IP44 spotlights

Start by counting the room and its exposure to water: bathroom, kitchen near the sink, hallway and entrance call for an IP44 housing, which blocks solid objects and resists splashes. Then come the shape, round or square, the colour, the light temperature and the socket, integrated LED or GU10. Each product page in the collection gives the actual diameter and wattage of the model, two reference points that decide the installation.

What is IP44 protection?

IP44 is a two-digit protection rating: the first shows that the housing blocks solid objects larger than one millimetre, the second that it resists water splashes from all directions. An IP44 downlight can therefore stay on the ceiling of a damp room, without being submersible.

Almost all the models in this collection carry this rating; a few rare references remain IP20 and suit dry rooms only. The rating appears in the title of each product page, so you can sort without opening the instructions.

What do the two digits of an IP rating mean?

The first digit measures resistance to solid objects: 2 protects against fingers and coarse dust, 4 against objects larger than one millimetre, 6 against dust. The second digit measures water resistance: 4 corresponds to splashes, 5 to jets, 7 to temporary immersion. A rating is always read with both digits, never with one alone.

Is an IP44 downlight waterproof?

No, and the nuance matters. An IP44 downlight resists splashes and condensation, not a directed water jet or immersion. In an open shower or under a sprinkler, you need to go up a step. For an ordinary damp room ceiling, the rating is more than enough, provided the housing seal is intact after installation.

Where to install IP44 downlights at home?

An IP44 downlight goes where the ceiling may receive splashes: bathroom, kitchen near the sink, entrance and hallway. In a living room, it serves as extra or accent lighting. In the shower, under a direct jet, a higher protection rating is better.

IP44 downlights for the bathroom

A bathroom ceiling concentrates humidity and splashes from the basin: this is IP44 territory. A round white model such as Livtorora blends into a light ceiling, while a black one such as Beltoristo makes its mark when the ceiling is dark. To dig deeper, browse our metal finishes, often chosen for wet rooms.

IP44 downlight in the shower: how far to go?

In the volume directly sprayed by the shower head, IP44 is no longer the right rating: you need a housing designed for jets. Outside that zone, above the mirror, the vanity unit or the tray, IP44 is suitable. For a complete wet room, compare with the models gathered in living room LED downlights when the living area opens onto the bathroom.

IP44 or IP65 downlight: what is the difference and which to choose?

IP65 adds total dust protection and resists water jets, where IP44 is content with splashes. For a bathroom ceiling or a sheltered hallway, IP44 is enough; outdoors exposed to rain or in the shower, IP65 or IP67 are safer.

Is an IP44 rating enough for outdoors?

Under an awning, a roof overhang or a loggia genuinely sheltered from driving rain, IP44 can hold. On a facade, on an exposed gable or under an overflowing gutter, it is not enough: wind-driven rain and run-off exceed a splash. In that case, choose a higher rating and keep the well-designed pieces for protected areas.

Which IP rating is the most waterproof?

The higher the second digit, the greater the water resistance: 4 for splashes, 5 for jets, 7 for temporary immersion, 8 for prolonged immersion. The first digit follows the same logic for dust. An IP67 therefore combines dust and water sealing well beyond an IP44, without becoming a pool light.

IP44 bathroom pendant or recessed downlights?

An IP44 pendant lights from the top of the room and sits above a basin or mirror, on a single fixing point. Recessed downlights spread the light across the whole surface and blend into the ceiling. In a narrow bathroom, downlights take up less space.

What a pendant brings above the basin

A pendant drops into the room and concentrates light where you look at yourself: a single point, but well placed. It is chosen when the ceiling is low or when style matters as much as lighting. The rest of the room then stays in soft light, to be completed with discreet recessed points.

When to prefer several recessed downlights

As soon as the room is more than a few square metres, a single central point leaves dark areas. Several aligned recessed downlights light the floor evenly and disappear into the ceiling, which frees up height. For this type of room, look at the white recessed downlights and the models gathered in the black recessed downlights when the ceiling is dark.

How to lay out downlights on the ceiling?

Place downlights in regular lines, aligned with the axis of the room and at equal distance from the wall. Short spacing gives continuous light, wide spacing creates separate lit areas. On the ceiling, recessed downlights with a flush trim are barely noticeable.

