Spotlights & Downlights

Choosing between downlights and spotlights

A downlight sits in or on the ceiling and sends light down, and a grid of downlights gives even, general light across a room. Most of what we stock here suits a kitchen. Many fittings suit hallways and bedrooms too. Some downlights tilt, so you can angle the light at a painting or a shelf.

A spotlight has a head you can aim. We stock single spotlights, spotlight bars and multi-light designs. Some fix to a wall instead of the ceiling. A surface-mounted spotlight can replace a pendant on an existing ceiling point, giving you directional light without cutting into the plaster. Finishes include white, black, chrome, brass and gold, in matt, satin, brushed or polished sheens. A white trim fades into a white ceiling, while black or brass stands out.

Fire-rated downlights for ceilings with a room above

A hole cut for a recessed light can let fire pass through a ceiling more quickly. Where a ceiling separates floors or sits between flats, it may need to keep its fire resistance, and that is the job of a fire-rated downlight. We stock some fire-rated downlights. Your electrician or building control can tell you whether your ceiling needs them and which rating to look for.

Sealed downlights for bathrooms and outside

For a bathroom, look in our section of sealed downlights, protected against dust and jets of water. We stock lights suited to bathrooms, but the rating you need depends on the zone, meaning how close the light sits to the bath or shower, so check the listing and have a qualified electrician fit it. A few sealed downlights are fire-rated too, for a bathroom ceiling that must also hold back fire. Outside, we stock outdoor-rated spotlights and downlights for porches and entrances.

Stair, plinth and cabinet lights to pair with downlights

Stair lights sit low in the wall beside the steps to light the treads. A few have a motion sensor, so they come on as you approach. Plan their positions before the wall is plastered, and check whether they need a driver.

We stock a few plinth lights, which sit in the kickboard at the foot of fitted units for a soft glow at floor level. Under cabinet lighting fixes beneath wall cupboards to light the worktop, where a ceiling downlight behind you would cast your shadow. A few are linkable strip lights that join along a run of units.

Warm or cool white from LED downlights and spotlights

Colour temperature sets the mood of a room. Warm white at 3000K suits living rooms, bedrooms and hallways, and 2700K is softer still, close to an old filament bulb. Cool white at 4000K gives crisp light for kitchens, bathrooms and studies, and daylight suits a garage or workshop. We stock warm white, cool white and daylight options, plus colour-adjustable downlights that let you choose warmer or cooler white. Keep to the same colour temperature across a room so the ceiling looks even.

Bulbs, dimming and fitting for downlights

Integrated LED fittings have the light built in, so there is no bulb to buy or fit. Fittings that take a replaceable bulb let you change brightness or colour later, so check the listing to see whether the bulb is included. We stock dimmable and non-dimmable fittings. To dim, pair a dimmable fitting or bulb with an LED-compatible dimmer, and check whether a dimmable driver is needed.

When replacing old downlights, measure the holes and match them to the cut-out size on the listing, then check the fitting's height against your ceiling void. The beam angle settles the layout: a narrow beam picks out a spot, while a wide beam spreads light further, so fewer fittings light the room. Recessed lights should be fitted by a qualified electrician.