Why Use LED Bulbs?
LED bulbs offer low maintenance to users as they can last for 40,000 hours, which is the equivalent to 11 years. Not only are they a more economic, energy-efficient option, but they also provide contemporary style in a variety of colours that are perfect for modern homes.
They emit less heat compared to incandescent, fluorescent and halogen bulbs as well as being dimmable and UV-free. The upfront cost of these bulbs tends to be higher but overall, the combination of benefits makes LED bulbs the best choice for both energy efficiency and for your purse.
10 LED Light Ideas
1. Backlit Mirror LED Lighting
Cast a gentle glow on your face every morning with a backlit mirror in your bathroom. Combining both design and functionality, backlit mirrors are a popular LED lighting ideas choice – not only in bathrooms but in dressing rooms, too. They offer a contemporary form of atmospheric light to the room that’s hard to beat. The cool-toned light of the bathroom mirror shown above provides a pleasant visual contrast to the warmth of the bathroom tiles.
A more affordable way to recreate this LED room lighting idea (that’s still easy!) is to use an existing mirror and place strip lights around it. Remember, though, that you’ll need strips that have the appropriate IP rating for moisture and steam exposure. An IP rating of 65 is essential for use in a bathroom where LED lights might get wet.
2. Room Border LED Lighting
LED strip light ideas are increasingly talked about in the world of home decor, and the easiest way to incorporate this into your space is to create an illuminated border around the edge of your walls.
This might seem like a challenging project but it’s actually an incredibly simple, purse-friendly way to update a space. For an even more striking look that will illuminate painted walls, install these lights along the flooring as well.
Follow this simple step-by-step guide to achieve the look:
- Use aluminium profile (available from hardware stores), cut to the length of the walls and screw into place. If you’d prefer, you can use a super strength adhesive, but screws will offer more reassurance of security.
- Choose LED strips with adhesive on the back that can be stuck to the aluminium.
- Pop a diffuser strip over the top of the LEDs to help soften the brightness of the lighting and create a gentle ambience rather than an overpowering shine.
- Place caps on the corners where two strips meet and at the ends of strips to give a more finished look.
3. Illuminated LED Lights Headboard
Installing strip lighting along the edges of your headboard is a great LED lighting idea for your bedroom, creating a relaxing environment for your space. Use a warm, yellow-toned light that offers gentle illumination, as this isn’t too severe on tired eyes and is great for pre-sleep tasks such as reading.
For additional visibility, and to prevent eye strain, consider placing an LED table lamp on a nearby surface (such as a bedside table) to support the function of the headboard light.
How-to guide:
- Measure the edge of your headboard, along the tops and the sides.
- Cut the LED strips to size.
- Peel off the paper backing to reveal the adhesive and stick in to place.
4. Walk-In Wardrobe LED Lighting
Optimise your walk-in wardrobe with well-thought-out lighting that strikes a balance between a beautiful aesthetic and functionality. Consider LED strip fixtures at the tops of closets for a blast of light when doors are opened. Use strip lighting along open cabinets and shelving edges, as well as around the tops and floor of the room, to further enhance the space.
Another dose of luminosity could be provided by installing LED wall lights and spotlights in key areas of the room. You can place them near mirrors, for instance, to provide optimum light for dressing and last-minute make up checks.
Adding LED strips to shelving:
- Measure the size of the shelves.
- Cut the LED strips to size.
- Stick to the underside of the shelves.
- Connect the plug to the transformer.
- Hide the transformer so it can’t be seen (but is still accessible).
5. Cornice LED Lighting
If you have a more traditionally-styled home, then using accent lighting in the cornicing will add a contemporary twist without affecting the overall feel of the space. This coving LED light idea involves using the coving or cornice to hold the LED strip lights in position, but it will also allow for a more diffused, atmospheric lighting to be produced in the room rather than any cool, harsh tones.
Step-by-step guide:
- Mark out where the strip lights will be sitting.
- Place inside the cornice and stick into place by removing the paper backing.
- Use cable casing to hide the wires coming down the wall into a plug point or hire an electrician to chase the cables through the wall.
6. Illuminated Staircase LED Lighting
A sophisticated LED lighting idea for your staircase is to install strip lights along the edges of the steps or underneath them. This visually-impactful aesthetic is perfect for those that want to make a feature of their stairs but don’t quite know how to execute it.
Not only is this an elegant lighting concept but it’s also a great additional safety feature to optimise visibility when navigating the stairs. You could even use an LED strip light along the handrail for a soft glow that highlights the shape of the stairs offering more depth to the area.
Installation tip:
- When fitting your step lights, stick the LED strips to the underside of the stair’s overhang so the light shines downwards to create a glowing effect but keeps the strip hidden.
