Indirect lighting definitely has its perks, especially for creating atmosphere on a budget. But honestly, having been down the LED strip road myself, I'd suggest considering another route if you're not a fan of cable management headaches. I mean, sure, you can eventually get it sorted, but the hassle can really eat up your weekend.
One alternative I've found pretty effective is using plug-in wall sconces or even battery-operated lanterns. You can get some surprisingly decent-looking ones online or at thrift stores, and they're super easy to install—no spaghetti chaos required. Plus, you can move them around whenever you feel like changing things up. I grabbed a couple of vintage-looking lanterns at a garage sale last summer and mounted them with simple hooks. Instant cozy tavern vibe without the wiring nightmare.
Another thing to think about is accessibility. If something goes wrong with your LED strips or you want to upgrade later, you'll have to deal with all those hidden wires again. With standalone lamps or sconces, it's just plug-and-play. Less permanent, sure, but way more flexible.
Not knocking your setup though—pallet wood beams sound awesome, and I'm sure the final look was great. Just figured I'd toss in my two cents from experience. Sometimes simplicity saves you more than just money... it saves your sanity too.
I went the LED strip route too, and yeah... the cable management was a pain. Ended up spending hours hiding wires behind beams and panels—looked great eventually, but not sure I'd do it again. Recently tried battery-powered fairy lights tucked into mason jars hung from hooks. Way simpler, no wiring mess, and honestly gave the room a warmer feel. Might be worth experimenting with something like that if you're still tweaking your setup.
Did you find the fairy lights bright enough for the whole basement? I went with LED strips too, and yeah, hiding those wires was a nightmare... ended up taping them behind some fake wooden beams. Looks decent now, but I'm still not totally sold on the vibe. Fairy lights in jars sound cozy, but do you think I'd need a ton of them to really brighten things up? I'm tempted to try something simpler next time around.
Fairy lights in jars definitely give off a cozy vibe, but honestly, they're more for mood lighting than actual brightness. I tried something similar a while back—had mason jars with fairy lights hanging around my patio—and it looked great for chill evenings, but wasn't exactly bright enough to read or play board games comfortably.
If you're looking to brighten up the basement without going overboard on complexity, maybe consider mixing in some larger bulbs or pendant lights? I recently did a friend's basement hangout and we combined fairy lights with a few strategically placed Edison bulbs. It kept the fantasy feel but added enough brightness to actually see clearly. Plus, fewer wires to hide overall, which is always a win in my book...
Also, if you're still dealing with wire-hiding nightmares (been there, done that), try using cable raceways painted to match your ceiling color. They're pretty cheap and way easier than taping wires behind beams. Good luck with the project—sounds like it'll be awesome once you nail down the lighting!
Fairy lights in jars definitely set a nice mood, but yeah, they're pretty limited if you actually want to see clearly. I did something similar in my basement hangout a couple years back—went for that fantasy tavern vibe with fairy lights and lanterns. Looked awesome, but after the first game night, everyone was squinting at their character sheets and cards. Ended up adding a few pendant lights with warmer Edison bulbs, and it made a huge difference. Still cozy, still fantasy-ish, but way more practical.
Totally second the cable raceway suggestion too. I tried hiding wires behind beams at first, and it was a nightmare—tape kept peeling off, wires drooping down randomly...ugh. Cable raceways painted to match the ceiling were a lifesaver. Took maybe an afternoon to install, and now I barely notice them.
One other thing that worked well for me was using dimmable bulbs. That way, you can crank up the brightness when you're gaming or hanging out, then dial it back down when you just want to chill. It gives you flexibility without needing extra fixtures or complicated wiring setups.
Sounds like you've got a cool project going on. Lighting can be tricky, but once you find that sweet spot between atmosphere and practicality, it'll totally transform your space. Keep at it—you're on the right track for sure.
