Ypu can do either f those. The thing you have to do is protect the wire, either by having it in the wall or with some sort of raceway. I put a shallow box blue PVC in the bottom of one of my uppers for rope light so it was flush on the bottom. It is in the back and the wire exits directly into the wall so it is not exposed. You can "fish" a finished wall and not staple the wire if it is in the wall. Just clamp it at the box