Smart Home · Design Guide
LED Strip
Lighting
in Kenya
From KES 290 a metre. A strip is only as good as the type, the voltage, the IP rating and the profile you run it in. This guide walks each decision, then shows where the light actually belongs.
How Strip Lighting Works
The fitting is a channel of light, not a fixture
Strip lighting doesn’t hang or mount like a lamp — it lines a surface. That changes the questions. Not “which shade?” but “COB or SMD, what voltage, what IP rating, and which profile?” Get those four right and the light reads as part of the architecture.
The two decisions that matter most: strip type (COB for seamless coves, SMD for brightness, addressable for effects) and the profile it runs in, which dissipates heat and turns visible dots into a clean line.
Four Strip Types
Choose by the job it has to do
Each type serves a different purpose. COB for seamless cove lighting, SMD for general brightness, neon for decorative outlines, RGB and addressable for colour and effects.
Seamless · dot-free light
COB LED Strips
Chip-on-board packs hundreds of tiny chips into a continuous line, no visible dots, just a smooth run of light. The premium choice for cove lighting, aluminium profiles and any architectural feature where individual LED dots would spoil the effect.
- Look
- Dot-free, continuous
- Width
- 8 mm — fits standard profiles
- White
- Warm, neutral, cool or CCT tuneable
- Rating
- IP20 indoor or IP68 waterproof
High brightness · the workhorse
SMD LED Strips
Individual 2835 / 5050 chips on a flexible board. Brighter per metre than COB and more affordable over long runs. The dots are visible up close but disappear behind a frosted profile diffuser. The default for general lighting.
- Brightness
- More lumens / m than COB
- Widths
- 5, 8, 10, 12, 15 mm
- White
- Single-colour or CCT tuneable
- Rating
- IP20 / IP65 / IP68
Glass-neon look · bends to any shape
Neon Flex
A flexible silicone tube that mimics traditional glass neon. Bends around signs, logos, bar counters and architectural outlines. Comes in 220V (long runs, no driver, plug straight in) and 24V (smart-controllable) formats.
- Body
- Silicone, waterproof to IP68
- Bend
- All directions (square 24V profile)
- Cut points
- Every 2.5 cm (24V) / 15 cm (220V)
- Best for
- Signage, bar counters, outlines
Full colour · per-pixel effects
RGB & Addressable
16 million colours, plus RGBCCT strips that add tuneable white in the same run. Addressable strips (WS2811 / WS2815) control each LED or segment individually for chase, rainbow, fire and sound-reactive effects, all from the Tuya app.
- Colour
- 16 million · RGB or RGBCCT
- Addressable
- Per-pixel / per-segment control
- Effects
- Chase, rainbow, fire, sound-reactive
- Control
- Tuya app + Alexa / Google
Decision One
Voltage
24V (low voltage)
Anything you want to dim, tune or control from an app
The standard for homes and commercial fit-outs. Safer than mains, works with smart controllers and sits neatly inside aluminium profiles. Needs a driver / power supply sized to the run.
220V (mains)
Simple long runs with no smart control
Snake lights and 220V neon flex plug straight into a socket with an adaptor — no driver. Longer maximum runs, but no dimming or colour tuning without a separate inline dimmer.
Decision Two
Water rating
IP20
No water protection — indoor, dry areas only
Cove lighting, under-cabinet, wardrobe, TV backlight
IP65
Splash-proof
Bathroom ceilings, covered patios, kitchen splashbacks
IP68
Fully submersible
Pool edges, outdoor ground runs, showers, water features
Where the Light Belongs
Six places a strip earns its keep
COB or SMD, warm-to-neutral white
Kitchen Under-Cabinet
Run a strip under the wall units to wash the worktop with even, shadow-free light. A slim COB strip inside a low-profile channel sits flush under most cabinet bases. Add a PIR sensor so it wakes when you approach.
COB inside a cornice profile
Cove & Perimeter
Mounted at the wall-ceiling junction, a cove strip throws indirect light up the wall and across the ceiling — the soft, sourceless glow that defines luxury interiors. COB only here; dots are unforgivable in a cove.
RGB or RGBCCT bias light
TV & Media Wall
A strip behind the screen reduces eye strain in a dark room and makes the picture pop. RGBCCT lets you match the wall colour to the mood, or sync it to on-screen content with an addressable controller.
COB, downward-facing, warm white
Staircase & Skirting
A continuous line along the stair wall or under the nosings turns a safety detail into the most architectural element in the house at night. Pair with a motion sensor for hands-free wayfinding that doesn’t wake the household.
