The Galaxy Star Ceiling

Rich in detail, and highly textured, the Galaxy with its sculpted constellation graphics will be the focal point of any room where it is installed.

This fantastic new product is available now direct from starscape. Order on line or by phone. For more information visit the Galaxy link under star ceilings main navigation bar or click here.

 

 

Project Coving

We’ve used a high density foam coving available at B & Q. This one has moulded recesses which lend themselves to regular spacing of the fibre optic light points, making for very easy measuring and spacing.The foam is very soft, so drilling or poking holes is very easy.
Length of coving with drill and awl.
Just remember to try to be consistent with the angle of drilling or poking so that all the light points are orientated the same way.Ideally, the hole should be just wide enough to admit the number of fibres which you have chosen for each light point, but you can always fill the hole afterwards with Polyfilla or similar. The foam is easily drilled - even without electrical assistance.
The test section takes shape. Note the aluminium common end in the right foreground. The fibres go into this and it is then plugged into a socket on the lightsource.
We've stapled the fibres, but silicone will work too.
Experiment with positioning the fibre ends – you can have the fibres protruding slightly, flush with the surface of the coving or even recessed by a couple of millimetres. Each option will create quite different end results.
Protruding fibres are snipped back to length.
The fibres are gathered together. Where you gather them depends on the location of the lightsource. Always aim to minimise fibre runs where possible.
Also, consider varying the number of fibres from one light position to another. We’ve used three fibres in each spot, but you could experiment with different effects – alternating 6 and 2 fibres for instance so that you had a row of lights in two alternating levels of brightness. Budget permitting, you could also have fibres illuminated by two separate lightsources, with the result that different groups of light points would be shining in different colours.
The finished section is tested. Notice that at some stage we've switched to a different common end. This one has a black plastic nut which tightens a rubber bush around the bundled fibres.
Clearly, there’s the potential here for going over the top, but it’s always worth considering all the possibilities!
The final effect. Gloss paint accentuates the light from the coving. However the exposure of the photo exaggerates the level of illumination actually achieved.
The harness, common end and lightsource.

 

 

Star Cloths

 

End glow fibres