LED lighting and traditional plaster coving might seem like an unusual pairing, but together they can completely transform and elevate the atmosphere of a room. LED coving conceals LED strip lights behind plaster mouldings or a picture rail. The use of LED lighting in your home can create a setting that has been carefully considered and thoughtfully designed. A feature that guests won't instantly notice but will be sure to remember the lasting feeling of the atmosphere it creates. Throughout this guide, we explain how LED coving works, what to consider before installation, and how it transformed a Victorian home in South London.
What Is LED Coving?
LED coving is a special architectural feature that is installed with intention and will bring a contemporary feel to any room whilst also highlighting the craftsmanship of hand crafted cornice. Coving is typically intended to elevate the joint between the wall and ceiling it's becoming increasingly popular to conceal LED lighting and add a new element to a room whilst accentuating the size of any room.
Why Choose LED Lighting with Plaster Coving?
If you looking to light your room up, what better way to do this than adding lit coving around the perimeter? Introducing LED-lit coving to your room really brings a new dimension to the space. You can choose to create a bright and clean feel by using downlighting in the centre of your room (for example, over a kitchen island) or, alternatively, uplighting to hit the ceiling in your cozy lounge.
With the clever use of coving, you can easily hide the LED strips to give a flawless and thoughtful finish to your property. The use of indirect lighting makes your ceilings appear higher and avoids creating unwanted shadows.
By integrating LED strips into your coving, you avoid the messy look of exposed wiring, coving can provide a sleek and faultless finish. and with customisable brightness settings, you can easily switch from functional brightness to a more intimate setting at the click of a button.
What to Consider Before Installing LED Coving
Having so many benefits leaves little room for cons with this feature. However, here are a few things to consider:
High initial cost can be something that seems off-putting to anyone looking at installing LED-lit coving, one thing to remember is that LED lights are significantly more efficient than other traditional lighting options, so it's definitely an investment that will also elevate.
It is also worth ensuring your walls and other plaster detailing such as coving is finished to a high standard, as LED lighting will highlight any flaws or imperfections.
Can ordinary coving conceal LED strips?
Any of our coving designs from our collection can be used when installing LED light systems, certain fitting techniques will need to be used and we advise consulting with a professional fitter once you have decided to light up the coving or light up the ceiling, our friendly customer service team can guide you through the best options depending on your room dimensions.
Installation planning
For the best result we would recommend using a professional coving fitter, we believe this will save you time and money while ensuring a high-quality finish, a professional will easily be able to plan the LED lighting, plaster moulding and electrical work together. Planning this early ensures an even wash of light, keep wires out of sight and ensure that connections remain accessible for future maintenance. If you are in need of local professional installer please get in touch. Our team will be able to put you in touch with someone reliable and local.
Other things that you can consider before choosing your coving style or picture rail include:
- whether you want the lights directed down the wall or up the ceiling, or if you want to light up the coving by installing the LED lights on a picture rail.
- The room dimensions and what size coving would best suit each room.
- The brightness and colour temperature of the room.
- Whether you would want the lighting to be dimmable
- where the power supply and controls will be located.
- How the electrical components will be accessed after installation.
Restoring Period Character with Plaster Coving and LED Lighting
Our customer Danny over at Bottlebrush House has done a tremendous job renovating their Victorian semi in Tooting, South London. They have included LED lighting systems in their lounge and diner, showcasing craftsmanship in the daytime and ambient drama at night.
They have achieved this finish by treating the installation as an intentional architectural feature by using a picture rail to conceal the lighting system above eye level to light up the coving; the choice of the egg-and-dart detailed cornice MPC064 does a beautiful job of creating intricate shadows that glow and add to the overall atmosphere.
Read along to see how Danny created this warm and elegant space featuring our hand crafted plaster mouldings.
What made you choose plaster coving and ceiling roses from Plaster Ceiling Roses for this project?
Our house is a Victorian semi, and when we renovated it we took almost everything back to brick. As we started putting the character back in, we wanted the architectural details to feel authentic to the age of the house rather than overly new or decorative. Plaster coving felt like the right choice because it has that weight, depth and crispness you just don’t get from lightweight alternatives. Plaster Ceiling Roses also had the traditional profiles we were looking for, while still working with the more contemporary elements we’ve introduced throughout the house.
