Modern Outdoor Wall Lights

Placing modern outdoor wall lights

Every light we stock here is a modern outdoor wall light, so the main choice is where it goes. At the front door, a light either side of the frame shows up the lock and the step, while a narrow porch needs only a light on the latch side. Fix it a little above eye level so it lights faces without glare.

Along a side passage, lights spaced evenly keep the route lit without dark patches. Some throw light both up and down, washing the wall above and below to frame a doorway. A few are lanterns, a familiar shape that suits a porch. Some are bulkheads, a practical choice for a back door or outbuilding. Many have an industrial edge that sits well on a brick wall.

IP ratings for outdoor wall lights

The IP rating tells you how well a light keeps out dust and water. The first figure covers solids and dust, the second covers water. IP44 guards against splashing water from any direction, which suits a wall sheltered by a porch, canopy or deep overhang. IP54 adds protection against dust.

IP65 is dust-tight and protected against jets of water, the better choice for an exposed wall that takes driving rain, and IP66 stands up to more powerful jets. We stock IP44, IP54, IP65 and IP66 lights, so match the rating to the spot and check it on the product page before you order.

Integrated LED or a bulb in an outdoor wall light

Most of our modern outdoor wall lights have integrated LEDs. The light source is built in, so there is no bulb to buy or fit and the body can stay compact. Others take a bulb, which lets you choose the brightness and colour of light and change it later.

We stock E27, GU10 and GX53 fittings. E27 is the large screw cap, which suits a decorative bulb. GU10 is the push-and-twist spotlight cap, for a more directed beam, and GX53 is a flat, disc-shaped lamp that keeps a fitting slim. Check the product page for the fitting and whether a bulb is included.

Warm or cool white from an outdoor wall light

Warm white, such as 3000K, gives a soft glow that flatters brick, timber and planting, and suits a front door, porch or patio. 2700K is warmer still, close to an old filament bulb. Cool white, such as 4000K, looks crisper and helps on a drive or side path, where seeing clearly comes before mood.

Daylight is cooler again and best kept for a garage or work area. We stock warm white, cool white and daylight options, along with adjustable colour temperature lights, known as CCT, that let you set the shade of white yourself. Keep the same colour of light across the front of the house, so your modern outdoor lights look like a matching set.

Motion sensor outdoor wall lights

We stock lights with a built-in motion sensor, which switch on as someone approaches and off when the area is clear. That suits a side gate, back door or drive, where you want light as you arrive and darkness the rest of the time. A PIR sensor reacts to body heat moving across its view, and picks up movement across it more readily than movement straight towards it.

So aim it across the path rather than down it, and away from a road, a boiler flue or an extractor vent. A few have a dusk-to-dawn sensor, or photocell, which switches the light on as it gets dark and off at first light.

Finishes for contemporary outdoor wall lights

We stock black, white, grey, anthracite, brown and silver finishes. Black and anthracite, a dark charcoal grey, give a crisp outline against pale render, while white sits quietly on a white wall and lets the light take the attention. Grey and brown are easy partners for red brick, stone and timber. Many have a matt finish, which shows water marks less than gloss.

Most have a metal body. We stock aluminium and stainless steel designs, along with polycarbonate, a tough plastic for walls where a light may get knocked. To clean a light, switch it off, wipe it with a soft cloth and mild soapy water, and avoid abrasive cleaners and pressure washers.

Fitting a modern outdoor wall light safely

A mains outdoor wall light should be wired in by a qualified electrician. In England and Wales, electrical work in a home comes under Part P of the Building Regulations, and a registered electrician can certify the work. Outdoor lighting should also be on a circuit with RCD protection, which your electrician will check.

Before you order, plan where the cable will come through the wall and check the back plate can sit flat, since a gap against rough stone can let water in. An indoor switch is worth having, even for a sensor light. A few run on solar power and need no wiring, a simple answer for a shed or garden wall.