Led Lights to Brighten Behind Your Bed
Installing LED lights behind the bed is a popular way to enhance the atmosphere of a bedroom. This simple decor upgrade creates visual interest, promotes relaxation, and sets the mood for restful sleep or romantic encounters. From accentuating architectural details to providing task lighting, LED backlights open up endless possibilities for transforming bare walls into a beautiful feature.
Read on to discover the versatility of mounted bed back-lighting. We'll explore creative ideas for LED placement, functionality, special effects, and how this lighting beautifully interacts with existing decor. By the end, you'll be eager to install LED strip lights or wall sconces to dramatize the area around your bed!
The Allure of Back-Lit Bedrooms
Why shine LED lights on the wall behind the bed instead of overhead lighting? Key reasons this placement creates an alluring glow include:
- Draws attention to the bed as the main focal point
- Creates depth and visual interest on a large blank canvas
- Enhances features like textured walls or wall art
- Sets an intimate mood with soft, ambient lighting
The illumination emerging from behind the bed contrasts beautifully with the surrounding darkness of a room. It's a simple trick that makes the bed seem to float gracefully while bathing the space in a warm LED glow.
Benefits of Back-Lit Bedrooms
Installing LED strip lights or sconces behind bedroom heads boards reaps many rewards:
- Provides a soft general glow for navigating in darkness
- Creates a focal point and instantly livens up plain walls
- Accents architectural details and wall textures
- Enhances the appearance of wall decor like art, mirrors, or panels
- Sets a romantic or relaxing mood with atmospheric uplighting
- Offers an alternative to overhead lights for reading in bed
- Convenient illumination that won't disturb a sleeping partner
The strategic placement of LED lighting behind the bed checks all the boxes for function and atmosphere. Keep reading to discover inspiring ways to incorporate this ambient glow into your relaxation zone.
Where to Install LED Back Lights
Find the optimal placement for LED strip lights or sconces by identifying bare wall space around the bed. Consider mounting individual light sources at various heights to create pools of light that interact uniquely across the wall's surface. Here are prime LED installation spots to brighten any bedroom:
Behind the Bed's Headboard
This is the most popular placement for LED back-lighting. Mount an LED strip along the top of the headboard to cast ambient light onto the wall. For a bolder look, install strips along the sides of the headboard too. This framing effect makes the bed a prominent feature against the illuminated wall.
Accentuate a dramatic headboard's texture with narrow-beam adjustable LED puck lights. Their focused beams intensify the depth of any carved or tufted details.
Above the Bed on Wall
Install LED strip lighting or picture lights above the bed's headboard to shine down onto the wall space. This uplighting placement enhances high ceilings while eliminating any uneven dark spots around bed.
For a different look, mount strip lighting above corner beds to highlight where the walls join for a continuous wraparound glow.
Underneath the Bed Frame
For beds with high clearance, mount an LED strip along the bedframe's underside perimeter to splash light onto the floor and wall. This ground-effect lighting can softly illuminate otherwise dead space to expand the feeling of openness. Use a UV blacklight strip for super vibrant effects!
Behind Bedside Tables
Install short LED strip segments behind floating bedside tables to brightly illuminate their negative spaces. This gives the illusion that tables levitate against the vibrant walls.
The strategic placement of LED backlights shines a whole new perspective on the bed and surrounding architecture. Take advantage of wall textures, angles, artwork, and furnishings to create dramatic lighting effects. But how do you select components to build this glowing backdrop?
Choosing LED Lights for Behind Beds
Here are key considerations when selecting LED lighting for mounting behind bedroom beds:
Lumens
A light source's brightness is measured in lumens. For accent lighting wall washes, strips emitting 200-400 lumens per foot work well. Increase LED brightness up to 600 lumens for task lighting applications like reading in bed. Remember, bedrooms need less overall illumination than spaces like kitchens.
Color Temperature
Determine the desired light color by its kelvin temperature rating:
- Soft white 2700K: Perfect for bedrooms, emits a warm yellowish tone
- Bright white 3000-4100K: Crisp neutral white, good for illumination
- Daylight 5000-6500K: Energizing cool blue tones, better for work tasks
- RGB: Color changing LEDs, great for atmosphere effects
Choose lower kelvin temperatures like 2700K or 3000K white to promote relaxation in bedrooms. RGB strips with wireless controllers allow changing colors to set different moods.
Power Source
hardwired or plug-in LED strip lights provide the best longevity and brightness but require professional installation. Battery powered LED tapelights offer instant stick-anywhere convenience and portability between rooms. Consider installing hardwired ceiling bed reading lights on a separate switch from any plug-in accent strip lights behind the bed.
Smart Lighting Capabilities
Many LED strip light kits include wireless remote controls or sync with smartphone apps for convenient voice or app control. Choose smart RGB strips, modules, and bulbs to activate lighting scenes like candle-mode or color loops. Sync schedules to gradually wake you up, enhanced with sunlight-simulating tuneable white LEDs!
Best LED Strip Lights for Behind Beds
Here are top considerations when selecting LED tape strip lighting for mounting behind bedroom beds:
Flexible vs. Rigid LED Strips
Flexible LED tape strips easily contour across curved or irregular mounting surfaces like headboards. Rigid aluminum LED strips with built-in diffusers work well for straight lines along flat walls or under beds.
WIFI App Control
LED smart strip lights that connect to smartphone apps via WiFi allow the ultimate convenience. Use voice assistants or app controls to instantly change colors, dimness levels, or activate lighting effects.
Single Color vs. RGB
Single color temperature LED strips emit a fixed warm or cool white tone. Add RGB color changing effects for unlimited lighting possibilities controlled through an app or RF wireless remote. Consider warm white for general use or RGB strips to create dynamic atmospheres.
Waterproof Rating
Check LED strip lighting's waterproof rating before mounting in bedrooms. An IP65 rating means strips are totally dust-tight and water jet resistant, while IP20 denotes indoor/dry location use only.
Installing weatherproof LED tape strips allows safe mounting behind beds instead of having to enclose strips in plastic raceways. Pick durable, flexible LED tape that supports bending into right 90 degree angles during application.
Adhesive Types
LED tape strips come mounted with various adhesive types on their backing:
- 3M tape: Holds up to 2 pounds per square foot
- Silicone gel: Provides the strongest bond strength for heavy strips
- Magnetic: For quick stick/remove flexibility on metal surfaces
Carefully follow the manufacturer's adhesive bonding instructions. Also utilize mechanical fasteners like mounting clips to provide secondary support along the strip's length.