Ball wall light: how to choose the right one for each room

Choose the room before the colour. Of the 82 products in our collection reviewed on 23 October 2026, 99% of ball wall lights are IP20: they suit a bedroom, a living room or a hallway, not a bathroom or a terrace. Next comes the socket (E27 41%, E14 21%, G9 17%), then the finish.

Which ball wall light should you choose for each room?

The room dictates the rest. A bedroom or living room is fine with IP20, with a glass globe and an E27 or E14 socket for warm light. A bathroom and a terrace require a protected fitting. The review of 82 products gives 100% bedroom and living room, 83% staircase.

Our ball wall light collection brings together 1,539 products as of 23 October 2026, filterable by room, colour and socket. Metal accounts for 93% of the review, glass 54%, and black features on 55% of the products against 41% in white.

Where should you place wall lights in a bedroom?

On either side of the bed, at the same distance from the headboard wall, rather than two lamps cluttering the bedside tables. The globe diffuses upwards and to the sides, which makes the room readable without switching on the ceiling light.

An adult bedroom wall light in opal glass softens the light so much that you can read lying down without glare.

• Symmetry: two globes at the same height, on either side of the bed.
• Opal glass: diffuse light, no reflection on the book or screen.
• E14 socket: a smaller globe, more slender above a headboard.
• Switch: a wall light with a switch saves hunting for the button in the dark.

In the living room, the principle works on a larger scale: two globes frame a sofa or a bookcase, and the living room wall light takes over from the ceiling light in the evening.

Which wall light for a terrace?

The globe must be closed and the fitting treated, because an IP20 lets moisture through and open glass collects water. Only 1% of the review goes beyond IP20: look for the waterproof rating before the shape.

• IP44 minimum, and up to IP65 near a water point or frequent watering.
• Closed globe: no debris, no sand in the socket.
• Treated metal: aluminium or painted steel hold up better than raw brass.

Our outdoor wall light selection keeps the round globe shape with finishes that withstand the outdoors.

At what height should you install an outdoor wall light?

At shoulder height, on the eye line, so roughly halfway up the wall. It is the reference that works at the entrance as well as on a terrace: higher, the light illuminates empty space and glares; lower, it gets in the way and takes knocks.

The detailed dimensions for each room are in our guide on at what height to install a wall light, staircase and hallway included.

What height for wall lights?

Align them with each other rather than aiming for a single figure. Two wall lights in a hallway go at the same height, otherwise the eye sees the gap before it sees the light. A single wall light is set to the eye line of the room, not that of the installer.

• Alone on a wall: halfway up, on the eye line.
• As a pair: exactly the same height, same orientation.
• Staircase: follow the rise of the handrail rather than a constant level.
• Terrace: above the seating area, out of the eye line when seated.

How should you install wall lights above a bed?

The height is set by the seated position, not the ceiling: the globe falls above the shoulder of the person reading and stays out of the way when getting up. Two wall lights are better than one large one, so each person can adjust their own light.

The fixing matters as much as the measurement: our method for installing a wall light details the drilling, the cable routing and levelling.

Which bulb and wattage for a ball wall light?

Stick to the socket on the product page: 41% of the review is E27, 21% E14, 17% G9 and 9% G4, four families that are not interchangeable. Then aim for warm light, around 2700 K, and a measured LED: a wall light supports, it does not flood.

Which bulb for a wall light?

A clear globe suits a filament bulb, whose filaments can be seen drawing the light. Opal glass prefers a standard LED, more discreet behind the diffuser. Colour temperature decides the atmosphere far more than wattage.

Our selection of E27 bulbs covers warm white and filament, and dimmable models pair with a dimmable wall light.

Then there is the protection rating: near a washbasin, an IP20 globe is no longer enough. Our IP44 bathroom wall lights keep the ball shape with a seal flush with the wall.

To confirm the IP rating and finish before ordering, contact the Designix team.

What wattage for a wall light?

A 6 to 8 W LED is enough for an accent wall light. Beyond that, you light the wall more than the room. A wall light can become the main lighting of a hallway or entrance, provided you install several and choose a generous socket.

• 2700 K for a bedroom or living room, warm white.
• 6 to 8 W in LED for an accent wall light.
• Dimmer: the feature is stated on only 34 of the 82 products in the review, check it.
• G9 and G4: smaller bulbs, more compact globes.

What is a ball wall light, and why does the glass change everything?

A ball wall light is a glass globe fixed to the wall by a metal backplate, with the bulb inside. The glass filters, softens or lets raw light through. Across our 82 products reviewed, the ball shape is stated on 100% and glass on 54%.

What is a wall light?

A wall light is a wall-mounted fixture that replaces the bedside lamp or complements the ceiling light. It mounts on the surface, with the bulb visible or hidden. The ball model relies entirely on the globe and a short fitting that barely stands off the wall.

On materials, metal dominates at 93% of the review and glass follows at 54%. A brass wall light ages differently from painted metal: it patinates and takes on a warm tone over the years.

Clear, opal or smoked glass: which light?

Three glasses, three atmospheres: clear shows the source, opal diffuses it, smoked mutes it. The choice depends on what the room needs to do in the evening, not on the catalogue photo.

Colour matters just as much: black accounts for 55% of the review, white 41%, gold 39%. A black wall light fades into a light wall and frames the globe, a gold finish puts it centre stage.

Glass is also chosen for its thickness: a thin globe sings with light, thick glass holds it back. Our selection of glass lamps shows how much the effect varies from one room to another. A beautiful wall light stands out switched off as much as on, and the selection is reviewed by buyers on the Designix Google listing.