When LEDs (light-emitting diodes) came in the market, people were slow to utilize them in home, because the lights tended to provide off a bluish-white hue. Today that has changed. Advancements in technology mean that LEDs may create that warm, yellow light several homeowners prefer in their living spaces.

Although the upfront price ($40 to $80) is much greater than for traditional bulbs, the yield on investment includes lower power bills, longer-lasting bulbs and better-quality light. LEDs may last up to 25,000 hours and use 75% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs.

However, the very best part is their flexibility. LEDs cover the selection of light, from warm and soft to crisp and cool, and come in various design choices which enable you to play with neat lighting schemes. LED tape, panels, pucks, ropes, cans and bulbs work wonders with uplighting, downlighting, accent lighting and much more.

Here is a rundown of the fundamental LED choices you may use to illuminate your living area.

Inspired LED

LED Tape (Adaptive Strip) Lighting

LED tape illuminates this kitchen in 2 colour temperatures. Above the cabinets an LED tape described as “normal bright” casts a white shine, while warmer white tape shines under the cabinets.

LED cassette is a flexible circuit board with attached LED chips which may be trimmed to size. The chips are dots of light spaced roughly every 5/8 inch; they are in various degrees of brightness. The strips have a self-adhesive backing, making them easy to install almost anywhere.

Inspired LED

Undercabinet and Accent Flexible LED Strips – $10

Ultrabright flexible strips are perfect for under cabinets, in offices and at additional areas requiring a great amount of light. Superbright is your middle selection of brightness and functions great in areas which need some light but not overly much. Traditional bright is perfect for accent lighting, such as for above cabinets, inside cabinets, in coves and around toe kicks, and for lighting art and much more.

WAC Lighting

White-light LED tape placed beneath the counter and cupboard inside this kitchen creates a glowing silhouette.

When considering tape for bathroom and kitchen applications, it is a good idea to go with tape that is coated. It is more durable where processors are vulnerable to heat, moisture and food spills. Noncoated cassette works best in areas such as inside closets where the chips aren’t subjected to harmful elements.

The cost of a decent-quality LED cassette is roughly $8 to $10 per foot plus the price of a motorist to power it, which begins at $150.

Tape lighting under this vanity provides the vanity the look that it is floating in space. Tape is excellent for illuminating small spaces such as coves, niches and under countertops. It has a higher lumen output (brightness) compared to LED rope lighting.

Tape lighting illuminates the top edge of each of the stairs. It’s perfect for lighting stairways at nighttime; someone can take the stairs without having to turn on all the overhead lighting.

186 Lighting Design Group – Gregg Mackell

LED Strip (or Panel) Lights

Strips backlight this mirror above and beneath, making a gentle but dramatic look. Because of an additional covering, strip lighting are moisture resistant, which makes them a great selection for lighting a bathroom vanity.

Lite Line Illuminations, Inc..

Mia Strip Light- Made in the USA

Strips have several LED chips built into a metal enclosure covered by an acrylic shield. They tend to be brighter than LED tape, because they have more chips. This LED strip creates over 360 lumens per foot, has a selection of multiple colour temperatures and can be dimmable.

LED strips come in 10-, 20- and 40-inch lengths and range in price from $99 to $200, based on duration and quality.

Urban Colony

Lights that are strips provide a soft glow to this ceiling cove crowning the room. Strips can do double duty as accent and overhead lighting because of the high lumen output.

SKG Renovations

LED Puck Lights

beneath this kitchen cupboard, six energy-saving LED recessed puck lights light the counter work area while emphasizing the quartzite backsplash. LED puck lights are a wonderful replacement for xenon puck lighting fixtures, which give off heat.

Karen LeBlanc Design TV Host & Writer/Blogger

Puck lights operate under cabinets, interior closets and in niches. The discs come as corded or plug components, sold individually or in kits at a broad range of costs, from about $10 to $80.

186 Lighting Design Group – Gregg Mackell

Puck lights beneath these bookshelves make pools of dark and light for drama and activity lighting. Pucks have a tendency to create areas of brightness and darkness, whereas LED strips and tape offer an even distribution of light.

WAC Lighting

Color-Changing LEDs

Color-changing LED tape inside this ceiling cove casts different hues around the outside of this space. The lighting alterations from white to warm amber, much like the sun does as it moves from day to evening.

Timers And Lighting Controls – $35

Color-changing tape functions using a remote control to alter the colors. You can program color-changing tape (also referred to as ribbon) to stay a certain colour, fade out and in, flash or perhaps sync with music.

Southam Design Inc

Color-changing strip lighting inside this kitchen casts a gentle glow behind the custom glass backsplash. The lighting shifts between different colors through the night and day.

The average price for a decent-quality LED color-changing system is $500 for 17 feet using a controller and driver.

Color-changing strips follow the outline of this vanity mirror. This lighting can go anywhere in the home where you wish to get creative and play with light and color.

Watch a home that goes all-out with vibrant LEDs

Pepe Calderin Design- Modern Interior Design

LED Rope Lights

Rope light illuminates this family area’s tray ceiling.

Amazon

Neo Neon Blue Rope Light – $23.49

Rope is a round plastic or rubber tubing that houses LED chips to 1 inch in diameter. Rope isn’t as bright as strips or tape, and will give off a bluer light.

WAC Lighting

Rope lighting works well for outside uses, because it is encased in a durable plastic tubing. It’s perfect for patios, railings, walkways, stairs and landscape trimming.

Karen LeBlanc Design TV Host & Writer/Blogger

LED Downlights

Recessed headphones can be found as self-contained modules with an LED light built into the housing or a simple LED recessed can lightbulb. An LED recessed can module has its own engine to eliminate heat, so it lasts longer and produces better-quality light than straightforward LED bulbs.

A high performance LED module costs about $80, and a market module is roughly $45.

Kickstarter

LIFX Lightbulb

LED Smart Bulbs

the most recent LED merchandise available on the market is referred to as the smart bulb, because you can control it from the smartphone, tablet or Wi-Fi network. With programs and products such as the Philips Hue Lightbulb and many others in the works it is possible to alter the colour and brightness of the bulb and set different illumination effects. Since LEDs are available in all colors of the spectrum and therefore are highly customizable, the possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

More:
Smart Bulbs for Better Lighting
12 Ways to Light Your Kitchen With LEDs

See related