6 modern floor lighting options

Before we consider the most interesting ideas for lighting the floor in the apartment, it is necessary to talk about what requirements should be followed.

So, the main requirements for lighting the floor are:

Fixtures must be protected from moisture, as with wet cleaning, there is a high probability that water will get inside the product. It is best to purchase sealed fixtures with a degree of protection IP 67. Otherwise, take care of high-quality sealing yourself.
The backlight housing must be protected from mechanical damage. Most lamps have a fragile base, so you need to take care that it is not accidentally broken.
Light from products should not blind your eyes. Most often, a hidden floor lighting in an apartment and a house is used so that at night you can easily navigate in a room with the lights off. If the light sources are bright, there will be no question of any comfort.
Don't forget about energy saving. Give preference to energy-saving LED lights.
The material of the devices must be fireproof. Some light sources can heat up and melt the skirting board, which as a result can cause it to self-ignite.

Content:

Basic lighting options
Spotlights
Neon lights
LED strip
LED duralight
Flexible neon
Light floor
Useful Tips
Photo examples

Basic lighting options

We bring to your attention an overview of the most popular options for lighting fixtures for floor lighting in an apartment and a house.

Spotlights

The simplest and most popular is installation of spotlights to the floor. They are installed in specially created holes in the floor tiles and laminate. Most often used installation around the perimeter of the room. The advantage of spot lighting is that the luminaire housing is sealed and shockproof, moreover, the energy consumption of the bulbs is minimal, and the service life is long.

Based on the moisture-resistant properties, it should be noted that most often this option is used to create bathroom lighting. In addition, LEDs have proven themselves to highlight the floor in the bedroom and hallway, as allow you to create a decorative environment.

Neon lights

A more classic version of hidden lighting is the use of neon lamps. They beautifully "fill" the floor and also have a soft light output. A complete set consists of wires, lamps and special converters. All elements must be hidden in a special niche, fixed along the contour of the room.

The advantages of this method are the long lamp life (over 10 years) and a wide range of lighting shades (over 100). The main disadvantages are the fragility of the flasks and the high cost of production. It should also be noted that the installation of neon lamps on the floor requires the mandatory assistance of a specialist, whose work will also have to be wasted.

LED strip

A more modern alternative to neon lamps is energy-saving LED strip. They are easy to install with your own hands, have a wide range of shades, have energy-saving properties and also work for a long period of time. Today, diode floor lighting in the apartment is the most popular and appropriate option. These products also apply when installing hidden ceiling lights.

The kit includes the tape itself and the power supply unit (PSU), which is individually selected based on the length of the entire luminous line and the number of LEDs. As in the case of neon lamps, the LED strip together with the PSU must be hidden in a specially prepared niche (for example, a polyurethane cornice).

By the way, instead of the cornice, you can also use a skirting board with a cable channel. In this case, the tape fits into the channel and thereby illuminates the room along its perimeter, as shown in the photo above.

LED duralight

Another alternative to a neon lamp and LED-tape is duralight. This product is a transparent PVC tube in which small LEDs are installed at the same distance from each other. Duralight also has many colors that will give the interior of the apartment a soft but high-quality floor lighting.

The design provides for an electric plug that plugs into an outlet so that the product lights up. Be sure to choose a two-wire duralight, because three-wire has a complicated wiring diagram, which only the master can do. About, which is better: duralight or LED strip, we told in a separate article.

Flexible neon

Something between a LED strip and a neon lamp - flexible neon. Its design is represented by a PVC cord in which diodes are installed. The only difference is that the bulbs emit neon light (!). An advantage over a neon lamp is that the flexible cord does not have to be routed along a straight line (as is the case with a lamp). In addition, the neon floor lighting in the apartment can easily be installed with your own hands.

Manufacturers give a guarantee for the continuous operation of the tape for 100,000 hours, but this figure can significantly decrease with improper use and installation.

Flexible neon is recommended to be installed in a special eaves to make hidden lighting of a floor.

Light floor

This idea is a bright LED modules that can be installed not only around the perimeter, but throughout the room. In the interior of an apartment and a house, this lighting option is rarely used, but still is no exception.

The advantage of a light floor is its high mechanical and waterproofing properties, which is why this lighting option is most often used in night clubs and other public places where special attention is paid to the interior. As you can see, bulk squares can make a certain light composition in the form of a chessboard or a rectangular track, which will look very original in the corridor.

Useful Tips

In the end, I would like to pay a little of your attention to some tips that will allow you to choose and make the right lighting for the floor in the apartment:

Choose modern devices that have dimmers (one of types of light switches) These devices allow you to adjust the light intensity, which allows not only to save on electricity, but also to create a certain atmosphere in the room.
Along with the illumination of the floor at the bottom of the wall, organize hidden stair lighting. In this case, you can install the LED strip under the handrails or on the steps (as shown in the picture). Remember that the stairs are less safe to move at night, so pay more attention to it.
An alternative to installing special cornices can be the installation of a tape under the facade of the furniture or inside the floor covering, if you choose transparent tiles made of high-strength glass (examples in the pictures).
Remember that to set the backlight, the floor must be perfectly flat, otherwise the entire surface curvature will be displayed immediately when the lamp is turned on.
To create bright light, use cords and ribbons of small diameter but high power. Use a larger diameter product to create more diffuse lighting.
During installation, be sure to follow the wiring diagram. If the contacts are not correctly connected, the device may immediately fail when turned on. I think that it’s not worth talking about the fact that during electrical installation it is necessary to turn off the electricity in the apartment.
All LED strips and flexible neons have special places for shortening the line, familiarize yourself with them before proceeding with cutting the desired length. About, how to cut led strip, we told in the corresponding article.
Give preference only to quality products. Cheap Chinese products of dubious quality are not only a short-term pleasure, but most often the cause of a fire.