Ceiling Lights

A ceiling light is the working light of a room. It is the one switched on at the door, and it has to reach every corner on its own before any lamp is added. Everything else in a room is layered on top of it, not used in place of it.

That is why the ceiling fitting is worth settling first. Get it right and the lamps become a choice. Get it wrong and no amount of lamps will fix a room that is dim in the corners or glaring in the middle. This range covers flush mount oysters that sit tight against the ceiling, semi flush fittings, larger dimmable panels with a remote, spotlights and chandeliers.

What's in this range

There are 23 products in this collection, priced from 50 to 2,000 AUD, a spread that runs from a single adjustable spotlight to a crystal branch chandelier. Diameters run from 11.5 cm on a compact spotlight to 40 cm on the larger flush fittings, and overall heights run from 2.4 cm for the slimmest surface mount up to 170 cm for a hanging piece. The recorded wattages sit between 6 W and 40 W, and some fittings are listed with a power range rather than a single figure, such as 14 W, 24 W or 50 W options, and an 18 W to 36 W range at 270 mm against 25 W to 50 W at 370 mm.

Integrated LED is the most common source, recorded on four products, with an integrated LED chip and a high output COB chip on others. Where a socket is listed it is E14, E27 or G9, and one fitting is listed at a maximum of 60 W per E27 bulb. Materials include metal, aluminium with silicone, aluminium with PVC, ABS and PP. Mounting is mostly surface mounted, with cord pendant fittings and one model listed for wall or ceiling installation. Colour temperature is stated where the fitting offers a choice, including warm white, a 2700K to 6500K tri colour setting, a tunable warm to cool option and a three in one 3000K, 4000K or 6500K selection. Of the products that record dimming, eight are listed as not dimmable, three as dimmable and one as working with a compatible dimmer switch. One fitting carries an IP65 rating for bathrooms and humid spaces.

How to choose

Flush mount or a hanging fitting

Ceiling height decides this more than taste does. A flush mount sits against the ceiling and keeps head height clear, which is what you want in a bedroom, a hallway or any room where people walk under the fitting. A hanging light drops into the room and works where nobody passes directly beneath it, such as over a table. If the room is on the low side, a flush fitting is the safer choice.

Diameter against the size of the room

The fittings here run from 11.5 cm to 40 cm across. A small diameter fitting in a large room leaves the corners dark, and an oversized one in a small room dominates the ceiling. Measure the room and compare it to the diameter listed on the product page rather than judging from the photograph, which gives no sense of scale.

Integrated LED or a bulb you can change

Most fittings here have the LED built in, which keeps the profile slim and removes the bulb from the equation. The fittings with an E14, E27 or G9 socket let you swap the bulb to change the colour or brightness later. A ceiling fitting is harder to reach than a lamp, so decide which of the two you would rather deal with when the time comes.

One colour temperature or three

Several fittings here switch between warm, neutral and cool white, either from the wall switch or by remote. That is worth paying for in a room that is used both for tasks in the day and for relaxing at night. In a room with one use, a single warm setting is simpler and usually cheaper.

Dimming, and how it is controlled

Most fittings in this range are not dimmable, so read that line before you count on it. Where dimming is offered it is either through a compatible dimmer switch or by remote control on the fitting itself. Remote dimming avoids having to change anything in the wall, which matters if you are not planning electrical work.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an electrician to fit these?

Yes. Hardwired ceiling fittings must be installed by a licensed electrician in Australia. If you cannot arrange that, a plug in lamp is the alternative, and the floor lamps range covers fittings that need only a power point.

Which of these can go in a bathroom or under an eave?

Only a fitting with a moisture rating. One product in this range is listed at IP65 for bathrooms and humid spaces. Anything permanently exposed to weather should come from the outdoor lights range, where an IP rating is listed on each product.

What is the difference between an oyster and a pendant?

An oyster is a flush mount fitting that sits directly against the ceiling. A pendant hangs on a cord or rod and brings the light down closer to what it lights. See the oyster lights range for the flush options and the pendant lights range for the hanging ones.