Indirect lighting

What is indirect lighting?

Indirect lighting is a lighting technique in which one or more lights are directed onto surfaces such as ceilings and upper walls, which act as reflectors and distribute the light evenly throughout the room. Indirect lighting minimises shadows and glare. In other words, indirect lighting is lighting that cannot be seen. Hence the name.

Indirect light in the home

Indirect lighting can be done in many ways. Indirect light is nowadays a very popular way to achieve total home lighting. A wide variety of indirect light structures can be created using different types of downlights, and therefore the only limit to how indirect light can be created is usually your imagination. Indirect light has been used for many years as a lighting technique in hotels, for example, because it creates an atmospheric space.

Making indirect light

Indirect light on descents

Indirect lighting can be achieved by a variety of downlighting solutions. Typically, only wood and plasterboard are used as materials. Here are three of the most common ways to create indirect light in ceilings:

A gap between the ceiling and the wall, light directly down the wall.

The most common solution is to leave the ceiling short by 50mm, so that the light is on the surface of the ceiling, above the ceiling. So we move the edge of the framing away from the wall by 50mm, creating a 50x50mm gap, at the bottom of which we have a Led strip in profile. The most popular profile designs are 16x18mm or 7x18mm fixed to the ROOF. The Led strip transformer usually in the service hatch.

The slot between the roof and the wall, but the light completely indirect.

So leave the finished ceiling short 70-100mm and the light thus on the ceiling shelf. That is, the edge of the framing board is moved away from the wall by 150-200mm, but the roofing material (plaster, panel) is left long after the framing board. This creates a shelf where the LED strip light in the profile is placed. The most popular profile designs are 45 degree angle profiles for one or more LED strip lights. The transformer for the led strip usually fits on the shelf.

Clear drop down ceiling element light completely indirectly.

By installing a drop down light on the ceiling surface, even afterwards, that is well away from the walls, the drop down indirect light is a clear spatial feature. The height of the downstand can be 50-150mm with the roofing material (plaster, panel) at the bottom being left 120-150mm long after the timber framing. This creates a shelf where the LED strip light in profile is placed. The most popular profile designs are 45 degree angle profiles for one or more LED strip lights. The transformer for the led strip can usually fit on the shelf.

Illuminated central area, light through the central area of the room indirectly

The ceiling is assembled from the edges downwards, leaving a 120-150mm length of substrate. Led profile thus on the ceiling shelf. The height of the downstand is freely selectable between 50-200mm height and 500-700mm width of the undersurface. In other words, the room is lit from one or more sides through the ceiling. The most popular profile designs are 45 degree angle profiles for one or more LED strips. The transformer for the LED strip usually fits on a shelf.

Indirect light with profiles

Indirect lighting can also be done with just a profile and here are the top five ways to do indirect lighting as a retrofit.

Indirect light as a ceiling strip, light in one direction

Using an Indirect2 profile mounted against the ceiling. Only one LED strip down the profile. The light comes along the wall. This product is available in black or matt aluminium

Indirect light as a corner strip, light in two directions

Use Indirect3 profile to be installed in the corner of the ceiling and wall. Two LED strips in different directions on the profile. Can also be installed vertically, in the corner of walls! Light comes along different surfaces.

Indirect light on the wall, light in two directions

Use Indirect2 profile to be mounted 200-500mm from the ceiling down to the wall. Two led strips in different directions on the wall. The light comes along the wall. This product is available in black or matt aluminium

Indirect light as wall light, light in one direction

Use Indirect profile to be mounted on wall 200-500mm from ceiling down to wall. Only one led strip upwards in the profile. The light comes towards the ceiling.

Wall or ceiling recessed profile

Requires more planning and rarely successful as a retrofit. Indirect profile embedded in the surface

Indirect light control

The wires to the transformer always leave the end of the LED profile and can therefore be carried under the corner cabinet to the floor. The transformer can be on the wall, behind a chest of drawers or even on the other side of the wall in a socket.

Thanks to the wireless control, no electrician is required, just a plug in the wall and a wireless button (battery operated) in the desired location. Here's a wireless Zigbee system that you can integrate into your Philips HUE home.

Things that affect indirect light

Indirect light and its power

When making indirect light, remember that the light always comes through a reflective surface, so the surface material has a huge influence on the tone of the light. The biggest factor is the reflectivity of the surface.

The amount of light into a space with different materials:

• white reflective surfaces provide 80-90% of the light in the room
• Grey semi-reflective surface provides 60-80% of the light in the room
• Black/dark semi-reflective surface only produces 30-50% of the light in the room.

So if you consider a direct ceiling installation against a white wall, you will get good light by using a 14.4W LED strip to wrap around the whole room. You need to at least double the amount of light in the dark room to get the same amount of light, i.e. 2x 14,4W led strip around the room or adding direct light sources (spots) on the ceiling.

Indirect light and light temperature

White is never just white! You have to remember that there are thousands of shades of white and different light temperatures will bring out the colours that have been used on the wall. For example, the most popular white in Finland is "Paperi" which is a "white" shade that tends to fade into grey. Sometimes there are big surprises, as a wall that was once thought to be white is revealed to be greenish or bluish when the room is lit through its surface. This can be easily remedied by choosing a CCT adjustable led strip, i.e. a led strip with a freely adjustable light temperature of 2500-6500K, as the light source for indirect lighting. In this way, different white temperatures can be used to manipulate the light tone of the room to your liking. You will need a Zigbee or DALI controller to adjust the shade.

CCT adjustable led strips

Indirect light and colours

Different spaces have different needs. When there are young people in the family, the absolute choice is COLOUR LIGHTS! In these spaces, the RGB LED strip is chosen as the indirect light, to provide the space with the desired colours. You will need a Zigbee or DALI control to adjust the colours.

In our experience, the following rooms usually want indirect light in the room:

• children's rooms
• cinema rooms
• fireplace rooms
• living rooms sometimes, but to a lesser extent.

RGB led strip.

Indirect lighting is popular and we have written several articles on the subject. Here are a few:

A guide to choosing an LED strip: article

How to choose COB led strip or traditional led strip: Article

Home renovation: Article

How to use a LED light in a new home: Article How to use a LED light in a new home: Article

Indirect light according to your own dimensions?

PAJA also offers custom-made indirect light profiles with the desired connecting wires. Read more and order here.

Also try our kitchen space calculator