IP65 minimum, 3000–4000 K
Bathroom
Behind a mirror, under a floating vanity or around a niche. Anything within 60 cm of water needs IP65 or better. Neutral white renders skin tone accurately; avoid cool white directly over the mirror.
IP68 neon flex or waterproof COB
Outdoor & Facade
Grazing a boundary wall, outlining a pergola or lining a deck edge. Use IP68-rated silicone neon flex for exposed runs, and keep the driver in a weatherproof enclosure or indoors.
Make It Smart
One Tuya controller between the driver and the strip
Wire a Tuya-compatible WiFi controller inline and the strip answers to the app, a schedule, or your voice through Alexa, Google Home and Siri Shortcuts. Pick the controller by what the strip can do.
Single-colour dimming
On / off, dim 1–100%, schedule. For a fixed-white strip you just want to fade.
KES 1,800
CCT tuneable white
Blends warm and cool LEDs to any temperature from 2700 K to 6000 K, on a schedule or by voice.
KES 3,200
RGBCCT full colour + white
Full colour spectrum plus tuneable white in one controller, with scene modes and dimming.
KES 3,600
Addressable pixel
Per-pixel effects, sound-reactive patterns and 100+ built-in animations for WS2811 / WS2815 strips.
KES 6,500
Finish the Job
A strip without a profile shows its dots
Aluminium profiles protect the strip, dissipate heat to extend LED life two to three times, and the frosted diffuser turns individual LEDs into a smooth, professional line. Surface, recessed, corner, skirting, pendant and cornice types cover every situation.
Read the LED Profiles guide →What to Budget
Strip lighting prices in Kenya
Strips are sold by the metre or the roll; controllers and drivers are quoted separately. Installation inside profiles is priced per linear metre where routing or plastering is involved.
01
220V Neon Flex
Plug-and-play decorative outlines, signage and bar counters.
KES 290 – 390 / m
02
COB Tuneable White
Dot-free architectural light for coves and profiles.
from KES 4,500 / roll
03
SMD Single / Tuneable White
General-purpose brightness for cabinets, shelves and washes.
KES 3,800 – 4,500 / roll
04
RGBCCT SMD
Colour plus white for media walls and mood lighting.
from KES 6,500 / roll
05
Addressable RGB
Per-pixel effects and dynamic scenes.
KES 8,500 – 9,800 / roll
06
Tuya Smart Controllers
One per strip, sized to single-colour, CCT, RGBCCT or addressable.
KES 1,800 – 6,500
Common Questions
LED strip FAQ
What’s the difference between COB and SMD?+
COB packs hundreds of chips into a continuous line so there are no visible dots — the premium choice for coves and profiles. SMD spaces individual LEDs along the strip: brighter per chip, more affordable, but the dots show up close. Behind a frosted diffuser the two look almost identical.
24V or 220V?+
24V is the standard for homes: safer than mains, works with smart controllers and fits aluminium profiles, but needs a driver sized to the run. 220V strips and neon flex plug straight into a socket with no driver — choose them for simple long runs where you don’t need dimming or colour control.
What do IP20, IP65 and IP68 mean?+
IP20 has no water protection and is for dry indoor areas only. IP65 is splash-proof — fine for bathroom ceilings and covered outdoor areas. IP68 is fully submersible for pool edges, showers and exposed ground runs. Always use IP65 or better anywhere near moisture.
How do I make a strip smart?+
Add a Tuya-compatible WiFi controller between the power supply and the strip. Controllers come for single-colour dimming, CCT tuneable white, RGBCCT full colour, and addressable pixel effects. All control through the Tuya app with Alexa and Google Home voice support.
What is CCT tuneable and why would I want it?+
A CCT strip carries two sets of LEDs — warm and cool white. A smart CCT controller blends them to any temperature from 2700 K (cozy) to 6000 K (energising). Set warm for evenings and cool for mornings, automatically on a schedule or by voice.
Do strips need aluminium profiles?+
Not required, but strongly recommended for any visible run. A profile protects the strip, dissipates heat (extending LED life two to three times), and its frosted diffuser turns dots into a smooth line of light.
How many metres do I need?+
Measure the total length of the run, then add 10% for cuts and corners. Strips are sold per metre so you buy exactly what you need. For a room-perimeter cove, measure all four walls; for under-cabinet, measure each section separately.
What is an addressable strip?+
An addressable strip lets you control each LED or small segment individually — each pixel can be a different colour and brightness. That enables colour chasing, rainbow waves, fire simulation and sound-reactive patterns, all through the Tuya app with 100+ built-in effects.
Smart Home Service
Tell us the room,
we’ll spec the run
Send us the space, the mood and the budget. Our team returns a strip, profile and controller combination with metre counts and costs before you commit.