I ended up buying a 15' 5050 SMD LED strip, power supply, and RGB controller with remote from ebay, and then used an IRLinc transmitter (2411t) to control everything.
The IR controller is easily found all over the place, and comes with a membrane-style remote with DIYx keys which you can adjust to be whatever color/levels you want.
Since I am using only a single-color LED strip, I connected just one channel (red, I think, though it doesn't matter). You could actually split the strip into separate pieces, and connect the different pieces to the different color outputs to control each: instead of the color, red brightness controls one channel, blue controls another, etc.
I then used the remote to set the LED strip brightness (by adjusting RED level) and then saved different levels to the DIY keys. I didn't get fancy here: DIY1 is off, DIY2 is ~50%, and DIY3 is 100%.
Next I linked the KPL buttons to the IRLinc, so that the buttons correspond to pressing the different DIYx keys. This is great because I actually messed with my "medium" (DIY2) setting a bit later on, and it is simply a matter of changing the DIY2 level with the remote -- no need to touch the IRLinc, since it just sends the "DIY2" key, and not any specific levels.
I've had this running for about 8 months now, and daily use is pretty much flawless. The KPL is used to adjust kitchen scenes (which includes LED counter lighting) many times a day. I'd guess I've seen the LEDs not respond 2 or 3 times in that 8 months, and pressing again fixes the issue.
I have some issues with it, specifically with the ISY:
[*:4d8iaqvn]Controlling the IRLinc from the ISY or an ISY program is hit or miss. I don't know if this is a reliability issue or something else, but some days it works, some days it doesn't. I never have control issues from other switches. YMMV. [*:4d8iaqvn]The ISY doesn't see the "off" links (the IRLinc sending a code in response to off commands). [*:4d8iaqvn]I haven't tried too much, but I was unsuccessful linking a controller to an IR command using the ISY. I programmed all of this using the manual press-and-hold method (before I bought the ISY), but I'm pretty sure that's the only way to fully program it anyway.