# Wife wants crown moulding with indirect lighting



## JoeSparky (Mar 25, 2010)

https://cnj.craigslist.org/tls/d/lincroft-full-size-deluxe-wife-cage/7115511287.html


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## CoolWill (Jan 5, 2019)

LARMGUY said:


> Two approximately 30ft by 20 ft rooms need crown moulding now with indirect lighting. She also wants the option of wall washing with the same lighting.
> 
> What are my options besides divorce?:wink:


LED tape


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## paulengr (Oct 8, 2017)

LARMGUY said:


> Two approximately 30ft by 20 ft rooms need crown moulding now with indirect lighting. She also wants the option of wall washing with the same lighting.
> 
> What are my options besides divorce?:wink:



If you can accept visible LED strips or rope lights then mount them on the edges of the crown molding. When they are on, nobody sees the rope/strip, only lights. Otherwise you will have to get creative. A common technique with crown is to mount flat strips on the wall, ceiling, or both and mount the crown to that because often the drywall is nit very square to avoid excessive caulking, in your case though you could build a recessed slot for LED rope lights hidden behind the crown molding, chances are it’s going to look odd because there will be a dark shadow at the gap.

Hidden wall washing is normally done from the floor. You have lights projecting upwards that sit behind something. It is very effective. This is outdoor but my back yard is mostly lit by five 1.5 W fixtures hidden in the landscaping. They are the buried type mounted flush to the ground, Tgey are pointed at the soffits. The wall and soffit reflect light down onto the yard and patio. Very simple and effective. Indoor works the same way.

Ceiling “washing” is normally done with either a fake or real “tray” ceiling where the sudden change in height is on purpose and rope lights or similar can be hidden on top of a piece of molding hugging the edge of the tray. I used something similar. So the ceiling in the main living/family room is vaulted. There is an arch on a diagonal leading to another room so there is this goofy ledge above it. I put a string of rope lights up there, it shines on the vaulted ceiling and washes the whole area. 

The only other way I’ve seen it done and I have no idea where to get the stuff is by laying down fiber and then covering it with a skim coat of wall joint compound. The fibers connect to a light source and you get the “fiber Christmas tree” effect. It’s not a wash as much as it’s a point light source for say stars.

Realistically though unless you have some kind of natural hidden area to put the lighting crown isn’t the answer. Most people just use sconce lights. Modern looking ones can do any combination of up and down lighting, if you want color changing look into Phillips bulbs that have wireless control.


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## VELOCI3 (Aug 15, 2019)

Just rip some flat stock at the spring angle of your crown. Space the crown a 1/2” down from the ceiling. Hide the tape by sticking it to the top of the ripped flat stock. You won’t see the LEDs only the light coming from behind the crown. Any imperfections in your ceiling tape job will be very noticeable 


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

I would take divorce. Seize the opportunity.


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## flyboy (Jun 13, 2011)

LARMGUY said:


> Two approximately 30ft by 20 ft rooms need crown moulding now with indirect lighting. She also wants the option of wall washing with the same lighting.
> 
> *What are my options besides divorce*?:wink:


Uxoricide? :devil3:


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## joebanana (Dec 21, 2010)

What I do in such situations is, tell the wifey to go pick out the stuff she wants, get the ladder out of the garage, and grab some tools, a lawn chair, a big glass of ice tea, and I'll walk you through the process from my chair.
That usually results in some hard stares, muttering under her breath, then she forgets all about even bringing it up. After 43 years of marriage, all I have to do now is mention the ladder. But, then she brings up the subject of dinner, usually asking me "what did you want for dinner again"? Followed by, "get the pan from under the stove, and in the pantry, or refrig. you'll see your dinner".


