin, they are mounted in the bottom shelf of the cabinet flush with the bottom surface.

Mortise LED lighting for the kitchen is completely hidden in the lower shelf. This is convenient, but the installation of such a lamp requires a certain qualification.

• LED strips for kitchen lighting are used no less widely than ready-made lamps. The reason for such popularity is the wide choice of brightness and color and, which is very convenient, the tape can be cut exactly to the required length. It costs less than ready-made lamps.

The choice of brightness and color is very diverse.

Do-it-yourself LED strip installation

With ready-made lamps, everything is more or less clear, but how to make a backlight on a kitchen set with your own hands from an LED strip?

What will the LED backlight based on tape consist of?

To assemble a workable lamp, you will need the following materials:

• Diode tape of the required length.
• If necessary, an aluminum guide profile.

Kitchen lighting will look neater if placed in a special aluminum profile. This solution facilitates the installation of lighting

• Power supply 12 W.
• Switch.
• Electrical cable and plug or terminal block, depending on the type of connection. We recommend using a copper stranded cable in a double braid with a cross section of at least 2x0.75 mm2.
• Heat shrink tubing for sealing connections.

LED strip is often sold complete with a power supply and control

How to choose LED strip

The LED strip in the kitchen must be protected from water, this is one of the conditions for safe operation. The minimum level of moisture protection is IP44 (withstands the ingress of individual drops of water), better than IP65 (water jet). Voltage - 12 W, as the safest.

LED lighting for the working area of ​​​​the kitchen should be bright, the spectrum is close to natural daylight. We recommend using a strip with three-chip SMD 50x50 LEDs of 30 diodes of 12 lumens each per meter of length. If you want to have a brighter light, especially when equipping the backlight with a dimmer, it is better to choose a product from 60 diodes. Color temperature ranging from 3300 to 500 K.

Additional lighting for the kitchen, as a rule, should not be bright. Often enough light flux SMD 35x28 of 30 diodes of 5 lumens per meter. The color does not play a significant practical role and depends more on the design idea.

How to choose a power supply and switch for LED strip in the kitchen

In order for the LED lighting in the kitchen to work stably, we recommend choosing a power supply with a power margin of about 25%. The power of the tape depends on the model, technical specifications can be obtained from the seller. So, SMD 50x50 of 30 diodes "takes" 7.2 W per meter of length. Thus, if the length is, for example, 4 m, the total power will be 28.8 watts. Accordingly, the power supply with a 25% margin is 36 watts. Choose a compact model, it will be easier to hide.

As for the switch, the following options are possible:

• Simple push button.
• Touch by touch.
• Infrared, reacts to the wave of the hand.
• A dimmer that regulates the light output. Control can be mechanical, in the form of a rotating handle or touch.
• A control box that makes the light blink or shimmer with multi-colored lights if a multi-color RGB ribbon is selected. Although, such effects are used infrequently.

Diode lighting for the kitchen based on several tapes should only be carried out according to a parallel connection scheme

Do-it-yourself installation of LED strip in the kitchen

LED backlight should be assembled according to the following rules:

• The tape cannot be cut to length arbitrarily, only in certain places. For this, special marks are applied to it.
• If it is necessary to use several tapes, they are connected to the power supply in parallel.
• The electrical cable coming from the power supply should be connected to the tape not with connectors, but with soldering, this is more reliable. The joint should be sealed with heat shrink tubing. You can also use duct tape, but it's more difficult to do and it won't look as neat.

• A conventional keyboard or push-button switch is placed before the power supply.

Wiring diagram with conventional switch

Dimmer or RGB block - after the power supply.

LED strip in the kitchen: photo of the connection diagram with a dimmer-controlled luminous flux

• The LED lighting for the kitchen is attached under the cabinets using double-sided adhesive tape. First, you should only lightly fasten the tape in several places and, making sure that it is in the right place and lay flat, press firmly along the entire length.

If you do not have sufficient knowledge and skills to work with electrics and electronics, entrust the installation of the backlight to specialists.

Warm and gentle light creates a unique atmosphere

Today, LED lighting for the kitchen is the most modern and justified solution that allows you to get a special fusion of functionality and comfort through a balanced and harmonious combination of all types of lighting: general, decorative and work.

With their help, you can not only get comfortable and eye-pleasing lighting for all functional areas, but also focus on interesting design approaches and solutions, layout and interior features. The breadth of choice of LED lamps of various design types will help to create a common, spot lighting and lighting in a single stylistic principle.

LED lamps will help to improve the interior many times over

Traditional chandeliers and lamps

LED lamps are practically not used for general lighting in the kitchen.

An example of using LED lighting as a central

But sometimes you can’t do without a traditional chandelier - in kitchens decorated in a classic and ethnic style, retro, country or baroque, you will need a combination of central lighting and wall lights that are responsible for illuminating the work area. For classics and neoclassics, you will need a crystal chandelier for the kitchen with pendants.

Combination of classic chandelier and LED lighting

Advice! The crystal chandelier should be placed away from the hob so that grease does not settle on the glass.

For kitchens in Provence style, country or chalet, candelabra lamps with a pre-aged surface, which is covered with a golden, silver or copper patina, are suitable. For an Arabic or Oriental style, lanterns with elements made of colored glass and forged details are useful. In the Japanese style, lamps with a paper or fabric lampshade are often used - due to the fact that LED lamps emit a minimum amount of heat, such chandeliers are completely fireproof.

