Cove lighting

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Cove lighting of the Sala Vicarial in the Monasterio del Escorial, San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain

Cove lighting is a form of indirect lighting built into ledges, recesses, or valances in a ceiling or high on the walls of a room. It directs light up towards the ceiling and down adjacent walls.^[1] It may be used as primary lighting, or for aesthetic accent, especially to highlight decorative ceilings. Cove lighting is valued because it hides the fixtures, and because it provides a very even light.

Types of cove lights[]

One method of installing cove lighting is by using T5 fluorescent tubes. T5 luminaires are an energy-efficient alternative to larger luminaires (such as T8 lamps) because they save on materials.^[2] An even better energy-efficient alternative is to use LED strips, mounted on an aluminium profiles for optimum heat dissipation, with prismatic covers. With a dimming controller (either analog 1..10V controls or digital, DALI based), the cove lighting can be dimmed. A wide range of LEDs are available, from warm white, daylight and even colour changing RGB modules.

Installation[]

Lighting specialists recommend installing cove lighting at least 18 inches (46 cm) from the ceiling and 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) from the floor.^[3][4] In kitchens, cove lights can be installed on the top of kitchen cabinets. Luminaire strips should overlap the tubes to reduce the shadow effect at the lamp ends.

References[]

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