The ceiling is illuminated around the perimeter. How to make stretch ceiling lighting - ideas, examples of options LED ceiling lights

Ceiling lighting will create a special comfort and atmosphere in the room. Unique interior design elements are presented in many variations, which not only add additional volume to the room, but also visually facilitate the plasterboard and stretch ceiling structures.

In the article, we will consider popular types and give advice on how to make a ceiling light with your own hands.

In addition to aesthetic functions, a similar technique:

Visually increases the height of the room.
Provides soft, diffused light that won't distract from watching TV in the evening or while getting ready for bed.

Before you decide to include lighting in the interior, you need to understand that such a system can take the height from the room by about 10-15 cm. When developing the future design of the room, take these points into account. Use the guidelines below. They will help you make the right choice.

The installation of the backlight should be provided at the stage of installing the ceiling frame, so that it is possible to hide the electrical wires, areas for lamps, etc. in advance.
Plasterboard, slatted, stretch ceilings can be made in several tiers, and, using complex geometry, give them originality. In this case, your imagination is not limited by anything. Which of the ways to design the ceiling surface to choose is up to you.

On multi-level drywall structures, you can combine various types of lighting. For example, a starry sky in the middle and halogen lighting around the edges.
For stretch ceilings, due to their originality, it is worth limiting ourselves only to the LED strip around the perimeter of the room. Please note that different textures have completely opposite effects.
The main disadvantage of stretch ceilings is that not all bulbs are allowed to be mounted on it, but only of a certain power.
To visually increase the space, you can hide the lighting in the recesses in the ceiling and niches.
Evening illumination of the ceiling will help to dilute the interior, which is poor in colors.
If financial possibilities do not allow you to make an original ceiling, purchase a ceiling plinth and lay LEDs under it.

Ceiling lighting options

The variety of lighting devices offered by manufacturers will help illuminate the room and radically change its appearance. Common ceiling lighting options include:

LED strips installed at the edges of the room. For multi-level structures, using this technique, you can emphasize individual tiers or highlight geometric shapes.
are represented by randomly or evenly spaced bulbs mounted in the ceiling system.
Neon tubes better than others change the appearance of the space. They are distinguished by a long service life.

In addition, depending on the purpose, the backlight is divided into:

Target. Used to visually divide the area into zones. For example, or the dining table in the kitchen.
General. Provides basic lighting. In this case, spotlights are usually installed.
Designer. This option will not give much artificial light, but it will make the room cozy and comfortable. This includes luminous patterns or perimeter lighting.

To choose the appropriate option, decide on the location of the backlight, the brightness you want to get, and of course, take into account the general style of the room.

Ceiling lighting with LED strip

Criterias of choice

When choosing an LED strip, be guided by the following criteria:

How closely the diodes are located.
What power is consumed by the product.
Is moisture protection provided.

LED strips are offered for sale in various colors. By shades, they are divided into:

Monochrome - one color.
Universal or RGB tapes give several different variations - red, green, blue. RGBW stripes additionally emit white.

For the price, the products are almost the same, so it is better to choose RGBW. For such diodes, the kit is equipped with a special controller, which makes it possible to adjust the shades and the degree of glow intensity.

LED backlights also differ in the density of the arrangement of diode lamps: from 30 to 120 pieces per meter of tape. If you intend to illuminate a large-sized ceiling, purchase products with a frequent arrangement of diodes, for a directional light source it is worth using lower indicators.

The power consumption determines how brightly the diode bulbs will glow. The models SMD 5050 and SMD 3528 are recognized as popular. The first gives 4.8 W / m at a density of 60 diodes per meter of tape, the second at the same density - 14.4 W / m.

Often included in the design of bathroom ceilings. Then it is better to use strips with additional moisture protection. The price for them depends on the degree of security.

LED backlight placement options

LED lighting can be mounted in different places of the suspension system. Here are some of the most common examples:

In niches. This arrangement seems to raise the ceiling into the air, creating a floating effect. Typically, niches are purposefully included in ceiling structures for LED lighting. The upward facing LEDs emit soft, diffused light. Side lighting with tape will make the light directional, gliding along the "floating" ceiling surface.

Inside the false ceiling... The tapes are mounted in the space between the rough ceiling and the translucent film canvas. This design makes the glow soft and diffused, and the ceiling seems to glow from the inside.

Behind the cornice... This method is the easiest and most affordable. In this case, you do not have to install a tension or suspension system. The cornice is attached to the wall, and an LED strip is laid along the edge of the skirting board.

We have already considered lighting the ceiling with our own hands with LED strips in articles, both for drywall and tension structures. Therefore, we will dwell in more detail on the nuances of installation associated with neon lighting and spotlights.

Peculiarities

The classic version of neon lighting is represented by glass tubes filled with an inert gas - neon. A special powder is applied to the inner surface of the "cones" - a phosphor, which emits a glow under tension.

Due to the fact that neon ceiling lighting requires high voltage, you will have to install a special current converter together with it. One device is placed at seven meters. The locations of the converting devices are determined at the stage of installation of the ceilings. Typically, niches are made in the concrete floor where the transducers are placed.

Neon lighting has the following features:

Such variations are used only as a decorative design, since they give a small brightness with significant electricity consumption. A wide range of shades will be an organic addition to the overall style of the room.
A quality product will last from 10 to 15 years.
The standard sizes for lamps of this type are 1.5 length and 1.5 cm diameter. The temperature of the heated bulbs does not exceed 40 degrees, and the design works almost silently.
The joints of the elements do not form dark spots, so the glow is uniform and continuous.
You can decorate the ceiling with a neon cord instead of standard products. Its flexibility greatly simplifies installation, and the device emits the same glow as lamps. The only negative is the expensive price.

