LED Strip for Coving: Which LED to Choose and How to Plan It

Decovision LED coving ships without the LED strip - deliberately, because colour temperature, brightness and control are personal choices. This guide covers exactly what to buy and how to plan the run, so the strip you order works first time.

The four numbers that matter

1. Colour temperature (Kelvin)

2700K is warm and candle-like - bedrooms and snugs. 3000K is warm white - the safe choice for living rooms. 4000K is neutral - kitchens and workspaces. Above 5000K reads clinical in a home; avoid it for cornice lighting.

2. LED density (LEDs per metre)

Choose at least 120 LEDs per metre. Lower densities show as a row of dots reflected on the ceiling instead of a continuous line of light - the single most common mistake.

3. Brightness (lumens per metre)

For ambient cornice glow, 400-800 lumens per metre is plenty. If the coving light is the room's main evening lighting, go brighter (up to around 1500 lm/m) and add a dimmer.

4. CRI (colour rendering)

CRI 90 or higher keeps wall colours and furnishings true. Budget strips at CRI 70-80 make warm interiors look grey.

Planning the run

• Measure the lit walls - usually the same perimeter you measured for the coving itself.
• Plan the driver position first. The low-voltage driver needs a socket or fused spur: above a cabinet, in a cupboard or in the ceiling void - and it must stay accessible.
• One feed for short runs, two for long. Beyond roughly 10 metres, feed the strip from both ends (or the middle) to avoid visible dimming at the far end.
• Aluminium tape in the channel improves heat dissipation and reflectivity - we stock it.

Dimming and control

A simple inline dimmer covers most rooms. Smart controllers (Zigbee, WiFi) add scheduling and scene control; choose a dimmable driver either way. For bathrooms, pick an IP-rated strip appropriate to the zone.

Safety in one paragraph

LED strip runs at low voltage and is DIY-safe to install in the coving channel. The mains side - a new socket or fused spur for the driver - is an electrician's job. Never bury the driver inaccessibly behind the coving.

Frequently asked questions

Warm white or cool white for cornice lighting?

Warm (2700-3000K) in living spaces almost always looks better; the ceiling wash amplifies any coolness in the light.

Can I cut LED strip to length?

Yes - strips have marked cut points every few centimetres. Cut only at the marks.

Does the strip get hot inside the coving?

Quality strip at ambient brightness runs warm, not hot. The aluminium tape lining helps spread the little heat there is.

Which Decovision ranges take LED strip?

All nine LED series - browse the LED coving collection. Each has a concealed channel sized for standard strips.

Start with the profile

Choose the coving first, the strip second: order a 20 cm sample, check the channel and the profile on your own ceiling, then buy the room and the strip together.