Types of ceiling lights: choosing by ceiling and room

Short answer: Start with the ceiling. With a suspended or plasterboard ceiling you can use recessed downlights, recessed LED panels and recessed linear profiles. On a concrete ceiling, choose a surface-mounted LED ceiling light, surface downlights, surface panels, magnetic track or track spotlights. Stairs, corridors and basements suit motion-sensor ceiling lights; bathrooms need the right IP rating for each zone.

Look at the ceiling first

• Suspended or plasterboard ceiling: there is a void above. Recessed downlights, recessed panels and linear profiles fit. Check void depth and cut-out size, see recessed downlight sizes.
• Concrete or plastered ceiling: no room for recessed fittings. Use surface-mounted ceiling lights, surface downlights, surface panels, magnetic track or track spots.
• Ceiling height: at 2.5–2.8 m flat fittings close to the ceiling work best. From about 3 m pendants and narrow-beam spots perform better. Very high ceilings are a separate topic: high bay and weatherproof fittings.

The main types

• Surface-mounted LED ceiling light: a flat round or square fitting screwed straight to the ceiling. The simplest choice on concrete; good general light in halls, bedrooms and children's rooms.
• Recessed downlight: set into the ceiling, only the trim shows. Spaced evenly for general light or aimed for accents. See types of downlights and spotlights.
• Surface downlight: cylinder or cube body on the ceiling, a downlight look without a void.
• LED panel: 60x60, 30x60, 30x120 cm and small round or square sizes; recessed, clip-in and surface versions. Even, low-shadow light for offices, kitchens and shops.
• Linear lighting: slim profile fittings, surface, recessed or suspended, for modern living rooms, kitchen islands and offices. See choosing linear lighting.
• Magnetic track: spot, linear and pendant modules that click magnetically onto a track and can be moved later. See what is magnetic track lighting.
• Track spotlights: spots on a classic single or three-circuit track, common in shops and galleries. See magnetic track or track spots.
• Pendant: hangs on a cable over a dining table, kitchen island or in a high living room.
• Motion-sensor ceiling light: switches on with movement and off after a set time. Saves energy in stairwells, corridors, basements, storerooms and toilets.

Sensor ceiling lights: PIR or microwave?

• PIR (infrared): detects changes in body heat within its line of sight. Enough for small rooms and toilets.
• Microwave (RF, radar): detects movement through reflected radio waves, works behind the diffuser and is more sensitive. Common in stairwells and long corridors.

Time, light threshold and sensitivity are usually adjustable. Wiring and settings are covered in motion-sensor lighting.

Bathrooms and damp areas

Choose by distance to the shower or bath. Where water may splash, IP44 or higher is usual; directly over the shower stricter protection applies. See bathroom lighting and IP zones. Damp basements, car parks and eaves usually take IP65 fittings. Local wiring rules apply.

How many watts and lumens per room?

Watts no longer tell you the light output; look at lumens. As a rough guide, LED fittings give about 80–110 lumens per watt.

• Bedrooms and living rooms: about 100–150 lumens per m² for general light.
• Kitchens, bathrooms, studies: about 200–300 lumens per m².
• Corridors and stairs: about 80–120 lumens per m².

Example: a 15 m² living room needs roughly 1,500–2,250 lumens, about 15–25 W of LED. These are approximate values; see how to calculate lighting and lumens, watts and colour temperature. For layered living-room lighting without one central fitting, see living room lighting ideas.

Mounting: box, wiring and weight

• The fitting goes where the ceiling box is; moving it means extending the circuit.
• Live, neutral and earth go to the fitting's terminal block. Class I (metal) fittings must be earthed.
• Light fittings hold with screws; heavy pendants need suitable fixings and a ceiling that can carry the load. Do not hang heavy loads directly on plasterboard.
• Panel and linear drivers must stay accessible.

Switch off the circuit and have a qualified electrician make the connection. Local wiring regulations (IEC-based rules in most countries) apply.

Examples from our shop

• Surface LED panels: Lamptime PB13 backlit surface panel (28, 36 or 42 W at 60x60 cm; 30x60 and 30x120 cm sizes, IP40), Lamptime PE12 slim panel, IP65 Lamptime PH12 for damp areas.
• Round and square surface ceiling lights: Lamptime DS12 (round) and DS13 (square) slim models from Ø118 to 300 mm, 6–24 W; Lamptime DB12 with IP40 and IP65 options.
• Sensor ceiling lights: Lamptime ES12 microwave sensor (Ø350 mm, 16 W), ES13 microwave sensor IP65 (Ø326 mm, 18 W), ES10 PIR (Ø300 mm), in our emergency and sensor lighting category.
• Surface downlights: Lamptime DC23 (Ø50 mm, 8 W) and DC25 square; Molled Verona and Square series.
• Recessed downlight: our own ENGN Vion, a GU10 downlight for a Ø92 mm cut-out, single or twin, round or square.

Our shop is in Nilüfer, Bursa.

• → Downlights
• → LED panels
• → Linear lighting
• → Magnetic track lighting