Usually, hidden-type neon lighting is most often used for rooms, placing products in hidden niches. Moreover, the narrower the hole for the outlet of artificial lighting, the brighter the luminous strip.

You can select with the help of neon individual decorative elements or interior items. This will complement the overall design of the room, make the room harmonious and beautiful.

How to make neon lights

Having decided on the option you like, you can proceed with the installation.

Before making the neon ceiling light, you will have to replace the wiring that runs from the switch to the device. The first step is to cut the wall for laying a new cable. Subsequently, the gaps can be repaired with a filler flush with the surface.

Therefore, it is necessary to determine the location of the lighting devices, as well as to bring the wires up before installing the ceiling and repairing the room as a whole.

Neon lighting on the ceiling is laid in a special plasterboard box or behind the ceiling plinths. The first method is chosen by carrying out artistic decoration at the stage of repair, before the final decoration of the walls and ceiling with finishing materials.

The backlight is laid in the plinth during the final finishing of the ceiling surface at the final stage of the repair. For a clearer design of neon lighting, it is necessary to attach a small side to the plane of the cornice. To get diffused light, the board on the cornice is not required to be installed.

It is better to choose a larger plinth for such work, because it is very difficult to fix transformers in narrow elements. If you still want to minimize finishing, simply "drown" the transformer in the wall niche.

Usually, neon lamps are included in the kit, which, in addition to the lighting element, includes cords, fasteners, circuits, so there should not be any special difficulties when connecting.

How to arrange devices

In addition to the requirements for, it is necessary to take into account their correct location on the ceiling surface:

Uniform used in simple, single-level constructions. In this case, the luminaires are placed along the perimeter of the room on the entire plane of the ceiling.
Group designed to illuminate individual areas. For example, when zoning space. Most often, these variations are combined with the main source of artificial light - a chandelier.

On a note! Group lighting is often used to highlight shapes on stretch or plasterboard ceilings.

Before you buy appliances, clearly plan and think over the possible variations in their location. Be guided by the following parameters:

The type of light source, its power and technical characteristics.
Ceiling surface view.
Placement method.

Installation of spot lighting involves the following procedure:

Lay the wires and lead them to the places of installation of the devices at the stage of assembling the frame.

Important! The permissible distance between the luminaires and the metal base of the suspended structure must be at least 25-30 cm.

Lay the wires in special corrugations to protect them from moisture, and fasten them to the metal profiles with plastic clamps.
In the ceiling finish, make the required number of holes corresponding to the size of the luminaires.
Mount drywall to the ceiling and install appliances.

For stretch ceilings, fixing of the luminaires is carried out after fixing the canvas, but all preparatory work (supplying electricity, installing platforms, etc.) is carried out at the stage of assembling the frame.

When equipping backlighting in your apartment, remember that it mostly performs a decorative function. Before starting work, familiarize yourself with the possible design options for lighting on the ceiling on the Internet, since illiterately selected methods can make the structure heavier. This is especially true for multi-level suspension systems.

LED ceiling lighting - ready-made kits (video)

Today, a variety of lighting devices allows you to create the most unique and non-standard lighting options in the house. One of the most popular lighting options, which is used for plasterboard and stretch ceilings, is point lighting.

A variety of building materials, as well as the ability to embody all your fantasies in suspended ceiling structures, allows you to uniquely shape lighting for each room in the house. How to make a spotlight of the ceiling with your own hands, and what are the features of these lighting devices, this article will tell you.

Design features

Suspended ceiling

False ceilings are very popular today. It is in them that any type of backlighting is most easily organized. In this case, the structure of the ceiling itself can be made of several materials:

drywall;
stretch fabric made of PVC film;
plastic.

The popularity of such designs is based on the following advantages:

the ability to hide the unevenness of the starting surface;
ease of installation according to a given scheme, so that all installation work can be done by hand;
the ability to choose a variety of ways to illuminate the room.

Note! For suspended ceiling structures, it is necessary to choose low-weight lighting fixtures. In this situation, spot lighting will be an excellent solution, since here small lamps will be placed over the entire ceiling surface, without creating strong pressure in a specific area. This is especially true for stretch and plasterboard ceilings.

Features of lamps

Zoning

The popularity of spot lighting is gaining momentum every year. This is due to some of the features of such lamps. The main features of spotlights when organizing lighting in a room are:

the ability to provide visual zoning of the premises into separate zones. This is the easiest, fastest and cheapest way to functionally divide a room into certain zones;

such lighting is able to create high-quality and efficient lighting in any room of the house;
the possibility of creating a lighting system in which the lamps will illuminate a certain local area of the room;
creating the necessary atmosphere in the house (from festive to romantic);
creation of decorative lighting of individual ceiling elements.

As you can see, the use of this type of backlighting provides you with a lot of scope for creating full-fledged lighting.

Characteristics of lamps

Spotlights, unlike other lighting fixtures, have a number of design features.
A spot light is in the form of a small luminaire that must be installed in a suspended ceiling structure. This allows the fixtures to be placed flush with the ceiling surface, making them protrude as little as possible beyond the ceiling.

