I will be installing built-in bookcases to the right and left of the fireplace pictured below.
LED strip lighting will be installed in the bookcase.
I'm having trouble deciding the best/easiest way to run electrical to both sides of the bookcase.
Option 1) The blue lines in the photo. I could try to pull power from the can lights near the fireplace and feed wire to make a receptacle on both sides of the bookcase. This option would require cutting holes through several ceiling joists … yuck.
Option 2) I could pull power from the outlet that is currently near the fireplace. The orange lines in the photo show this option. I would have to cut holes through 2×4's and a corner. Then I would have to figure out how to get it to the other side of the fireplace.
Any suggestions? I could use it.
Best Answer
Use low voltage as your secret weapon
LED strip lights are more readily available in low voltage anyway, and low voltage not only makes it a lot safer, but sidesteps most of the Electrical Code. Now you don't need to think so hard about how to get power from A to B using Class 1 wiring methods!
At that point I would probably have a DC power supply plugged into the "orange" receptacle, then come straight over laterally to the bookcase, then conceal the remaining wiring in the bookcase. As far as getting across to the other bookcase, you could tuck a small cable in the lip above the brick. You have a lot of freedom in low voltage.