How to align downlights in a hallway

In a hallway, the line follows the direction of travel, centred, and each downlight sits at the same distance from the previous one. A flush trim, as on the Ivyra or the Lysa, limits the spot effect. Our models specifically designed for a hallway adopt this low, understated format.

How many light points to plan

The number is decided by areas to light rather than by surface: one point above each worktop, one above the mirror, one every two to three metres in a hallway. Too close together, downlights create patches; too far apart, the light falls in pools. Adjust the spacing according to the ceiling height, never blindly.

Tiltable or fixed IP44 downlight: which to choose?

A tiltable downlight is aimed after installation: you tilt it towards a worktop, a wall or a shelf, which a fixed downlight does not allow. A tiltable model suits the kitchen and the entrance; a fixed one is enough for general lighting in a living room or hallway.

Tiltable IP44 downlight: for what use?

Tilting moves the beam without redoing the ceiling: a worktop, a splashback, a niche or a picture. The Kalynda tiltable with gold reflector combines this adjustment with warm white and dimmer control. For other orientations, see the tiltable downlights and their black tiltable variant.

Round or square: which look on the ceiling

The round shape largely dominates the collection and suits every ceiling style, from the plainest to the most decorative. The square brings a stronger geometry, especially in a regular series. The Quadratis square 14.5 × 14.5 cm and the Ondsamilo square 11 × 11 cm set the tone, opposite the round minimalism of the Blanco, ø 9.7 cm.

Which colour for an IP44 downlight: white, black, silver or bronze?

The colour is chosen according to the ceiling and the style: white to go unnoticed on a light ceiling, black to draw a contrast, silver or bronze for a metallic look. The collection covers these four finishes, mostly in the round version, with a few square models.

Black IP44 downlight: where to prefer it

On a dark ceiling, a white downlight creates a visible spot; black disappears. It also works as a deliberate choice on a white ceiling, in a regular line. The Beltoristo and the Kalynda with gold reflector show two approaches to black. Find them in the whole black range and the black recessed LED downlights.

White or metal: the look on the ceiling

White can be used in numbers without drawing the eye, which makes it the safest finish for a living room or bedroom. Silver and bronze play on a more elaborate ceiling or a room with a strong style, such as the Zentorora silver or the Kaltorora bronze. Compare the finishes in the white LED downlights and the black LED downlights.

Warm white or neutral white, which light for an IP44 downlight?

The collection offers two moods: a warm white of 2700 to 3500 K, which leans towards soft yellow, and a neutral white of 3500 to 4500 K, whiter. Warm white suits the living room and hallway, neutral white suits rooms where you need to see clearly.

12 W or 24 W: which wattage to choose

Wattage is chosen by use: a discreet extra point is content with 7 to 12 W, a whole room calls for 18 to 24 W per point, in sufficient number to cover the surface. The Zorvane, ø 17 cm, and the Halvina, ø 22 cm, play on this register, while the models designed for the kitchen favour clear lighting of the worktop.

Can an IP44 downlight be put on a dimmer?

Only a small proportion of models accept a dimmer, and control also depends on the wall switch installed. A GU10 socket is adjusted by the bulb chosen, an integrated LED model only if the product page states it. The models controllable with a dimmer gathers those that allow it, including the Kalynda.

How to choose, install and maintain

For a living room or a hallway, start with an integrated LED model, round, white, in a regular series: it is the most neutral choice and the simplest to repeat. The Albora square 17 × 17 cm or the Protexa, ø 17.5 cm with its neutral white fit this logic. For a bedroom, prefer the warm white of the soft bedroom configurations and the discreet look of the living room recessed downlights.

During installation, check that the housing seal is in place before clipping: it is what provides resistance to splashes. Dust the trim with a dry cloth, without product, and never immerse a luminaire, even an IP44 one. A model with a modern style or a well-designed piece can be cleaned without dismantling. For the whole catalogue, go back to our lighting catalogue.

Unsure about a dimension or a colour? Write to Designix customer service before ordering: secure payment, tracked delivery and returns are designed to let you check the look on your ceiling. Discover all our luminaires.

Frequently asked questions about IP44 downlights

Browse all Designix lighting collections to compare shapes, colours and light temperatures before making your choice.