7. Ceiling LED Lights
For a simple (yet effective) living room update using LED lights, consider installing a statement ceiling light that works as a decorative focal point. Choose a light fitting that complements the style of the room to ensure the space flows harmoniously. Not only can the fixture you choose complement the room’s aesthetic, but LED fittings are a far more energy-efficient way to introduce more light.
8. Light-Up Pantry LED Lighting
For kitchen LED lighting ideas, consider implementing it within your pantry. There are a few different options, from strip lighting to spotlights, but whatever way you do it, LED lighting is the best choice as it is cheap to run and doesn’t need regular changing, which is ideal as installation in cupboards can be a bit fiddly!
If you have a kitchen table, you could even make a DIY centrepiece using mason jars stuffed with LED fairy lights that would add a simple, effective and delicate decorative touch to your eating area.
How to make a light-up mason jar:
- Find an appropriately sized mason jar.
- Fill with fairy lights, sticking the battery case to the inside of the lid.
- Screw the lid into place. You could even paint the lid to match your colour scheme.
9. Backyard Lighting (String LED Lights)
LED lighting isn’t just for inside your home, you can add it to your garden, too! Add some LED string lights into your backyard to create a delicate and pretty glow in the evenings. Not only do they create a beautiful atmosphere, but they’re practical too, increasing visibility once night falls. LED lights are perfect for outdoor use as they offer lighting that’s both brighter and longer-lasting than other bulb types.
How to hang string lights:
- Secure your string lights to nearby fixings, such as a pergola or fence panel, and use a small cup hook to fix them in place.
- Top tip: Don’t screw in the bulbs until you have got the string firmly in place!
10. Galaxy LED Light Projector
Transport your child to outer space with this funky lighting idea, made by placing an LED space light projector next to a bedroom wall.
This fun, atmospheric vibe is a playful way of using lighting in a child’s bedroom, whilst also being gentle and calming enough to be used as a nightlight to soothe your little one to sleep.
To further enhance the look and inject even more fun into the room, why not pop multi-coloured strip lights along the tops of the walls?
Types of LED Lights
Led lights come in a variety of shapes and sizes but the main types of lights are as follows:
Edison
The most popular type of LED bulbs, Edison bulbs have a wide range of uses but are ideal for decorative and accent lighting owing to their warm light. Edison bulbs are labelled with an E followed by numbers to indicate the width of the base in millimetres, for example E12 is for a candelabra base.
Bi-Pin
Typically, these bulbs are labelled with G followed by a number to show the width of the space between the pins, for example GU10. Often used in spotlights and desk lamps, they tend to offer a cool white light.
Strip
Using a flexible circuit board populated with LEDs, you can add these strips almost anywhere that you want to add lighting. They come in a variety of colours and brightness and can be bent up to 90 degrees owing to their flexible nature. LED light ideas with strip lights are endless!
Bayonet
The bulbs have notches on the sides of the base to secure them into place. There are two types of bayonet bulb base, single contact (SC) or double contact (DC) which allows you to know whether there are one or two contact points for electrical connectivity.
LED bulbs are measured in Lumens rather than wattage but often will be described on packaging with a watt equivalent so you can understand the brightness that the bulb will give compared to previously-used styles, such as halogen and incandescent, that were measured in wattage.
This chart shows you the difference between wattage and lumens so you can work out how to achieve the equivalent brightness you would want when replacing your old bulbs with LED ones:
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How Do You Make Shapes With LED Lights?
One fun LED light room idea is to make shapes or words out of them. Achieve this by using LED rope lights and manipulating them to make shapes or words that can be hung on your wall.
Place the lights on the floor and position them into the shape or letters you want, weigh it down to keep it in place whilst you tape them into a more permanent position. Once you‘re happy with your finished word or shape, then you can pin it to the wall!
What are Some Good Places to Put LED Lights?
The functional nature of strip lights makes them a versatile style of lighting, but strip lights are a great way to highlight key areas of a room such as ceiling coving, stairs, shelving or in alcoves. Remember that if you plan on using LED lights in bathrooms or outdoors, then you’ll want to select moisture-friendly, durable fittings that can survive getting wet.
What Can You Make With LED Lights?
LED lighting is great for creative projects. Some ways to use them in craft projects include:
- Floral centrepieces
- DIY paper lanterns
- Mason jar hanging lights
- Scented luminaires
- Tin can lanterns
- LED fishbowls
Conclusion
If you’re looking for an affordable and easy way to inject some more light into your home then LED lighting is most definitely the way forward. Use these energy-efficient, bright light fittings to transform your space into an ambient, well-lit room.
With a variety of colour and brightness options, as well as creative lighting ideas, it’s easy to see how these lights can instantly reinvent a space. So, what are you waiting for? Start your glow up now!
