Hallway wall light

Allow one wall light every two to three metres of wall, fixed at shoulder height and aimed downwards rather than towards the eyes. In a dry interior, an IP20 hallway wall light in warm white 2700-3500K is enough; the size (19 to 30 cm on a short wall, 70 to 150 cm along a long passage) and the material then decide the look.

• Which wall light for a hallway?
• What light should you use in a hallway?
• What size for a short, long or narrow hallway?
• Hallway and staircase
• Toilets and small rooms
• Outdoor entrance and IP rating
• Which style should you choose?
• Using the same wall light in the living room
• Installation and maintenance

Which wall light for a hallway?

For a hallway, choose an indoor IP20 wall light, aimed downwards or adjustable, in a size that follows the length of the wall: compact on a short wall, 60 to 100 cm long along a narrow passage. Warm white 2700-3500K avoids an office-like feel.

Three criteria come up in this order: the length of wall to cover, the width of the passage, the colour of the wall with its woodwork and skirting boards. A long wall light underlines a circulation line. A globe punctuates the wall and lights more widely.

The material decides the look: metal structures combined with glass give a crisp finish, brass brings a warm note, rattan and cane soften.

Modern hallway wall light

Straight lines, tube or square, in black, white or gold, in a long size that runs straight: the Luminéa Chic wall light, 40x10 cm in glass and acrylic with a G4 base, is installed in a series along the passage.

On a wider wall, the Zula in iron and aluminium comes in several dimensions, including 128 cm, and accepts a dimmer. These lines also appear in modern wall lights.

Designer hallway wall light

A glass globe or a distinctive brass turns the light point into an object. The Halo, 30x15 cm in brass and glass with an E14 base, diffuses without glare and also suits an entrance.

The long format accompanies a wall, the globe isolates it. To multiply the shapes, see a globe wall light.

What light should you use in a hallway?

In a hallway, favour warm white of 2700 to 3500K, close to evening light, ideally on a dimmable model to lower the intensity at night. Neutral or cool white makes colours more readable along a long hallway without windows, but hardens the atmosphere.

Switching stays on a wall switch, at the entrance and the exit if the passage is long. The dimmer, present on some models, is mainly for night: you lower the intensity to cross without waking fully. A very dark hallway benefits from neutral white 3500-4500K, clear without the clinical look of cool white.

LED hallway wall light

An integrated LED module is recognisable by the absence of a bulb to change: this is the case with an LED hallway wall light such as the PINNE 150 strip, 150 cm of aluminium set in a continuous line.

E14, G9, G4 and E27 bases, on the other hand, let you choose the bulb, the intensity and the light temperature, which makes it possible to correct an atmosphere that is too cold.

What wattage to light a hallway?

The selection ranges from 5, 6, 8, 12, 16 and 18 W, with a few more demanding points. An accent wall light makes do with the lower values; a passage with no other source needs a higher wattage or several light points spread out.

The result also depends on the diffusion: frosted glass spreads the light, a tube concentrates it towards the floor. For a windowless hallway, cross two sources rather than increasing the wattage.

What size and wattage for a short, long or narrow hallway?

In a short hallway, a compact wall light of 19 to 30 cm is enough. On a wall of 3 to 6 m, a model of 40 to 61 cm distributes the light better. Along a longer passage, a wall light of 70 to 128 cm or a linear strip of 150 cm draws a continuous line.

Installation follows this logic: one wall light per section of wall, at shoulder height or aligned with the switches, never under your nose.

Hallway ceiling light: wall light or ceiling light in a hallway?

A wall point frees up the passage and lights the wall, which visually enlarges a narrow hallway. A ceiling light illuminates flat but leaves shadows under the chin and requires a ceiling rose.

In a service hallway, the wall solution remains simpler to install and to move if the furniture changes. See all hallway wall lights and, if you prefer downward light, indoor wall lighting.

Narrow hallway: what footprint should you choose?

Aim for a depth of 10 to 15 cm, which covers most models in the selection. A flat wall light avoids shoulder knocks and sits closer to the wall.

The whole catalogue can be browsed from our selection of light fittings, where the sizes can be compared side by side.

Hallway and staircase: how to light a tall passage?

On a staircase, place the wall lights at mid-height, repeated at regular intervals, with the light aimed at the steps and not into the eyes. An adjustable head, like the one on the Wiye in GU10, makes it possible to correct a narrow flight or a sloped wall without multiplying the points.

Well lit, a climb seems shorter and wider; poorly lit, it feels like walking down into the dark.

Staircase wall light: where should the light points go?

One point per flight, at mid-height, following the line of the handrail. The Pira in cane and rattan, 21x40 cm with an E27 base, projects patterns onto the wall and marks each landing.

On a sloped wall, the Wiye with adjustable head is set at 6 W and accepts a dimmer. Other solutions are gathered in lighting a stairwell.

How do you avoid shadow areas in a stairwell?

Cross the sources rather than multiplying them: one wall light at the bottom of the flight and one at the top are often enough to cover the climb. Watch out for glare at the top of the flight, where the eye arrives level with the source.