How would you describe the visual impact the coving or roses have had on your room?
It’s made a much bigger difference than we expected. The coving gives the rooms a proper sense of proportion and makes the ceilings feel considered rather than simply finishing at the wall. In a Victorian house, those details really help restore some of the character that can disappear through years of renovations. Once the lighting is on, you also get these lovely shadows and highlights across the plasterwork, which adds another layer to the room.
Would you recommend combining LED lighting with plaster coving to others? Why?
Definitely. We love mixing traditional details with more contemporary design, and the LED lighting does exactly that. During the day, the coving reads as a traditional architectural feature, then in the evening the lighting completely changes the atmosphere. You get a much softer, more ambient light than relying solely on ceiling lights, and because the light is indirect it really shows off the shape of the plasterwork.
What advice would you give to someone planning to install LED strip lighting with plaster coving for the first time?
Plan the lighting at the same time as the coving rather than treating it as an addition afterwards. Think about where the power supplies and drivers are going to live, how you’ll access them in future, and where you want the light to wash across the ceiling. I’d also test the colour temperature before committing. We wanted something warm and atmospheric that complemented an older house, rather than anything too bright or clinical. And use a good installer. With plasterwork and concealed lighting, the finish really comes down to the details.
What feedback have visitors or your audience given about the finished result?
It’s one of those details people notice without necessarily knowing immediately why the room feels different. Visitors often comment on the coving and lighting, particularly in the evening, and we’ve had lots of questions from people online about how we created the effect. A lot of our renovation has been about bringing character back into the house while still making it feel like our home now, and I think people respond to that combination.
Would you say the plaster products were worth the investment?
Absolutely. We’ve always tried to spend money on the elements that become part of the architecture of the house, rather than things we might change again in a few years. Proper plaster coving falls into that category. It gives the rooms a much more finished feel, suits the period of the property and should still look right decades from now. For us, that makes it a worthwhile investment.
LED Coving: Frequently Asked Questions.
Can LED strip lights be installed inside coving?
Yes, Many coving designs offer the opportunity to hide the LED lighting within the coving itself. Whether this is coving which is purpose built to house the LED strips or a standard coving where the LED lighting is worked into the fitting, your installer will be able to conceal the strips into your dream room design. The beauty of doing this, is you achieve a cost effective, cosy lighting solution that doesn't take over your walls, floors or side tables.
An alternative but similar way to do this is by installing the coving within your picture rail by concealing the LED strips above eye level in your picture rail, this will also highlight the elegant and intricate details of the plaster coving whilst lighting up the space.
How far should LED coving be from the ceiling?
For the coving we would advise discussing your preference of overall looks with your fitter based on the dimensions of your room.
Should you want to use your picture rail for the LED lighting instead, we advise around 30 - 50cm down the wall to suit your own preference and ceiling height.
Do I need an electrician to install LED coving lights?
LED lighting strips can either be hardwired or plug in, for longevity and efficiency we would advise choosing the hard wired option. This would be a great option if you are taking your room back to the bones and doing the whole space from scratch. However if you would prefer something more cost effective and DIY-able plug in options would be better suited. This is a great alternative if your room is already finished and the LED strips were a last minute decision to include.
Can LED coving lights be dimmed?
Absolutely, LED lights can definitely be dimmed and we would definitely recommend you do this, you should use the dimming feature to reflect your mood.
What coving profile is best for LED lights?
How can LED lighting be used with coving in different rooms?
Use the guide below to help inspire you to choose the desired ambience of each room.
| Room | LED feature | Ambience | Recommended Profile |
| Living Room | Warm white, dimmable | Cosy, relaxing & Inviting | |
| Bedroom | Warm white, dimmable | Soft, calming & intimate | MPC067, MPC065, MPC051 |
| Kitchen | Warm or neutral white | Clean, bright & contemporary | LPC015, LPC027, MPC064 |
| Bathroom | Neutral or bright white | Open, uplifting & fresh | SPC070, MPC065, MPC064 |
| Hallway | Warm white, concealed | Welcoming, elegant & understated | MPC012, LPC024, LPC019 |
Planning an LED coving project? Explore our plaster coving profiles or contact our team for help choosing a design suited to your room and lighting plan.