Summarize
- The starting point for the renovation was to improve the lighting in the toilet and create a better atmosphere.
- Lighting was implemented with indirect CCT LED lighting and a light mirror
- Lowering the ceiling hid the LED strip, creating indirect lighting
- Wireless control for easy and flexible lighting adjustment
- The total cost of the renovation was 2 577 euros, including labour costs
Need for renovation – softer light in the toilet space during renovation
The starting point for the renovation was the lighting of the 1.5 square metre toilet. The lighting had been implemented with a single ceiling light, but when the renovation became necessary, the aim was to add variety and atmosphere to the lighting of the small space. The toilet has one window, but for most of the year there is not enough light from the window.
It was decided to implement the lighting with indirect CCT LED lighting and a light mirror
They wanted to invest in lighting in the small toilet space to make it more atmospheric. There was enough light, but they wanted to replace the single on/off switch ceiling light with more variable lighting. To make the space look as spacious and calm as possible, white and grey were chosen for the walls, floor and furniture. It was decided to use the lighting as a decorative element, so a 14.4 W/m CCT LED strip with dimmable and colour temperature control was chosen for the ceiling. The LED strip was also installed in the background of the new wall toilet element. The power of this LED strip was chosen to be 7.2 W/m and the light colour was chosen to be warm white. In addition, a HALO600 spotlight was chosen for the top of the sink. This provided versatile and adjustable lighting. By lowering the ceiling, the LED strip was beautifully concealed and the lighting was indirect. The lowering was carried out over the entire roof area, and the LED strip around the wall edges is controlled by a wireless controller. A motion sensor control was chosen for the LED strip illuminating the back of the wall element of the toilet. The mirror light is operated by a control switch on the mirror.
The depth of the chute of the indirectly illuminated LED strip behind the wall element is 3 cm, with a shallow 8×17 mm aluminium profile. The cover of the toilet wall element also serves as a service hatch, making it easy to remove.
Choosing lighting – creating decorative lighting
For the LED strip lighting through the roof, a 14.4 W/m CCT LED strip with colour temperature control was selected, which illuminates approximately 1 000 lumens per metre in the target lighting. For indirect lighting, the lighting output is estimated at 500 lumens per metre when the light is reflected through the roof and the reflective surfaces are white and painted. The LED strip was installed on each edge, for a total of 3.2 metres, and the room was uniformly lit. The centre of the room has a comfortable illuminance of around 200 lux when only the ceiling light is on. The illuminance of indirect light depends a lot on the colour and material of the reflecting surface, as well as the angle of reflection and the distance to the light source. A low, upward-facing aluminium profile with a plastic cover was chosen for the LED strip. This choice was made to achieve the most evenly illuminated result possible. Alternatives to a straight upward illuminating profile include a 45 degree angle profile, which reflects more light onto the wall but has a slightly stronger cut-off between illumination and shadow. Led strip power supply A 100W RF transformer with wireless control could fit between the downlight and the ceiling. A wireless light controller for colour temperature adjustable LED light was installed to replace the previous light switch. The multi-angle installation can be achieved either by soldering short spacers of about 5 cm between the LED strips, as the selected LED strip and profile cannot be bent laterally. You can either do the driving and gluing of the LED strip to the profile yourself or have it prefabricated by LedStore LedPaja.
Another option is to use CCT LED strip that can be bent sideways, in which case the profiles are cut to length and the strip is bent into corners easily and securely. No punching is required, but there must be enough installation space to allow the LED strip to be seen when installed.
Wireless control of indirect ceiling lighting
With a wireless control solution, the button does not need to be wired separately, but a radio frequency (RF) connection is established between the transformer of the LED strip and the button. From the WW and CW buttons on the right, the colour temperature of the light is adjusted continuously between warm white and cool white. From the button on the left, the upper one turns the lights on and off, while the lower one, with a long press, brightens and dims the lights beautifully and evenly. The button for wireless control can be freely positioned where you want. The infinitely variable colour temperature control button WW for warmer light and CW for cooler light.
The renovation begins – wall framing and roof lowering
The wall for the toilet was enclosed, and at the same time the whole toilet was repainted and the wooden parts were treated. A 2 cm full depth shorter cover was made on top of the casing using 3 cm high board. This created a groove next to the wall for the LED strip, which provides indirect lighting from the bottom up. A motion sensor was connected to the LED strip, so that a light always comes on in the toilet when the sensor detects movement. The LED strip transformer and the motion sensor fit well into the enclosure of the wall-mounted toilet, where a socket was also installed for the electrical supply.
After the wall cladding, the roof was lowered. 48×48 mm girders were fixed to the ceiling, and the screw holes were smoothed, sanded and painted a couple of times. A hole was cut in the lowering for the ventilation valve. The lower landing was left 7 cm shorter at the edges than the ceiling to allow light to enter the room nicely.
The renovation is progressing – CCT lighting creates many different atmospheres
Once the indirect lighting around the ceiling and the LED strip behind the wall element were in place, it was possible to see how much the adjustment of the colour temperature of the light in the ceiling LED strip affected the atmosphere in the room. The variations in colour temperature range from around 2800 Kelvin to around 5500 Kelvin in the following series of pictures.
The HALO 600 is surrounded by an LED strip with a 4000K neutral light hue. The neutral shade is fresh and ideal for decoration, for example. With a total of 2.5 metres of LED strip, the LED spotlight provides plenty of light for a small toilet space. The light is emitted both through the frosted glass edge of the mirror and indirectly through the walls. When the mirror light is on, the light output of the 1.5 square metre space is doubled.
Total cost of the renovation 2 500 EUR
Almost everything in the toilet space was replaced, except the sink and the tap. The total cost of the renovation was EUR 2 577 including labour. When the prices of the lighting solutions are calculated separately, the price of the indirect ceiling lighting came to EUR 550. The cost of the LED strip that illuminates the back of the wall element is €165, while the cost of the LED mirror is €345. The LED strip is pre-installed in the mirror. This three-level lighting system provides variable and changeable lighting in the space with easy-to-use controls. The light works wonderfully as a decorative element in a room, with a touch of luxury. Ceiling lighting is the single largest lighting expense. It can also be achieved with a 7.2 W/m LED strip, in which case we recommend a 45 degree angle profile for directing the light. The price is then €287, but the colour temperature control is not included.
Further information
At Lamp Shop Led Store, we help you plan lighting renovations and recommend the right electrician and carpenter. In our lighting design service, we design lighting systems for private homes, for example, on a daily basis, and make LED strip lighting ready for installation according to your dimensions in our LedPaja service. All our products are on display, installed and available for testing in our shop in Koivuha, Mesikukantie 16, Vantaa. We serve business, consumer and retail customers. Opening hours: mon, thurs 8.30-15.30, tu-tu 8.30-17, sat 10-14.
