Not too long ago, Steve and I were trying to figure out ways to wake up our all white kitchen. We happened to see a neighbor who had these incredible lights above their kitchen cabinets, and yes, a light bulb went off. :) So we went off in search of info on how to install LED strip lights, without spending money for an electrician to come out. Turns out, its super easy! (And shockingly cheap!) We were so thrilled with how it turned out, we knew we had to share. So if you are looking for ways to bring some life to any part of your home (not just for kitchens!) then find out all about our journey installing LED strip lights followed by some great Led strip lighting ideas!
Where To Buy LED Light Strips
When we started doing the research (and by we, I mean Steve…) on where to buy our LED light strips, we found this inexpensive set that looked perfect. We wanted color changing lights, and a set that was cuttable so we could customize them to the space above our kitchen cabinets. No matter which set you buy, check that they come with remotes and an app to control the settings. We love that ours fade through a rainbow of colors, or you can set them to be static on just your favorite. The app also allows you to schedule them to come on and off when you want. You can find the set we bought from Amazon here. Be sure to buy the correct size. We only needed the 25 foot set, but always make sure you buy a little more length than your space. They sell it in 50 foot lengths as well. You can also look through all the other light sets that Amazon offers. There are so many options.
Tools & Supples Needed
- LED Strip Lights – The set we bought – Other light sets
- Drill
- Scissors
How To Install LED Strip Lights
When you go to install your LED strip lights, figure out what space you are going to use them in. Step one, you need to have a source of power to plug them in. You want to avoid having an ugly power cord running down the wall, right? We were installing ours above the kitchen cabinets, so we had to get creative. Many cabinets in the kitchen have an outlet in the cabinet above the microwave. (We lucked out there!) Drill a hole in the top of the cabinet large enough for the power cord to fit through. See photo.
Start installing the lights by peeling the backing off the end where the power cord will connect.
We started on one end of the kitchen cabinet and attached the adhesive side of the LED light strip to the top of the cabinet.
We went pretty much down the middle, but just a little closer to the wall. When you get to a turn, you can just fold the light strip and make the turn.
How To Cut LED Light Strips
When you get to the point where the lights should stop, you will need to cut the light strips. There should be 4 gold or copper looking ovals every foot or so. It is important to cut straight down the middle of those markers. See photo.
LED Strip Lighting Ideas
We love our kitchen LED strip lights, they add so much color and style to what was a plain white space. There are obviously many other Led strip lighting ideas. You could install them under the cabinets, behind a bathroom mirror, under a bed, behind a TV… seriously the ideas are pretty endless. Remember, they are LED so they don’t produce large amounts of heat, and they are very energy efficient.
Like we mentioned, most come with an app or a remote. You can set them to do a slow fade color changing effect, to have them come on in the morning, or go off in the late evening. Or, have different color on each night of the week! A Saturday party color? Holiday colors?
I really don’t think there was a color we didn’t like, and they all pop against a white or neutral background. No more cold white kitchen!
Pretty sure we settled on this aqua blue LED strip light setting as our fav though…
We are loving our kitchen LED strip lights! Now that you know how to install them ,and where to buy them, what are you waiting for? This was pretty transformative project for less than $20! Now check out our posts on Easy One Day DIY Kitchen Update and Remodel Ideas, How to Bring Palm Springs Style into Your Home, and DIY Easy Light Fixtures, and our post on Backyard Lighting Ideas and How to Install Outdoor Low Voltage Lighting over at TGG!
Thank you for the post! It’s really helpful!
How and where did you plug them in?
Great job. can you tell me or send pictures on how you plugged them in. I see you said to drill a hole in the top cupboard over the microwave. So does the light strip come with a USB cable or a regular electric power cord?
Thanks!