Hello everyone,
I’m planning to equip my IKEA Billy shelves with lighting to significantly enhance their appearance and improve the visibility of the shelf contents. I’m considering using LED light strips or recessed lights. It’s important to me that the system is as discreet as possible, does not cause visible cable clutter, and is easy to install. I’m also wondering whether power supply should be via batteries or an electrical outlet, especially regarding safety and continuous operation.
Do any of you have tested solutions or recommendations? Which types of lighting work well with the Billy shelves? And does anyone have tips on the technical implementation, such as the best way to attach or conceal the lighting? Thanks in advance for your expertise and ideas!
I’m planning to equip my IKEA Billy shelves with lighting to significantly enhance their appearance and improve the visibility of the shelf contents. I’m considering using LED light strips or recessed lights. It’s important to me that the system is as discreet as possible, does not cause visible cable clutter, and is easy to install. I’m also wondering whether power supply should be via batteries or an electrical outlet, especially regarding safety and continuous operation.
Do any of you have tested solutions or recommendations? Which types of lighting work well with the Billy shelves? And does anyone have tips on the technical implementation, such as the best way to attach or conceal the lighting? Thanks in advance for your expertise and ideas!
Thank you for the many helpful responses so far, especially the detailed ones from SANMAR and naujon, which have been very useful to me!
I have one more question: What is the best way to protect the shelf when installing the cables? I want to avoid damaging the wood in case I want to remove the lighting later. Are cable ducts / channels recommended, or are there other neat solutions that can be removed without leaving any traces?
And what about the heat generated by the LEDs? Should I maintain specific clearances, or are LEDs generally not an issue in this regard?
I have one more question: What is the best way to protect the shelf when installing the cables? I want to avoid damaging the wood in case I want to remove the lighting later. Are cable ducts / channels recommended, or are there other neat solutions that can be removed without leaving any traces?
And what about the heat generated by the LEDs? Should I maintain specific clearances, or are LEDs generally not an issue in this regard?
leah55 schrieb:
How can the shelf be best protected during cable installation? I want to avoid damaging the wood.That’s an important point! Cable ducts are useful, but they are usually glued or screwed on, which leaves marks. A clean alternative is to use cable clips with self-adhesive backs, which can often be removed without residue – though this also depends on the surface material.
leah55 schrieb:
And what about the heat generation of the LEDs?Modern LED strips produce very little heat, which is generally not an issue. Overheating can only occur with high-power LEDs or if the strips are installed in tight channels without sufficient heat dissipation.
I recommend installing LEDs according to the manufacturer’s guidelines and allowing some clearance. With BILLY shelves and standard LED strips, this is usually not a problem.
Davidleo schrieb:
I solved the power supply with a plug-in power adapter and paired it with a Bluetooth switch for the phone – this makes the control super convenient!That sounds technically interesting, but I’m missing some details: Which Bluetooth components exactly did you use, and how is data security handled? Do you use a standard like Zigbee or rather simple Bluetooth switches with a proprietary app?
Also, I wonder whether the whole setup will remain stable in the long term, especially if you’re not very tech-savvy. It would be good if the lights can be turned on and off without a smartphone as well.
Regarding sustainability: How often do the control components need to be replaced?
Such smart solutions are great, but I also see the risk that they can quickly become unreliable.
Similar topics