Cove Lighting Design

Cove Lighting Design

Cove Lighting is often found in old houses that have architectural molding runs around the room. Cove lighting can also be added to every home if the homeowner is willing to add the necessary molds to hide the lights. As a form of indirect light, cove lighting is great for creating interest and atmosphere in a room, but it is not sufficient to provide enough light for the entire room.

Cove lighting in the room can really add a touch of class. What is cove lighting you ask? Now the most common form is the type that is installed in the frame of the crown in the tray ceiling. This is not limited to that alone though. Actually there are many applications for the lights of the bay. They can be installed above the crown molding in kitchens or under the toe kick. Over cabinets in bathrooms and the toe kicks there as well is another. Basically, wherever there is room for it, cove lighting can be installed and made a very good effect.

The choice of light fixtures to use for cove lighting varies. You have 4 options, and each has its place. The least costly is rope lighting. It is the easiest to install, comes in different sizes and can be plugged in. The drawback to rope lighting is it is not very bright. It will create a nice glow but won't throw much light beyond that. You can enhance the rope by placing 2 rows in the cove. Be careful and follow manufacturers recommendations though if you do. There is spacing between ropes that should not be compromised.

Another option is fluorescent lights. The installation is a little more intensive and placement becomes an important factor. There are special units made just for cove lighting. These units overlap so you can avoid having dark spots. Cost for this type of light is reasonable. The bulbs will last a long time depending on use but there are a couple of downside issues. One is the type of light is sometimes a problem for some people and appears a bit commercial. The other issue is you will need dimmable ballasts if you want to dim them. This will add cost to the project.

Cove Lighting Design