Spotlight

A slightly protruding part of the luminaire in the form of a plafond is allowed. This is true in a situation when the plafond has a beautiful appearance and can act as a decorative element.
Note! Full illumination when using spotlights will only be achieved when several lighting elements are placed at the same time. At the same time, it is very important to correctly position them on the ceiling canvas.
It should be remembered that the choice of lighting elements depends on the type of ceiling structure. For example, for a plasterboard ceiling, the luminaire is taken with spring fasteners, and for a tension one - with other types of fasteners. This must be taken into account if the ceiling and lighting will be done by hand.
The principle of installing lamps for plasterboard ceilings is to insert the device into a previously prepared hole and straighten the fastening spring elements in it, with the help of which the light source will be firmly fixed in the suspended structure. To mask the gap between the lighting fixture and the plasterboard sheets, use a special decorative overlay. This overlay comes in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and colors, which allows it to ideally fulfill its purpose of hiding the gap.
As you can see, in a situation with drywall, spot lighting can be quite easily installed with your own hands. The situation with tension overlap is much more complicated. Here you cannot do without the help of professionals.

Variety of choices

Assortment of choice

There is just a huge variety of fixtures on the lighting market. At the same time, the lion's share of this variety is precisely spot illumination.

Illumination of a point plan for various types of ceilings (stretch, plastic or plasterboard) can be made of different materials:

thermoplastic;
metal;
glass.

In addition, external elements of lighting fixtures can have the following colors:

polished matt brass;
bronze;
black and matt chrome;
transparent or colored glass.

Also, an important aspect in choosing a luminaire for spot illumination is the light source itself. Its role can be played by:

At the same time, today the most popular are energy-saving light sources: LED, fluorescent and halogen bulbs. Moreover, LED models are significantly ahead of their competitors, since they are devoid of many of their shortcomings. For example, fluorescent light sources can flicker during operation, create a little noise and are somewhat harmful to human health. At the same time, LED bulbs do not have such disadvantages and provide energy savings of up to 80%.
Note! When choosing a light source for spot lighting, it is imperative to take into account the accepted illumination standards for each specific room in the house. You should also pay attention to the power of the bulbs.
Luminaires for spot lighting can be of several variations:

swivel. They have a more complex design, as a result of which their do-it-yourself installation process will be difficult. But then you get the opportunity to direct the lighting to the area of the room we need;
non-reversible. They have a simple circuit and are installed in only one position. Such a backlight can be easily installed with your own hands and will give directional light.

Which version of the lighting device to choose depends on your financial capabilities, the lighting needs of the room, as well as the light source.

Instrument arrangement

Even distribution

In addition to the requirements directly to the luminaires (power and type of light source, fasteners, etc.), they also have requirements in terms of placement on the ceiling.
A do-it-yourself spotlight on the ceiling can have the following placement:

uniform arrangement. It is typical for simple one-level structures of a stretch, plastic or plasterboard ceiling. Here the whole room is illuminated by lamps;
the creation of groups of lamps that can illuminate at a sufficient level only a certain area of the room. In this situation, visual zoning of the room with the help of light is assumed. Often this type of lighting is combined with a central light source - a chandelier.

Note! With a zonal arrangement, the luminaires can additionally play the role of decorative illumination. Often, such groups of lighting devices have additional control over the intensity of illumination of a particular area.

A subtype of group lighting is a self-made illumination for curly elements of the ceiling structure. This is especially true for stretch and plasterboard ceilings.

Lighting creation

Before buying lamps and starting their installation, you need to clearly plan and think over everything. You can choose the most suitable option for your room, guided by such simple selection parameters:

what will be the light source, what are its advantages and power;
ceiling type;
luminaire option (rotary or non-rotary);
method of placement in a suspended structure.

After you have decided on the lighting fixtures and the light source for it, we proceed to the installation of the lamp. Do-it-yourself installation of the backlight involves the following manipulations:

at the stage of assembling the frame structure, it is necessary to lay all the wires and all the necessary lighting elements. This will allow you to better and quickly install lighting fixtures on the ceiling in the place you need;

Note! All lamps should be at a distance of 25-30 cm from the metal profile.

Frame with wiring

As you can see, the installation of a point-type backlight has certain nuances, but if desired and the corresponding baggage of knowledge, it can be easily installed with your own hands on various ceiling structures. The main thing is to carry out all work with wires with the electricity turned off in the room.

Already 3 years have passed since the commissioning of the newly built house. At first I did a simple DIY repair. Now the house has sat down, the walls have warmed up and some defects have appeared. Two large cracks 6 meters long appeared on the ceiling at the joints of the slabs along the entire room.

The wife began to demand repairs, but there are many modern and interesting finishing options and she cannot decide. I decided to make the ceiling lighting with an LED strip with my own hands.

I read about editing on other sites, but there is useless dregs written there, because they are written by authors who do not understand this and have never done it. You still have to explain the subtleties and advantages to your wife, so I decided to do it in writing, you will also be interested.
I recommend reading it first:
1.
2.
3.

1. Types of ceilings
2. Types of lighting and illumination
3. Choose a diode tape
5. Colored backlight
6. How to install LED strip on the ceiling
7. Additional methods
8. Illumination of the false ceiling, video
9. Accessories and connection
10. Polyurethane cornices

Types of ceilings

Consider the main popular types for the home:

tension;
suspended plasterboard, rack, cassette;
suspended-tension, hybrid of plasterboard and tension;
single-level and two-level.

Tensioner - a modern and practical look, it is quickly installed. A big plus is the glossy surface and transparency of the film, the gloss reflects the luminous flux better.

