Outdoor Up and Down Wall Lights

Why up and down

A single downlight lights the ground; an up and down light lights the building too. The two beams draw vertical lines on the wall, which makes a house front look taller and more considered after dark, and a pair either side of a door frames it the way two lanterns would, with a far more modern outline. The light below still does the practical work, falling on the step, the lock or the path, while the light above does the architecture.

Placing and spacing

Fit up and down lights high enough for both beams to develop, usually around head height or a little above, and space a row of them evenly so the lines of light read as a pattern rather than an accident. On a long wall, a gap of two to three metres between fittings is a sensible starting point. The beams show best on a flat, pale or textured surface such as render or brick, and least on dark cladding, which absorbs them.

GU10 or integrated LED

Around half of this range takes GU10 bulbs, one for each beam, which lets you choose the brightness, the colour and the beam angle, and replace a bulb in a minute. A narrow beam angle gives a sharp, defined line on the wall; a wider one gives a softer wash. The fittings with integrated LEDs are sealed, need no bulbs and suit a wall that is hard to reach.

IP ratings

Every light here is rated for outdoor use. IP44 suits a sheltered wall under the eaves or beside a covered door; IP54 is the commonest rating in this range and suits most walls; IP65 is sealed against dust and jets of water, the choice for an exposed gable end or a house near the coast.

Finishes

Black and white are the commonest finishes here. A black body disappears against dark brick and grey render by day, so that only the light is noticed at night. Grey and anthracite suit modern cladding and slate, and white sits quietly on a white or cream rendered wall. Because the light itself does the work, a plain, simple body in the same colour as the wall is usually the most effective choice.

Pairs, rows and corners

A pair of up and down lights either side of a front door is the classic arrangement, and the two beams frame the door as neatly as any pair of lanterns. Along a terrace or a long garden wall, a row at even spacing turns the wall itself into the feature. At a corner, one light on each face lights both walls without either fitting having to reach round. Keep the fittings at the same height along any one wall, because the eye reads the lines of light before it reads the lights themselves, and an uneven height shows at once after dark.

Switching and bulbs

Up and down lights are usually part of the look of the house, so most people run them from a switch inside or a timer for the evening rather than a sensor. With GU10 fittings, warm white bulbs flatter brick and stone and suit most houses; a cooler white can suit a modern rendered front. Use the same bulbs in every fitting along a wall so the lines match in colour and brightness.