Aim the light at the steps, never at the gaze coming up. For adjoining rooms, the bedroom wall lamp follows the same principle.

How do you choose a wall light for a toilet or WC?

For a WC, aim for a shallow wall light, 19 to 30 cm, placed on the wall facing the door, with diffused downward light or a glass globe: it lights without glare in a narrow space where you remain standing.

IP20 is enough outside the shower zone. As the room is seen up close, the material and finish matter as much as the output.

Designer WC wall light: which model for a small room?

Two scales of the same gesture. The Halo, 30x15 cm in brass and glass with an E14 base, fits on a short wall and lights without cluttering.

On a free wall, the Éclat Doré, 61x10 cm in metal, glass, iron and brass with a G9 base, draws a fine line. See also the gold models.

Toilet wall light: what light should you choose?

A warm white and a moderate intensity: the room is seen up close and too strong a point is tiring. An E14 or G9 base lets you adjust the bulb to the desired result.

If the room also serves as a shower room, compare with bathroom wall lighting, where humidity constraints change the choices.

Which waterproof outdoor wall light should you choose for an entrance?

For an entrance truly exposed to rain, choose an IP65 model such as the LuminaNoir, designed for outdoor use. In a covered area, an IP45 is enough. An indoor IP20 wall light stays on a sheltered wall, never facing direct rain or splashes.

The three ratings are not equivalent: IP20 protects against contact, IP45 against splashes, IP65 against water jets. None resists immersion.

Waterproof outdoor wall light: IP65 or IP45?

IP65 is the choice for a facade wall, an open porch or a terrace. The LuminaNoir, in aluminium, glass and acrylic, measures 12.5 cm, runs at 18 W and offers several white temperatures.

IP45 suits under an awning. The Oryn in resin and glass carries this rating with an E27 base, in a 65 cm format.

Can you install an indoor wall light under a sheltered porch?

Yes, provided the wall stays sheltered from splashes and driving rain. An IP20 placed under a roof overhang lasts; the same wall light on the edge of a facade deteriorates.

Keep enough distance between the fitting and the exposed opening.

Which wall light style for a hallway: modern, vintage, boho or country chic?

Style is chosen by material and by black or gold: metal and glass for a contemporary finish, rattan, cane or bamboo for a boho spirit, exposed iron for an industrial hallway. In an old entrance, a beige and gold model blends in more easily than a matt black one.

Shape plays just as much: a tube underlines a line, a globe lights more widely.

Boho chic wall light: rattan, cane and warm light

Rattan, cane and bamboo filter the light and project patterns onto the wall. This vein joins the spirit of gold finishes and beiges that define a country chic wall light.

An E27 base keeps control over the light temperature, which matters when the wickerwork already tints the result.

Vintage hallway wall light: which shape to use in an old interior?

A glass globe, a sphere, a patinated brass blend in better than a black tube. The Éclat Mystique in smoked glass, 60x15 cm with an E27 base, plays this card along the whole length of a wall.

For crisp contemporary lines, prefer matt black finishes or glass wall lights depending on the effect you want.

Can this wall light also light a living room or a bedroom?

Yes. The same wall light moves from the hallway to the living room or the bedroom: size and wattage make the difference. In a living room, aim for a wall light 60 to 100 cm long. For a powerful living room wall light, an integrated LED module or an E27 base offers more reserve than a G4.

A hallway, on the contrary, calls for lower light, so as not to turn a passage into a stage.

Modern living room wall light: what size?

Either a large format of 60 to 100 cm alone on a wall, or two globes framing a picture. This is the principle of the Gravity, in aluminium and LED, available up to 120 cm and rated at 8 to 20 W.

These formats can be compared in a selection of modern living room wall lights.

Powerful living room wall light: LED or E27?

An integrated LED module gives constant light without changing a bulb. An E27 base accepts a more generous bulb and is easy to replace.

G4 and G9 bases are intended for accent lighting rather than the main source. To go further, see living room wall lighting and modern bedroom wall lights.

Installation, dimmer and maintenance of a hallway wall light

The wall light is fixed to a flush mounting box, at shoulder height or aligned with the switches, with the power off. A motion sensor is placed upstream on the circuit and does not replace the wall light. Glass and metal are cleaned with a soft cloth, cane and rattan dry.

Before drilling, check the available wire length and mark the height in relation to the existing consumer units and switches.

Hallway wall light with sensor: how does it work?

The sensor triggers the fitting as you pass, without manual intervention. It is set to the width of the passage, otherwise it turns on too far away or not enough.

If the model has a dimmer, check its compatibility with an LED module before buying.

How do you maintain a glass or cane wall light?

Glass and metal are cleaned with a soft cloth, without abrasive products. Cane, rattan and bamboo are dusted dry.

Frequently asked questions

Secure payment, tracked delivery, returns and Designix customer service: your order is followed from start to finish. For a hallway, first note the length of wall to cover and the depth of the wall light, then the light temperature. Compare the affordable models and the bedroom wall lamp to equip two rooms in one go.

One last marker: one wall light per section of wall, at shoulder height, light towards the floor. That is what separates a hallway you walk through from a hallway you notice.