The use from the inside looks trumpy. If you have a fantasy, then for example you can do:

starry sky, looks gorgeous at night;
the logo of your sports team or car;
even a simple drawing with palm trees and the sea.

Of all the types, I chose a tension one, with a preliminary fastening of sound insulation under the film.

Plasterboard and suspended-tension will be quite optimal for a single-level project. In my apartment, the neighbors from above are perfectly audible, especially since they have 2 small children, they can knock on the floor at 3 in the morning, we have it like a drum. Soundproof mats can be placed under the drywall, which cannot be done on a stretch board, without gluing.

Two-level ceilings look interesting from the design side, but they have a much higher complexity of execution and a large amount of plasterwork. I can afford them without much damage, my height is 280 cm, which is higher than the usual 250 cm. They look beautiful, but from the point of view of practicality, there will simply be additional costs. After a couple of weeks, you will no longer be paying attention to him. This amount I can spend more profitably than on useless design decoration.

Types of lighting and illumination

Functions that it can perform when placed on a ceiling or top of walls.

decorative white;
decorative one-color or color RGB;
basic lighting;
auxiliary, complementary to the main one, such as low beam in a car;

I wanted a combined type. Good and beautiful chandeliers are expensive, and they no longer fit into modern design, they look outdated. Classic, these are built-in lamps and light around the perimeter of the room.

Solid fill inside the second level, photo of the room at home

In order not to lay a powerful diode tape and an expensive aluminum profile around the perimeter, I think to place Leda of medium power to perform the function of not bright lighting. For bright light in the center of the room, install a recessed ceiling LED panel under Armstrong, which, with dimensions of 60 by 60 cm, shines at 3600 lm., Has a thickness of only 1 cm.For me, the cost of such a led panel will be about 1000 rubles.

Why exactly a panel? - in fact, I do not need bright illumination of every corner, besides, my walls are light colored, the light will be reflected. It will shine as efficiently as possible only downward; there will be a lot of light on the floor for children to play.

Choosing a diode tape

For backlighting it is better to use either 5050, which does not require an aluminum profile for cooling. Its power should not exceed 10 W / m.

For white, the optimal density on SMD 5050 will be 60 diodes per meter. The actual power may differ in one direction or another; you can find out it only by measuring the current consumption. 5050 LEDs can be inexpensive at 13 Lm, and increased brightness at 19 Lm, labeled as LUX (High class) luxury. It already has a consumption of 14-15 watts.
The average brightness with 13Lm diodes will be 800 Lm / m. which corresponds to a 60-75W incandescent lamp. With 19lm led diodes. brightness at 1 m. 1150 lm., This is the equivalent of a conventional 90W light bulb.

Do not buy on the little popular SMD LEDs 3014, 7020, 3020. There is a high probability of purchasing components of low quality and with overestimated technical characteristics.

The figures show the most common installation distances, there are no special installation requirements, you can safely experiment until a satisfactory result is obtained. The laid light source does not need to be fixed, which will allow it to be moved in the future.

Var. No. 1 provides more intense lighting not only of the stretch ceiling, but also of the room. By moving the tab inside the box, you can adjust the width of the backlight in the room.
Var. # 2, creates the effect of a floating ceiling, looks especially good with a light blue sky.

Var. # 3 is used to create light stripes from the inside. You can put, for example, a simple drawing or the Volkswagen logo.
Var. No. 4, makes the backlight inside the stretch over the entire area. A small box on the sides will visually enlarge the illuminated surface. A simpler and more practical way, this is to mount directly on the wall, also looks decent, but a matter of taste.

Additional ways

Var. No. 5, suitable for general led room lighting.
Var. No. 6, the lower profile is mounted overhead in the form of an LED lamp on a plasterboard surface. Replacement with a ceiling plinth is possible.

Var. No. 7, because of the complex shape of the cornices, ice is usually placed on the wall.
Var. No. 8, the plinth is fixed 50 -70 mm lower. and the light source is placed on it. This is a budget installation, any cheap skirting board will do, not necessarily polyurethane. The glow angle of the LED is 120 degrees, therefore, with this arrangement, it will not dazzle and will practically not be visible.

Var. No. 9, two-level tension plasterboard box
Var. No. 10, visually increases the height by illuminating the wall.

False ceiling lighting, video

The installation of the light source is closely related to the installation of the entire structure. In the video, experts will show in detail the sequence of mounting a two-level suspended ceiling from the very beginning. The main lighting will be done on recessed luminaires, and the strip source will be used for decorative purposes.

Accessories and connection

List of required materials for installation:

ceiling plinth, polyurethane cornice, plasterboard;
power unit;
dimmer or RGB controller, with or without remote control;
connectors for connection;
cable for a 220V network.

Polyurethane cornices

The optimal and simple way to illuminate a stretch ceiling is to use polyurethane cornices, moldings, fillets, baseboards. The cornices are quite expensive and are sold in 2 meter lengths and have many types of finishes, stucco moldings, drawings, and are suitable for painting.

For complex design forms it is produced in a flexible form, but it costs 2 times more, it is marked as FLEX skirting board. The cost of the Russian Europlast is from 350 to 900 rubles / m.

A more affordable price from Chinese manufacturers, the length of the products is 240 cm. To compare, you will need to calculate the price per meter. On average, 400 r / m. for flexible, and 200-250 p. for the usual.

If the power consumption is high and you want to hide the power supply behind a cornice, then use several smaller power supplies.