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

paulengr said:


> If you can accept visible LED strips or rope lights then mount them on the edges of the crown molding. When they are on, nobody sees the rope/strip, only lights. Otherwise you will have to get creative. A common technique with crown is to mount flat strips on the wall, ceiling, or both and mount the crown to that because often the drywall is nit very square to avoid excessive caulking, in your case though you could build a *recessed slot for LED rope lights hidden behind the crown molding, chances are it’s going to look odd because there will be a dark shadow at the gap*.
> 
> Hidden wall washing is normally done from the floor. You have lights projecting upwards that sit behind something. It is very effective. This is outdoor but my back yard is mostly lit by five 1.5 W fixtures hidden in the landscaping. They are the buried type mounted flush to the ground, Tgey are pointed at the soffits. The wall and soffit reflect light down onto the yard and patio. Very simple and effective. Indoor works the same way.
> 
> ...


Years ago we had some friends that had a great room with fluorescent tubes in the crown shining up like office indirect lighting. She fell in love with it. I noticed all the different colored tubes the guy had replaced as the old ones wore out and he couldn't get a correct temperature match every time. She does not like the individual LED bulb look so I will have to use a diffuser grating. That should take care of the ceiling tape marks. :wink:

What I am mostly afraid of is after install, LED lighting and rope lighting have connections and a tendency to individually fail causing a dark spot in these connections and failings.

Of course I will put all of this on a separate switch to be able to shut it off when she doesn't like it anymore. :sad:

I've seen the fiber optic lighting several years ago in an industrial setting but it never was working when I was around. I do know it was expensive at the time. It also was not the pinpoint effect it was a full fiber cable glow or so I was told.


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

flyboy said:


> Uxoricide? :devil3:







I've watched this over and over.

I just can't find a glopitta glopitta machine.


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## VELOCI3 (Aug 15, 2019)

Here’s a thought. Run baseboard moulding around the top and space it an inch from the ceiling. Mount it upside down. Install the LED strip on the top part (paint with semigloss first so the LED adhesive has a good base to grip). Install the crown on top of the baseboard and leave a gap between the ceiling and the crown to allow the light through. Baseboard gives a solid base to nail the crown plus the base and crown detail will work together


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

Anyone have a favorite manufacturer for LED's? How many can you use on one circuit and do they get hot?


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## VELOCI3 (Aug 15, 2019)

WAC lighting. Don’t put cheap chicom crap in or you will be tearing down moulding to change out dead sections. They get warm. 


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

X2 on tape light. Not the cheap stuff.


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## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

VELOCI3 said:


> WAC lighting. Don’t put cheap chicom crap in or you will be tearing down moulding to change out dead sections. They get warm.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Thank you oh thank you!
Wife is still stunned at the $1,200 price tag for 40 ft. let alone the accessories!

LOL!

Champaign taste, beer budget.


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## 5kv flash (Jul 15, 2016)

LARMGUY said:


> Two approximately 30ft by 20 ft rooms need crown moulding now with indirect lighting. She also wants the option of wall washing with the same lighting.
> 
> 
> 
> What are my options besides divorce?:wink:


Let her figure it out .... ... ...

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## canbug (Dec 31, 2015)

Buy her and her friends some flashlights?

Tim


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## VELOCI3 (Aug 15, 2019)

Service Call said:


> X2 on tape light. Not the cheap stuff.


Looks good. What about adding another level at the bottom of the lower cabs above the kick plate


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

VELOCI3 said:


> Looks good. What about adding another level at the bottom of the lower cabs above the kick plate
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Like this?


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

And inside deep cabinets with a door switch.


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## just the cowboy (Sep 4, 2013)

As others have said this will show EVERY imperfection in the sheetrock and paint job. When checking a spackle job we would remove the lamp shade and use an unshaded lamp to see the bad spots, this is what wall washing with light does.


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## VELOCI3 (Aug 15, 2019)

just the cowboy said:


> As others have said this will show EVERY imperfection in the sheetrock and paint job. When checking a spackle job we would remove the lamp shade and use an unshaded lamp to see the bad spots, this is what wall washing with light does.


That’s why you turn those on while the taper is there


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