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We’ve all been there - opening your wardrobe when there’s poor lighting, and you end up wearing odd socks because you can’t quite tell the difference between black, grey and navy blue.

Well you’re not the only one - wardrobes are notoriously dark, and no matter how good the lighting is in your bedroom, it’s not quite strong enough to reach inside.

However, thanks to the small, discreet nature of LED strip lights, there is a solution at hand!

Why Add Strip Lights To My Wardrobe?

As we’ve already established, wardrobes are fiendishly dark. And in many ways, this kind of defeats the object - wardrobes should be bright, so that you can avoid any fashion faux pas’.

In addition to this, interior wardrobe lighting gives your space that luxury, high end feel, like a designer walk-in closet. And who wouldn’t want that?

It goes without saying too, that without LED technology this simply wouldn’t be possible. Standard filament or CFL bulbs are just too bulky, whilst LEDs are tiny and can fit into small gaps.

Of course LEDs also give you far more flexibility with the kind of effect you want to create - take your pick from different colour temperatures, dimmable options, smart lighting, motion sensors and so much more.

Which Strips Should I Buy For My Wardrobe?

As with all other cases where your tape will be in plain sight, we’d strongly recommend COB LED Tape. Not only is it now the industry standard, having replaced the old SMD based ‘dotted’ LED strips, it also looks a lot better, with its single unbroken beam of light.

Given that wardrobes are relatively small spaces too, you wouldn’t even need anything super bright, with 8W tape being more than enough.

The only other choice you’d need to make is which colour temperature you’d go for (we’d consider RGB colour changing tape a little bit overkill for wardrobe lighting).

Given that we’re looking for a blend between functional task lighting, and a premium ‘boutique’ feel, we’d opt for Day Light 4000K tape as the perfect choice.

If you’d prefer your wardrobes to have that cosier vibe, then Warm White 3000K is also an option, though the 4000K would give you more accurate colour rendering.

Where Should I Put My Wardrobe Lighting?

Needless to say, along the top of the wardrobe is ideal, as it will give you full wardrobe illumination.

We’d recommend installing it further forward, so that the area immediately in front of you is well lit. The further back it’s installed, the more your clothes will end up blocking the light.

One workaround for this is to have two or three vertically installed runs for a more even light coverage, though this will be a slightly more complex setup as it will involve multiple runs linked together using 2-core cable.

If you have shelving in your wardrobes, then you can also use strips here too. Placing them at the bottom of your shelves helps illuminate anything that’s on your shelves, and placing them at the top of the shelves will give more of a general lighting effect.

A third place you could use them in your wardrobes is along the top inside edge of any chests of drawers you might have. This gives you that luxury ‘glow-as-you-open’ effect that you don’t see in many places.

The Finishing Touches

Having the tape in your wardrobe is a lovely, high-end install, but to really give it the best finish, there are some extras we’d recommend.

The first, which is probably the most practical extra, is a motion sensor. This totally automates when the light comes on, ensuring they only light up when you open your wardrobe. It goes without saying that we’d consider this one essential for a wardrobe lighting installation.

If you’re looking for tape for a bigger wardrobe, or even a walk-in wardrobe, then you may want to consider a more traditional control method, like a dimmer or a smart receiver. We’d only really recommend this option if you are likely to spend a longer time in your wardrobe area. For simple open and close jobs, the motion sensor is fine.

Finally, the last thing we’d recommend to protect your tape is an Aluminium Profile, and there are two reasons for this.

The first is that Profiles help prolong the life of your tape by up to 50% by acting as a heat sink, and drawing excess heat away from the LED chips.

The second reason is that a Profile can also protect the tape from accidental knocks from hangers or shoes - something easily done in a space where personal belongings are constantly moving in and out.

Installation Tips

Here are a few pointers before committing to your wardrobe lighting:

• Measure your space carefully before your order, as chances are you’ll only need a couple of metres.
• Have a place in mind to hide your driver, be it behind a panel, on your top shelf, or anywhere else where it will be out of sight.
• If you’re hardwiring (which we’d recommend for a neater install), you’ll need an electrician for this, and you’d also benefit from our custom cutting and soldering service.
• Give the strips a test before installing them to make sure they work as intended.

Speak To Us

Adding strip lights to your wardrobe is a very simple and easy way to transform your wardrobes. You can say goodbye to dark cluttered spaces, and say hello to well-lit, premium, luxury feeling closets.

And all for the cost of less than a pair of new trainers.

If you want to brighten up your wardrobe, our team can spec out the perfect LED tape installation for you. All you need to do is speak to them on 0116 321 4120, or send an email to sales@wled.co.uk.

Don’t forget that you can also reach out to us on Facebook and Instagram too. For everything else LED lighting, be sure to check out our YouTube channel too.