When it comes to repairing the ceiling surface, many property owners prefer stretch-fabric structures that look very attractive. To illuminate such ceilings, you can use different lamps and strips with LEDs.

Features of creating lighting on tension systems

First of all, it must be borne in mind that it is impossible to fix the lamps directly to the surface of the canvas, since it is made from thin PVC film or special fabric.

Most often, the first option is used, although such a material does not differ in sufficient strength and heat resistance. Lighting fixtures with traditional incandescent lamps cannot be used, as the film area next to such lamps will melt.

When arranging lighting in a room with a stretch ceiling, you must adhere to a number of requirements:

The light should be evenly distributed over the area of the room.
It is advisable to choose lamps that are economical and not very hot. The leading positions in quality are occupied by LED bulbs, since they are quite bright and durable.
The power, intensity and spectrum of luminescence for all lighting devices or for their individual group should be the same.
When organizing a hidden type of lighting, the luminaire bodies are placed in the cornices, and rings are attached around the lamps to prevent a burst of the canvas.
It is necessary that plafonds and other elements of lighting fixtures are well combined with the interior, furnishings, and wall decoration.
To create a soft illumination, the light in the stretch ceiling is directed upward, and to obtain a bright glow - downward.
The wiring must be hidden. With a hidden installation method, the route is placed inside the walls. This option implies the creation of cable channels for wires.

Lighting scheme drawing

To find out the number of lighting devices, you should decide on the option for lighting the stretch ceiling and only then with the scheme for their placement. If you plan to install a central chandelier, then the rest of the lamps are located where part of the room will not be covered by the main luminous flux.

Typically, these lighting fixtures are placed where there are dark areas, or in places that require additional lighting, for example, above the working area - the kitchen table.

If the chandelier is not planned to be mounted, then before making the light in the stretch ceiling, you need to calculate the required number of lamps, taking into account their technical indicators and the type of lighting devices. Their number depends on the installation location. If there is no need to arrange bright light, the lamps are not placed there, but in other areas they will certainly do it.

To find out the number of lamps, take into account important nuances that affect the degree of illumination:

the height of the walls in the room;
room configuration;
the installation of the chandelier is planned or not;
the presence of additional light sources.

When calculating the lamps, they also take into account such a norm - the power of the lamps, equal to 20 W per 1 sq. m. The above calculation is relevant if there is no chandelier in the center of the room. By dividing the sum of the power of all devices by the area, they find out if there is excessive brightness - in this case, the result exceeds 20 W, if the resulting figure is less, then there will be not enough light in the room.

If you cannot do without a chandelier, then another formula is used, for which the power of the main light source is important. A chandelier usually illuminates a large area. In this case, point devices (spots) will function as local illumination. They are installed in areas where it is impossible to be without additional light.

When installing spots, the following rules are used:

They are placed no closer than 30 centimeters apart.
The distance between the wall and the nearest appliance must be at least 20 centimeters.
In rooms with a ceiling height of less than 270 centimeters, it is not recommended to use lamps with a power of more than 35 watts.

When calculating, the type of lamps matters - for example, halogen with a power of up to 35 W can illuminate 1.5 square meters. m. area. An 11W energy saving light bulb can fill 1.5-2 sq. m.

Light accents

Lighting devices allow you to focus on different interior items. For example, an LED strip will help emphasize the geometry and contours of the living room. It is attached to special cornices or to vinyl with double-sided tape. The diodes have a bright glow, and they are also economical.

When lighting is created for false ceilings, the lamps are either placed on top or deepened into the canvas. The glow of built-in ceiling appliances is diffused and soft, which is important for bedrooms and separate areas in rooms.

Subdued light is used to create original compositions on the ceiling surface, to organize night light, and is used for niches and arches. If you aim the lamp at certain details, the beam will be concentrated and bright.

Spots and pendant lights can be adjusted and thereby adjust the direction of the light flux. They are used to illuminate work areas in rooms or interior items.

Correction of space with light

The stretch ceiling structure takes a few centimeters from the height of the room. Since most apartments are small, such systems visually reduce the space. The light on the false ceiling will help to solve this problem.

If you direct the light flux from the chandelier and additional lighting devices to the ceiling, it will appear higher than in reality. The best effect is obtained on glossy vinyl canvases.

When a glossy film is mounted in the living room, and a sconce is installed on the wall, the light of which is directed upward, the illusion of a floating ceiling arises, and the space seems more voluminous.

LED strips help to correct the geometry of the room. Since they are flexible, they allow you to embody any design of backlights on a stretch ceiling. The tape is hidden in the ceiling cornice, which makes it possible to correct the geometry. With its help, they also emphasize the steps in a multi-tiered structure. If the transitions are not selected, they will not look three-dimensional, as the design requires, and the levels will merge together.

Stretch ceiling lighting options

Now you can implement various lighting options for a room with a stretch ceiling, involving the use of chandeliers, spotlights, LED strips and complex solutions. The usual option is to install a stylish, large-sized central chandelier.

Spot light allows you to embody unusual design ideas. In this case, the solution options are not limited. You can select individual elements in the interior, use light scenarios, apply zoning. Combining the above ceiling lighting options creates unique lighting compositions.

Light fixtures

Lighting devices are classified according to different characteristics.

Luminaires, according to the method of fastening, are:

suspended;
invoices;
built-in.

Depending on the number of light sources, the devices are divided into:

point;
cascading.

