Plaster Wall Lights

Why choose plaster

Every light in this range is made from gypsum plaster and finished in white, with a modern shape that keeps the detail simple. Walls are usually finished in plaster, so a plaster fitting can look like part of the wall rather than something added to it. That makes plaster lights a good choice when you want the glow on the wall to matter more than the fitting. They are all rated IP20, a rating suited to dry indoor rooms.

Painting them in with the wall

Some of our plaster wall lights are sold as paintable wall lights, and the word paintable appears in their titles. A paintable design can take the same colour as the wall, so it fades into the background, or a contrasting colour if you want it to show. If yours is already on the wall, switch off at the mains before painting, keep paint away from the lamp holder and let it dry fully before the lamp goes in.

Up and down light and the uplighter

Many of the lights in this range are up and down wall lights, which throw light above and below the fitting so the wall around it glows. They come in cuboid and curved shapes, and there is a cylindrical design too.

For light that travels upwards only, we stock an uplighter. It washes the wall and ceiling above it with indirect light, which works well where you want a gentle glow without light falling towards the floor.

Recessed and trimless fittings

A few of our plaster wall lights are recessed, so they sit within the wall rather than standing out from it. Some of the recessed designs are trimless: they finish flush with the wall after plastering, with no trim around the opening. A trimless fitting needs a cut-out box planned and set in before the wall is finished, so think about it at the start of a renovation.

Some of the recessed designs have an integrated LED rather than a lamp holder. Those LEDs are low in output, so we would use them alongside other lighting, perhaps as a soft marker along a hallway.

Lamps, dimming and light colour

Many of our plaster wall lights take a G9 lamp. A few take a GU10 instead. A few others take an E14, so check the lamp base before you order. Where the specification says the lamp is not included, you will need to buy it separately.

On most designs, dimming depends on the lamp, so choose a dimmable lamp and a compatible dimmer switch if you want to turn the light down. A few are listed as dimmable. The integrated LED designs are listed as not dimmable and give a warm white light at 3000K. For the rest, the lamp sets the colour of the light, and warm white is a good place to start. Check the product page for the dimming detail before you choose a dimmer.

Rooms and spacing

Most of our plaster wall lights suit hallways and living rooms. Most are also small, which helps along a narrow hallway or landing.

As a guide, fit surface wall lights a little above eye level and keep the spacing even, so the light from neighbouring fittings just meets along the wall. Up and down designs look their best on a clear stretch of wall, away from shelves and frames that would break up the light. In a living room, try them framing a fireplace or a piece of art.

Fitting your plaster wall lights

Mains wall lights should be fitted by a qualified electrician, who can check that your wiring, switch and any dimmer suit the light you have chosen. The product page gives the dimensions, so you can see how far a surface fitting will stand out and whether a recessed design suits the depth of your wall.