the MRH Forum

12" Lighted Valance over 26" Bench? Projecting light on uncovered areas. Dream and design
Reply
Frequent poster 540 posts sanchomurphy Frequent poster 540 posts
sanchomurphy

Hi everyone,

I am looking at doing a valance over my shelf layout which is 26" wide, yet I was hoping to do a 12" "book shelf" lighted valance above. I feel that this would feel better aesthetically in the room it will be located in but was worried about fully lighting the 26" of layout. Has anyone done this? Is there a good way to reflect or project light out on to the uncovered space? I plan to use LED strip lighting on a dimmer. Below is a rough profile of what I hope to do.

 

_______

              I           < -----12" LIGHTED VALANCE

 

_______________

I                            I           < -----26" BENCHWORK

I______________I

 
              

 
Great Northern, Northern Pacific, and Burlington Northern 3D Prints and Models
https://www.shapeways.com/shops/sean-p-murphy-designs
Reply 0
Bill Brillinger Moderator 4,904 posts
Bill Brillinger

if...

If you do this, all your structures and equipment that are closer to the edge of the layout than the light source will be in shadow. Everything at the front will be lit from above or behind, everything at the back of the layout will be lit from the front; this will result in an un-natural looking scene because of the wonky shadows.

Bill Brillinger

Modeling the BNML in HO Scale, Admin for the RailPro User Group, and owner of Precision Design Co.
Reply 0
kcsphil1 Prolific poster 1,233 posts
kcsphil1

you need to either

move the light so its over the middle of the layout, or move it to the front and angle it back.  That way shadows are cast behind . . . .

Philip H. Chief Everything Officer Baton Rouge Southern Railroad, Mount Rainier Div.

"You can't just "Field of Dreams" it... not matter how James Earl Jones your voice is..." ~ my wife

My Blog Index
Reply 0
sanchomurphy Frequent poster 540 posts
sanchomurphy

Spot Cans

Thanks for your replies. I am also considering spotlight recessed cans as an option in the ceiling with ambient lighting to remove some of the intensity of the spots. Is their a good way implement this? Maybe a combination is the way to go? I'm looking for good examples of either.
Great Northern, Northern Pacific, and Burlington Northern 3D Prints and Models
https://www.shapeways.com/shops/sean-p-murphy-designs
Reply 0
ctxmf74 Super User 15,941 posts
ctxmf74

" also considering spotlight

Quote:

" also considering spotlight recessed cans as an option in the ceiling with ambient lighting to remove some of the intensity of the spots"

  My TT scale layout is on narrow  around the walls of a small spare bedroom . To keep the room more open feeling I didn't want to add a lighting valence so I installed track lighting roughly over the head of an operator standing facing the layout. This gives a nice front light on the scenery and rolling stock. The nice thing about track lights is one can add as many as needed and re-space them if desired.....DaveB

1990.jpg 
Read my blog
Reply 0
Onewolf Regular poster 197 posts
Onewolf

I think I am going to end up

I think I am going to end up using track lighting to light areas of my layout that don't have benchwork above or are too far away to use LED strip lighting.

- My layout build thread -
Reply 0
Reply