If possible, the luminous flux is regulated by models:

static;
swivel.

In accordance with the light source, there are:

luminescent equipment;
appliances with halogen bulbs;
LED design of the tensioning system.

Installation of spotlights

When choosing a lighting option for stretch ceilings, experts recommend using low-power products so that they do not harm the canvas. Hidden models are best purchased from well-known manufacturers. Lamps are placed so that the light stream falls on the floor.

When installing the luminaires, proceed with extreme caution so as not to damage the canvas. For this work you will need: a knife, glue and a lighting device. An acrylic box and special rings are also required. All communications must be laid before installation.

Installation sequence:

Install the profile. At the required height, a box is attached under the lamp. There must be a nut on it to adjust the height. The lower edge of the box is placed not below the level of the stretch web.
In order not to forget the place of installation, they are marked on the floor with a laser. Then the fabric of the structure is pulled.
The center for the installation of all lamps is marked on the PVC film, then glue is applied and the mounting ring is attached.
A hole is cut out in its central part, through which the height of the box is adjusted, and the light source is placed in it.

Chandelier and its mount

Often, lovers of classic design prefer traditional chandeliers, which are fabulously beautiful. When installing this lighting fixture, you must first mark the exact location and make a mount under it. It comes in the form of a hook on which a chandelier is hung. You can also attach a mounting strip to the ceiling ceiling, and then the chandelier itself to it.

There are three types of plank:

standard;
cruciform;
I-beam.

When installing the chandelier, a number of rules are observed:

The electricity needs to be turned off in the apartment.
Do not make holes while moving towards the switch.
Do not press the chandelier tightly against the ceiling.
Before making cuts in the material, a plastic ring is glued on.

Indoor Lighting Ideas

To understand the features of ceiling lighting, depending on the purpose of the room, it does not hurt to familiarize yourself with examples of lighting stretch ceilings:

Children... According to experts, it is better to choose round or square spotlights for this room. Lamps for them must be LED or halogen. You can use multi-colored ones. Lighting devices are placed in accordance with the design - strictly in a row or staggered. Experts prefer the second option, because the result is more effective and allows you to evenly distribute the light flux in the child's room.
Living room... Lighting in a hall with a stretch ceiling is usually created using spotlights, since they will harmoniously fit into an interior decorated in any style. Spot light allows you to create all kinds of effects. For example, using LEDs, you can get a structure in the form of a night starry sky on the ceiling. Directional spots perfectly match the situation. A similar design is used as an auxiliary device. You can apply other lighting options, depending on the style.

Bedroom... In this room, a variety of lighting fixture layouts are used. If the light in the hall on stretch ceilings is made bright, then warm and soft lighting should be preferred in the bedroom so that it creates an atmosphere conducive to rest and relaxation. When the ceiling structure is multi-level, spotlights are used. Often there are cases when two or even more lighting arrangements are laid. The main thing is that the light in the sleeping area turns out to be matte and soft. Spotlights are placed along the perimeter of the room. In the bedroom, a floor lamp is placed near the headboard or lamps are built into the plasterboard structure. The illumination with LED strips, which are hidden in the cornices and other interior elements, looks unusual.
Bathroom... A lot of light is not required for this room. A pair of perimeter-mounted luminaires will suffice. It is better to implement different schemes in the bathroom (read: "What kind of lighting in a bathroom with a stretch ceiling is better to do - choosing devices, planning lighting points"). Then, when washing, cleaning and other household chores, the lighting will be bright, and for relaxation it will be soft. It is convenient when it is possible to choose the degree of illumination depending on the situation.
The corridor... In apartments, as a rule, the area of the hallways is always small. Above the design of the ceiling in the corridor, you will have to work hard to make it look more spacious. The glossy texture of the canvas will reflect every ray of light, in addition to providing an even incidence of light, but also giving additional volume. To create lighting for stretch ceilings, small chandeliers and recessed lamps are mounted.

Kitchen... Different types of lighting are used in this room. It is usually divided into functional areas: in the work area, bright light is required, and in the dining room, it is better to create an unobtrusive and pleasant light with warm shades. Pendant and spotlights, as well as chandeliers are used. If you combine different types of lighting fixtures, you can get unique combinations.
Balcony or loggia... Stretch ceiling structures are installed on it extremely rarely due to the fact that the canvas does not withstand negative temperatures. When the loggia is heated, the "starry sky" ceiling will be a great idea.

Using different types of lamps, it is possible to create unusual effects and beautifully decorate a room for any purpose.

Sometimes, in the process of renovating an apartment, very interesting ideas come to mind on how to decorate the ceiling. Some of them are related to lighting. Often, designers or even the owners of living quarters themselves decide that the ceiling, illuminated around the perimeter, would look very attractive. And to realize this idea, you need an LED strip.

Why do you need a backlight

Ceiling lighting with LEDs is now one of the most frequently used design solutions. If you decide to transform the rooms in your home thoroughly, then she will help you do it with the greatest effect.

On a note! The first experiments with LED lighting began in the not so distant 70s of the twentieth century - it was then that the LEDs themselves appeared on the market. But at that time they were not yet of such a quality that would allow them to be used in living quarters for the purpose of organizing lighting, as they irritated the eyes.

Previously, only sconces were used as additional lighting or illumination in rooms, later spotlights appeared. However, it is the LEDs that have established themselves as the most successful option for installing hidden backlighting - after all, you don't always want the light sources to be in plain sight. In addition, LEDs allow you to implement extremely interesting lighting options, and not only additional, but also the main one.