LED lamps are perfect for any interiors

When making kitchens in modern(high-tech, modern, minimalism) style, the room will be decorated with practical and concise lamps of the simplest forms - cubic or spherical, made of modern materials.

LED lamps are one of the most suitable lighting methods for design.

LED strips and lights for the kitchen

In the kitchen, LED lighting can be used simultaneously as a full-fledged functional lighting, a design technique and a decorative accent. Recessed lamps, LED strips and wall-ceiling models (swivel lamps, spotlights, wall lamps - closed and open) can be used to implement the backlight.

Due to the variety among LED lamps, you can create a unique light ensemble

Quality lighting plays an important role in good interior design.

The choice of a particular type of lighting is determined by the level (height) of its installation. For ceiling lighting use:

• LED strips - they are placed around the perimeter of the ceiling behind decorative cornices or special niches

LED strips are extremely easy to use

• recessed luminaires - installed in stretch and suspended ceilings

Recessed luminaires - a great option for suspended and stretch ceilings

• ceiling overhead lights - mounted on single-level ceilings

Overhead luminaires - a great option for full lighting with single-level ceilings

• chandeliers of different designs

Complete the interior with an unusual LED chandelier

Chandeliers of different shapes are perfectly combined in the interior in the style of minimalism

LED lighting of the tabletop and the work area as a whole can be implemented using wall lamps or LED strip. Decorative illumination of open shelving, plinths, kitchen cabinets, curly cornices and other elements of kitchen furniture equipment can be created by installing linear wall lamps or LED strips (of a special type - end).

A small amount of LED strip can transform the kitchen

With the help of lighting, you can focus on any element of the interior

LED Strip Light

Due to its versatility and ease of installation, LED strip is the most sought-after method of obtaining lighting in the kitchen at any level. The uniform light generated by it, without shadows and glare, is perfect for illuminating countertops and work areas, decorative lighting. The backlight for the kitchen worktop is usually placed under the wall cabinets - either at the junction of the cabinet and the apron, or on the lower plane of the cabinet itself. In order to get a backlight with a decorative effect, end tapes are placed under the table top or on the front end, immediately behind the transparent panel profiles.

Lighting under the countertop - a very effective technique

Due to its excellent flexibility, the LED strip can perfectly follow the most complex contours of a ceiling or furniture structure. The minimum thickness will allow you to place the backlight inconspicuously and extremely carefully, in the off state it is almost invisible.

LED lighting creates a unique play of light

With the correct placement of the LED strip, it becomes much easier to control the light level.

The ability to place the tape in special boxes made of anodized or aluminum profiles or furniture niches allows you to discreetly place the structural elements of the created lighting, adding presentability and style to the lighting system as a whole. Together, all this allows you to use LED strips in interiors of any style - from neoclassical and modern to minimalism and hi-tech.

High-tech style and LED lighting are just made for each other

Advice! For stable and long-term operation of the LED strip, a heat sink is required. For this reason, it is undesirable to glue (install) such a tape directly on furniture (wood, fiberboard). For these purposes, it is better to use small-sized aluminum profiles as a basis, which will securely hold the tape and provide heat dissipation.

The heat sink will greatly extend the life of the LED strip

Illumination of the plinth allows you to get the so-called effect of "floating furniture". If you supplement the illumination of the working area and the plinth with an additional LED ceiling strip (thereby creating three levels of illumination), then the resulting total illumination level will allow you to abandon the installation of traditional chandeliers or lamps.

Soft light creates a unique atmosphere

LED lighting, placed around the perimeter of the kitchen at the bottom of the walls, can visually adjust the size of the room.

Decorative lighting

Considering LED lamps for lighting the kitchen, most often they consider an exclusively functional application function, while overlooking the issues of beauty and aesthetics. But LED technology opens up incredible opportunities in this regard:

• cabinet lighting - the lamp is mounted inside, directly behind the glass doors. At the same time, they serve not only for decoration, but also quite practical. Thanks to the internal illumination, the desired thing can be found without turning on the main lighting. Illumination will also be relevant if a lot of small things or packages with inscriptions made in small print are stored in the locker

Lighting cabinets is not only convenient, but also very beautiful.

Advice! When installing the backlight in the locker, it is worth checking their closing density and ease of opening, and especially - think over the way to turn on the lamps. Optimum output - touch-sensitive LED lights that react to the opening of the door and automatically turn on the lighting

Automatic switch-on is simple, practical and comfortable

• luminous shelves - the upper (lower, sometimes both at once) plane is made of glass (transparent synthetic material), lamps or LED strip are mounted inside

Lighting looks great on open shelves too.

• decorative elements - carved details, columns, etc. As a rule, such lighting is used in classic-style kitchens.

RGB lighting is gaining popularity, allowing you to create a festive atmosphere with the help of an extravaganza of light (red, white, blue, yellow), or, conversely, by muting the tones, add intimacy and romance.

Thanks to the choice of colors, you can easily change the mood of the kitchen

At the same time, when choosing a color, it should be noted that warm shades are suitable for an interior in a classic style, and cold light is appropriate for high-tech. Orange, yellow, warm white - warm shades - emphasize the texture and natural beauty of the tree. Pink lighting is in harmony with exquisite ceramic or porcelain dishes, blue - for metal and chrome surfaces.

Emphasize important decor elements with lighting and fully enjoy the interior you have created

Feb 19, 2018 Sergey