Rope Lighting a Great Accent

After decorating hundreds of rooms, my co-host, Shari Hiller, and I have learned the importance of accent lighting. While there are many available types of accent lights, few are as adaptable as rope lighting.

Rope lighting is the generic term for a type of accent light manufactured in long tubes. A rope light consists of numerous small lights housed in a resin tube. They can be used in lengths up to 150 feet and are very economical.

Although the bulbs are not meant for replacement, most rope lights are rated for about 25,000 hours of usage, which translates to more than a decade of normal use. Ten feet of rope light uses about the same energy as a 60-watt light bulb.

Rope lights come in a variety of colored tubes. Most often the lights are constantly lit; however, some versions blink at different rates or patterns. Some lights even appear to chase each other.

The uses of rope light are limited only by your imagination. They are the perfect lighting for patios and can even mounted to patio umbrellas. And, for use during a July Fourth backyard evening picnic, for example, they come in reds, whites and blues.

They are beautiful around decks and deck railings and can be used as safety lighting along dark garden pathways and stairways. Some people even wrap their trees in rope lighting.

Probably the most common use is in the kitchen, where they work quite well over cabinets. When used under tall wall of cabinets, they produce a soft glow throughout the entire room.

Installing rope lighting behind cove molding below a ceiling is also a popular use of these accent lights. This type of installation is especially effective when used as a nightlight in a child's room.

Rope lights are very easy to install. They can be purchased in a kit, complete with a 30 to 50 foot tube of lights, a power-cord connecter, installation clips and splice fittings. If you need a longer length of roping, the pieces are available separately.

It's best to do a bit of planning before beginning this project. Decide where you want to install the lights. Measure to determine how much you'll need. Most are packaged in 30-foot lengths, although connectors are available that allow you to join up to five 30-foot sections.

Lay out the rope lighting so that it is close to an electrical outlet. A power-cord connector is used at one end of the tube to make a power connection between the lights and a household outlet.

Splice connectors are used to splice sections of rope together end to end. If you need to use connectors, first slide the collars over the ends of the ropes you are connecting. Line up the wire holes and insert the pointed end of the pin pieces into the ends of the rope.

Place the split end of the connector fittings over the pins. Screw the collars onto the split end of the fittings. Make sure to secure the end cap on the opposite end of the rope.

In the most common type of installation, the ropes are held in place with small plastic clips that are screwed in place. The rope then snaps into the clips. Space the clips every three or four inches to prevent the rope lights from sagging.

Gently press the rope lighting into the mounting clips. Plug them in and stand back to admire the results. If you really enjoy the look of your new accent lighting, you might consider using a timer to turn your rope lighting on and off automatically.

Rope lighting is one of the most versatile types of accent lighting available. It is easy to install, cost effective and can be used almost anywhere. Once you try it in your home, I'm sure you'll agree that it is a perfect source of accent light.

(Matt Fox and Shari Hiller alternate writing this column. They also are authors of Real Decorating for Real People and co-hosts of the Home & Garden Television show Room By Room.)