Why is LED ceiling lighting so good?

It allows you to realize the idea of hidden backlighting - a light source, that is, an LED strip, is laid so that it is invisible to a person, but at the same time it gives a lot of light and creates a luminous aura in the room.
It is easy to mount such a backlight yourself.
In certain cases, LED backlighting can act as the main light source.
This is an opportunity to bring to life the wildest fantasies and design decisions regarding the play of light and color.
Backlighting can be not only white or yellow - LED strips are available in various color variations.
In addition to LEDs, you can also use optical fiber - an excellent "conductor" of light, which significantly expands the possibilities of organizing the backlight.
LEDs consume little power during operation, which means they are economical.
Due to the illumination, you can clearly delineate the zones in the room, if necessary.
Finally, the backlight can serve its usual decorative role.

Ceiling light prices

ceiling lamps

LED ceiling lighting also has its drawbacks. There are not many of them, but they are worth knowing about if you plan to install it in your apartment.

The use of colored backlighting is not always a plus. Sometimes this kind of lighting can irritate the eyes. Therefore, it will be great if during installation you provide for the possibility of changing the backlight colors.
LEDs are not cheap, but they are cheaper to maintain due to low power consumption.

The service life of the LED is quite long. Some manufacturers claim that this small light bulb can last for about 100,000 hours. But you shouldn't trust this figure too much. The fact is that over time, the LED strip begins to shine less brightly. The service life of this lighting element is the period from the beginning of its commissioning until the moment when its luminous flux decreases by 30%.

Prices for LED strip

LED Strip Light

On a note! If you use LED lighting for no more than 6 hours a day, then the tape will work properly for about 10,000 hours. That is, the human eye will notice a decrease in the brightness of the glow not earlier than after 4 years of such a mode of operation of the LED strip.

Backlight types

There are several types of lighting that can be equipped indoors.

Table. Types of lighting for the ceiling.

View	Description
	Gives a delicate, beautiful diffused light. The ceiling is, as it were, highlighted from below along the perimeter, contour. In this case, the LED strip is located on a special shelf (on the lower level in the prepared recess), and the light from it falls on the ceiling surface. A continuous luminous strip is formed.
	In this case, the LEDs will be installed on the slope, which is located between the two ceiling levels, as if shining along the ceiling surface.
	This is a ceiling covering with a "starry sky" effect. LED light bulbs are installed in the finishing material. One of the most difficult types of ceiling lighting organization, as it will take a lot of time.
	The LEDs are installed in small shades that will be installed in the finished ceiling. Bulbs are installed in several pieces, one, for example, shines downward, several others create "rays" on the surface of the ceiling.

Also, the backlight is subdivided into:

target;
general purpose;
design.

The first type is the installation of lighting in order to delimit certain zones in the room. Simply put, in this case, the backlight is used to zone the room. For example, in the kitchen, the work area may be more illuminated - additional light will not interfere here.

General purpose lighting is general lighting. True, most often it is realized not with LEDs, but with the help of spotlights. Although there is an option when the LED strip can turn into a full-fledged lamp - this is.

The luminous ceiling can be installed in any room. For manufacturing, an LED strip is required, a stretch translucent fabric. The tape is attached to the rough ceiling and hidden under the stretch material. As a result, when you turn on the light, we get a completely luminous ceiling above our head.

Attention! The installation of this ceiling is not as easy as it sounds. In order for the light to flow evenly, it is very important to correctly calculate the distance from the tape to the canvas. If you make a mistake with this parameter, then the ceiling will "strip".

Usually, a luminous stretch ceiling is combined with plasterboard edging. A small cornice is made of this material around the perimeter of the room, and a backlight with a canvas is placed between its sides.

And finally, a design option for lighting the ceiling. Such lighting will not give a lot of light, but it will make the room cozy and complete. This kind of lighting can be attributed to the illumination around the perimeter of the room, and the creation of glowing patterns on the ceiling.

The patterns are created in the same way as the luminous ceiling. Only the LED strip is placed in the shape of the desired pattern, and not across the entire draft ceiling. When the switch is pressed, the light will penetrate through the translucent stretch fabric and create the same shape on the ceiling surface as made of LEDs.

By the way, the ceiling lighting does not have to be white. It can be either one-color decorative or multi-colored RGB, that is, shimmer with red, green, blue and other shades. Colored lighting, if it matches the color of the bulbs to the style of the interior and the general appearance of the room, will look very good around the perimeter of the room both with the main light on and in the dark.

Choosing materials

So, you firmly decided to make ceiling lighting in one of the rooms at home. It doesn't matter which one - colored, white, or even decided on a luminous ceiling. But in any case, you need to visit a hardware store where you will buy the necessary materials.

The most important element is the glowing ribbon. It can be LED and duralight. Duralight is a cord, inside of which there is a mass of small bulbs, diode or incandescent. It is not afraid of water, very durable and flexible. Duralight can be installed on any surface. Its main drawback is its weak glow.

On a note! Duralight is a very durable light element. The fact is that the cavities inside the cord between the bulbs are filled with polyvinyl chloride, which gives it additional density.

An LED strip is a thin and flexible board where LEDs are spaced equidistantly.

Its main advantages:

the ability to install on any surface;
low level of electricity consumption;
high brightness;
ease of installation.

On a note! Sometimes other types of lamps are used to mount the ceiling lighting, for example, neon lamps. But they are too large in size and will not allow you to create beautiful decorative designs.

