So as the seasons change I once again am realizing I don’t like the lights in my pain cave. ~11*11’ room with 7ft’ ceilings. White walls and ceiling 4 recessed led lights on their dimmest is more light than I want at 5am and even set to 3k too blue. Just trainer rides I’m fine with light coming in from another room but trying to do any weight training and it’s not enough.
Not sure string Christmas lights are the style choice I want, plus with all the led ones now they are also probably too blue/white. We have some spare lamps but don’t really have the floor space to spare. Have been thinking about some led strip lights you’d use for under cabinet type lighting but that would quickly escalate to me putting up molding to hide it behind. Jokingly thinking about sconces one other side of the squat rack, but my partner would probably move in.
I realize I have kind of covered most options but anyone have any other ideas or even personal examples that may sway me on one of the ideas I’ve already noped.
I installed a couple of dimmers and they had settings under the wall plate for minimum light level which can be adjusted once hooked up. The default was still somewhat bright but I was able to adjust it downward and get the 6 dimmable LED bulbs in the ceiling fixtures to get very dim, nearly out. Your dimmer/bulbs might be able to be adjusted to go lower.
I put up a Matane LED Ceiling Light Dimmable 24W, Ceiling Lamp in our spare bedroom, it came with a remote that can adjust colour temperature and brightness it even has an extra set of leds that are mounted so they bounce off the ceiling for a nightlight mode. When I get around to it I need to fit something similar in my workshop/paincave, where I’m relying on single T5 fluorescent tube, which isn’t really bright enough.
Personally, if I’m getting up, I’m staying up so I prefer to go straight to daylight brightness cool white tint, I find it good for my mood, energy and it helps set circadian rhythm.
99% sure I adjusted them when we moved in, I also installed a bunch/and dimmers in some other rooms so I may have never ended up doing this room. Good reminder to check.
I can kind of get this but I’m also the kind of guy who put 6 lights in our bedroom ceiling and then gets annoy when anything but a nightstand light is on.
The other factor is window position. One of my basement windows is directly inline with my neighbors kitchen door. The mom seems to be always taking garbage out while I’m working out. 2 teen/pre teen girls. Trying not to be the shirtless sweaty guy they can’t not see during breakfast. This is honestly a significant portion of my desire for less light.
This might be the ticket. My current mirror is an old framed one that a few months back detached from the frame smashed on my weight bench and some how did not shatter. I had planned to just mount the mirror to the wall and ditch the frame. Mounting it spaced out with some light behind it might be what I need.
My main thing is i don’t want to see them. But ordered some 3k led strips similar to those. I was afraid that the color change ones wouldn’t get as warm so bought just plain ones. Grew up with a darkroom in our house so in hindsight maybe red would have been a good option so there might be some regret not having the option but for 10 bucks I can repurpose these.
Just finished designing my first 3d printable thing to hold the mirror little over an inch off the wall. There is an outlet behind that I didn’t want to lose access to and also wanted space for the lights.
Alright went with diy of @TrekCentury idea and wow couldn’t be happier with what I came up with.
It also forced me to finally play with something like tinkercad and design my own part to 3d print.
As noted above I had a mirror that came apart. It actually fell in the night , loud enough to wake me up from opposite corner of the house, onto the weight bench and did not shatter. It has been sketchily leaning against wall and with a tot in the house needed to be fixed so I planned to just mount it to the wall.
Went with a 16ft roll of 3k led strip lights. Stuck to the back of the old mirror. Designed and printed some brackets to put the mirror off the wall by about an inch. Bottom brackets are resting on the floor trim for a little extra support. 7 out of 8 screws into studs. Mirror can be slid to the side to access outlet behind it.
Sun was up by the time I got to finishing project this morning so will have to wait to see full effect tonight.
