Villa Cove Lighting Design
The art of invisible light — creating luxury atmosphere with concealed LED strips.
The Principle
Cove lighting should be invisible. You see the glow on the ceiling and walls, but never the LED source itself. If you can see the LED strip from any normal viewing angle, the cove detail is wrong.
Cove Detail Dimensions
| cove type | depth min | lip height | strip position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ceiling perimeter | 80mm | 40mm | Behind lip, angled 45° to ceiling |
| Wall niche | 60mm | 30mm | Top of niche, aimed down |
| Floating ceiling | 100mm | 50mm | Behind drop edge, aimed up |
| Staircase | 30mm | 20mm | Under nose, recessed back |
Choosing the Right Strip
For cove lighting, use 2700K–3000K warm white with CRI 90+. Power levels depend on the effect: 8–10W/m for subtle ambient glow, 14–19W/m for the primary light source. Always use aluminium profiles for heat dissipation on strips above 10W/m.
Common Cove Locations in Villas
Living room perimeter, master bedroom headboard wall, bathroom mirror surround, kitchen under-cabinet, staircase under-tread, floating ceiling edges, curtain pelmet, TV wall backlight, dining room ceiling feature, entrance hallway. Each location needs specific cove dimensions and strip specifications.