Prices for LED lamps

LED lamp

It is the LED strip, due to its advantages, that is usually used for the installation of such decorative lighting.

And it is important to know how to choose the right part of the future illumination.

First, decide what color your backlight will be. This is an important aspect, not only because the shade of light should be suitable for the interior, but also because certain colors, whatever one may say, affect the human psyche.

Table. The effect of colors on the human condition.

Colour	Impact
Red	An irritating yet exciting color. Not advised to use for people with increased irritability.
Blue	Alarms, adjusts to the working mood, makes a person collected.
Yellow-blue	Capable of causing tantrums.
Blue, sea, turquoise	Adjusts to reflection, pacifies.
Green, yellow-green	Soothes.
Orange, yellow	Neutral, does not evoke any special feelings.

Your best bet is to choose a ribbon that has multiple color variations and a controller. Thus, you can choose exactly the shade that you like at the moment to suit your mood. And in your normal state, you can turn on the white light.

Look at the density of the light bulbs. It can be 30, 60, 120 pieces per meter. Experts advise taking a tape with 60 or 120 diodes for contour illumination, but for directional lighting, a tape of 30 is best.
Decide on the power of the tape - according to this indicator, they are also different. For directional illumination, buy a 5 W / m model, and for contour illumination, it is better to take more - 8 W / m. To save on controllers (buy cheaper ones), 5 and 7 W tapes are placed on the slopes, and 7 and 14 W tapes on the shelf. Determining the power of the tape will help its marking, which has an alphabetic and numeric code, for example, SMD 3028. The first two digits are just the power value.
It is also important to estimate the total power of the tape, which is calculated along the entire length. After calculating how many meters of tape you need, multiply this number by the power of 1 meter. Based on the obtained parameter, choose the power of the controller for the tape.

By the way, take a close look at how the tape is flashing. This type of backlight can also have a psychedelic effect due to this parameter. Do not use tapes that flicker at 0.5Hz, 2Hz and 7Hz. They can cause epilepsy to develop.

Attention! If you want to get flickering backlighting, then choose a controller to achieve this effect, which will cause the diodes to flicker and fade smoothly.

So, to mount the ceiling lighting you will need:

LED strip in the required quantity;
PVC corner (you will glue the tape on it);
power unit;
cornice, drywall (if your ceiling does not yet have slopes and shelves to accommodate lighting);
network cable;
controller;
connectors for connecting tape segments.

This is a basic list of required materials. Depending on how you plan to mount the ceiling lighting, you may need other items as well.

On a note! During installation, LED strip usually does not need additional adhesive material - as a rule, it is already equipped with a sticky layer. But cheap tapes usually don't stick well on it. It is better to choose a more expensive but high quality material.

Installation of lighting around the perimeter

Step-by-step instructions for creating a simple LED ceiling light.

Step 1. In the niche where the LED backlight will be located, attach a plastic corner around the perimeter to small self-tapping screws. The fact is that the sticky layer of the tape is in good contact with PVC, but it can peel off from the drywall. So do not neglect this stage of setting the backlight.

Step 2. Use a tape measure to measure the required lengths of the LED strip and cut it into pieces equal to the sides of the perimeter rectangle that you will be highlighting. Cut the tape only at the cut points marked on it, otherwise it will not burn.

Step 3. You can connect the segments using connectors, but it is better to solder - this will be more reliable. Solder contacts according to the principle - plus with a plus, minus with a minus. By the way, remember that it is impossible to connect too many tapes into one whole - they are usually produced in reels of 3-5 meters. So, more than three bobbins are not assembled into one structure. If the tape turned out to be larger, then its segments are connected to the power supply in parallel.

Chandelier prices

Attention! The LED strip can be bent, but only if the angle is less than 90 degrees.

Step 4. Remove the wires from the system that will be needed to connect the controller and the power supply. Connect the system first to the controller, and it to the power supply. Check the system is working.

Step 5. Peel off the sticky layer from the tape and attach it to the previously mounted PVC corner. The backlight is ready.

Another option is to install the LED strip in the ceiling cornice

A few words about soldering: LED strip does not like high temperatures, so the soldering time should not be more than 10 seconds, and the melting temperature should not be more than 160 degrees.

Video - LED backlight installation

Starry sky

Ceiling "starry sky" is a real hit, which is becoming more popular and is increasingly being used for the design of the ceiling surface. It can be made from fiber and LEDs. Let's consider the second option. The main difference from installing the previous backlight is that this time you will need individual LEDs, not a tape.

Step 1. This step is performed even before plastering the ceiling frame with plasterboard. Make a lot of small holes in the sheets of this material in a chaotic manner.

Step 2. Connect (solder) all diodes into one circuit using wires. Check it for performance.

Step 3. Install in each of the holes in the drywall over the LED. It is best to choose light bulbs of different power - then it will turn out to create a more realistic starry sky.

On a note! It will not be possible to create many stars in this way - as a rule, for the appearance of real galaxies in the sky, fiber is needed.

Step 4. Attach the plasterboard to the ceiling frame as you would normally.

Step 5. Connect the system to the controller and power supply. The illumination in the form of a starry sky is ready.

This system also has a drawback - the LEDs glow very brightly, so scattered starlight cannot be obtained. Alternatively, you can try experimenting with light diffusers.

Ceiling lighting is undoubtedly one of the best options for decorating a room. And almost anyone can handle the installation of an LED strip. The main thing is a little desire and patience, and you will succeed.