# Forum Home Renovation Lighting  LED downlights: Cool white and  LED strip lighting: Colour?????

## Rayess

The builder has used LED downlights in the kitchen which are cool white colour ( like a diamond??) 
What colour should I use for the LED STRIP for the under the kitchen benchtop? 
Would warm ( yellow) light clash?

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## johnc

Having gone down the same path we have used cool white for both overhead lighting and under cupboard, we are very happy with the crispness of the light. I'm not a fan of warm white in work areas, however it is personal preference not everyone is the same.

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## Smurf

Personally I wouldn't mix colours regardless of the actual light source (LED, fluorescent etc). 
So match Cool White with Cool White. Match Warm White with Warm White etc. 
If you do mix colours then you end up with odd looking shadows in one colour or the other.

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## Godzilla73

Just a tip which may or may not relate to your setup, when you mount LED's under a bench with gloss floors be it tiles, laminate or solid timber you'll see white dots on the floor. Some people like it some don't, it's even more pronounced when they are placed under the kick space 120mm or so off the floor.

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## METRIX

I would put in RGB Strip lighting, this way you can have any colour you wish depending on your mood, including white. 
We have them in our kitchen, and I know when i'm in trouble when I get home and they are Red, this means I have done something wrong (in my better half opinion), LOL.

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## Rayess

> I would put in RGB Strip lighting, this way you can have any colour you wish depending on your mood, including white. 
> We have them in our kitchen, and I know when i'm in trouble when I get home and they are Red, this means I have done something wrong (in my better half opinion), LOL.

  hahah Metrix Building, I hope for your sake the lights are not on Red too much of the time!!! 
RGB strip lighting? Where do I get that?

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## METRIX

You can get them at good lighting shops, and I would recommend a RF remote control for them and not an IR one, as the RF controller allows you to change the colour from across the room or through the wall, where as the IR has to be pointed at the reciever, similar to a TV. 
Alternatively if you want a cheaper option, you will find heaps of supplers on ebay, search for RGB led strip waterproof, ensure to get waterproof type so mopping etc wont affect the LED, they come in lengths up to 10m also search for rgb led controllers RF, you just require 12VDC to run them. 
Our electrician said the most important part is to have a good quality power supply so you don't blow the LED up, as they are sensitive to voltage changes.
BTW, the RED is not on that often, but if I see it before you know who spots me, I quickly change the colour and play dumb  :Biggrin: 
Now if there was a way to disable the RED button on the remote, that would be good.

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## Rayess

> You can get them at good lighting shops, and I would recommend a RF remote control for them and not an IR one, as the RF controller allows you to change the colour from across the room or through the wall, where as the IR has to be pointed at the reciever, similar to a TV. 
> Alternatively if you want a cheaper option, you will find heaps of supplers on ebay, search for RGB led strip waterproof, ensure to get waterproof type so mopping etc wont affect the LED, they come in lengths up to 10m also search for rgb led controllers RF, you just require 12VDC to run them. 
> .

  Does this look ok?  is there anything else that is required for use under kitchen bench?   Waterproof 300 LEDS RGB 5M 3528 SMD LED Strip Light 12V + IR Controller + Power | eBay

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## METRIX

You are better going for 5050 LED'S, these are brighter, do a search for RGB LED 5050 waterproof, look at how many LED they have per Meter, they will state 150 or 300 or similar for the 5m length, 5050 LED are much brighter than the 3528 type, so you dont need as many per m of 5050 to achieve better brightness, obviously the more LED per meter the brighter the result. 
The controller on the one you posted is IR (Infra Red), you are better off with the RF (Radio Frequency) one, as it has better range and you dont have to put the reciever somewhere you will see it. 
My mate has used the ones bellow for a few jobs in his house, they are VERY small and RF, he has had no problems with them, they are cheap as chips, and becuase the reciever is so small you can hide it anywhere and being RF you don't need to have direct access to it, the recieved can sit behind the kickboard and it will still work fine. 
Alll you need is three things
RGB LED Strip
RF Controller
12V DC Power Supply 
You are better off buying the power supply from a local ecectronics shop, such as Jaycar, as these have Australian Approval and are much safer then the $2 chinese ones you will get on ebay.  New Mini RGB LED Remote Controller RF Wireless Control Strip Light with Switch | eBay

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## Bloss

BTW - Cool White is not a good choice in any case - the blue spectrum is not one that suits human comfort or eye site so Warm White is the go. We have adapted for sunlight in daytime, but and lights which come closer to the light emitted by fires generally are better liked by most people - 'daylight' lamps are usually found to be too bright. The warm white is more like incandescent or candle flame light and funnily enough is 'cooler' than 'cool white'! The Kelvin temperature number is reasonable guide - 'Warm white' is used to describe 2700K or 3000K , 'cool white' equates to 4000K and daylight colours will be marked at around 6000K or higher. Cool white is used in offices and in workplaces 'daylight' types are common. But it is your choice - if you and others living in the house can agree on what is best! This link explains it well Which White is Right? | rightlight.govt.nz

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