Choosing and fitting your light

To fit a pendant light, ceiling light or wall light, have ready:

• a stable stepladder (and ideally a second person to hold the light);
• a flat-head and a Phillips screwdriver, plus wire cutters if the wires need shortening;
• a voltage tester: inexpensive at any DIY shop, it confirms there is no current;
• connectors (such as lever connectors) or a plug-in ceiling connector;
• wall plugs suited to your ceiling or wall: plasterboard, concrete, wood (the bag supplied isn’t always right for your surface);
• a drill, only if the light’s bracket doesn’t line up with existing holes.

Three safety rules, no exceptions: switch off the power at the fuse box (not just at the light switch), check there is no voltage with the tester, and never work with wet hands or on a wet floor.

• In the centre of a room: add the length and width of the room in metres, then multiply by 8. This gives you a rough diameter in centimetres. Example: a 4 × 5 m (13.1 × 16.4 ft) living room → 9 × 8 ≈ 70 cm (27.6 in).
• Above a table: the light should be roughly half to two-thirds the width of the table, and leave at least 30 cm (11.8 in) at each end. For a long table, choose two or three pendant lights in a row, or a linear design.
• Above a kitchen island: two or three pendant lights spaced 60 to 75 cm (23.6 to 29.5 in) apart.
• The cardboard trick: cut a piece of cardboard to the diameter of the light and hold it where the light will go. In 30 seconds, you’ll see whether it suits the scale of the room.
• If you’re torn between two sizes for the centre of a living room, the larger one is often right: a light that’s too small “gets lost”.

• Above a table: 70 to 80 cm (27.6 to 31.5 in) between the bottom of the light and the tabletop. You can see your guests, and the bulb doesn’t dazzle you.
• Above a kitchen island or worktop: 75 to 90 cm (29.5 to 35.4 in).
• Where people walk underneath (living room, hallway, corridor): at least 2 m (6.6 ft) between the floor and the bottom of the light.
• Low ceiling (under 2.40 m / 7.9 ft): choose a ceiling light or a short pendant.
• High ceiling (over 3 m / 9.8 ft): a long-cable pendant or a tiered chandelier fills the space.
• Wall light in a living space: 1.60 to 1.80 m (5.2 to 5.9 ft) from the floor. Above the bed: 60 to 70 cm (23.6 to 27.6 in) above the mattress.
• Bedside lamp: the bottom of the lampshade at eye level when you’re sitting up in bed.

Colour is measured in kelvins (K):

• Warm white, 2,700 to 3,000 K: living room, bedroom, dining room. The soft, golden light that makes a room feel welcoming.
• Neutral white, 4,000 K: kitchen, study, bathroom — wherever you need to see clearly.
• Cool white, above 5,000 K: garage, workshop. Avoid it in living spaces: it’s the “office” light that makes a home feel dreary.

Brightness is measured in lumens (lm). Simple guidelines:

• Living room, bedroom: around 100 to 150 lm per m² (about 10 to 14 lm per sq ft), spread across several sources (ceiling + lamps).
• Kitchen, study, bathroom: around 250 to 300 lm per m² (about 23 to 28 lm per sq ft).
• Dimmable light lets you go from dinner lighting to a soft, low-lit mood.

The golden rule: several sources of light rather than one very bright ceiling light. A pendant, a floor lamp in a corner and a table lamp are enough to transform a living room.

• E27: the large screw base, the most common.
• E14: the small screw base (bedside lamps, wall lights, chandeliers).
• GU10: the two-pin twist base used in spotlights.
• G9: the small two-pin bulb used in some wall lights.

LED equivalents (to replace an old bulb): 470 lm ≈ 40 W; 806 lm ≈ 60 W; 1,055 lm ≈ 75 W.

Before you buy: check the light’s technical specifications to see whether bulbs are included, which base you need, and the maximum wattage allowed. If you use a dimmer, choose LED bulbs marked “dimmable”.

1. Switch off the power to the lighting circuit at the fuse box, then check each wire with the tester.
2. Remove the old light: unscrew it, note (or photograph) which wire went where, then disconnect it.
3. Identify the wires coming out of the ceiling: the live (often red, brown or black), the neutral (blue) and the earth (green and yellow). An orange or purple wire is usually a switched live: connect it like the live.
4. With a plug-in ceiling connector: connect the light’s wires to the plug supplied or bought separately, then simply push it into the ceiling socket. It’s the simplest and safest method.
5. Without one: use connectors. Same colour to same colour: live to live, neutral to neutral, earth to earth.
6. Fix the bracket (hook plate or mounting bar) to the ceiling with suitable wall plugs. Check it’s secure before hanging the light from it: give it a firm pull.
7. Hang the light from the hook or bracket, adjust the cable height (see chapter 3), then push the ceiling cup up against the ceiling.
8. Fit the bulbs, switch the power back on and test.

Allow 30 minutes to an hour for a first installation. It’s easier with two: one person holds, the other connects.

1. Switch off the power at the fuse box and check there is no voltage.
2. Find the right height (chapter 3) and mark the holes using the bracket, checking it’s level.
3. Drill with a bit suited to your wall, insert the wall plugs and fix the bracket.
4. Connect live, neutral and earth with connectors and tuck the wires into the box.
5. Fix the wall light to its bracket, fit the bulb and switch the power back on.

No electrical outlet on the wall? Choose a plug-in wall light (with a cable cover in the same colour as the wall) or a rechargeable cordless wall light: no building work.

• No electrical installation: they plug into a socket.
• Some floor lamps arrive in two or three parts to screw together (base, stem, lampshade): a few minutes, without tools in most cases. This is stated in the technical specifications.
• Place a floor lamp in a corner or next to a reading chair: the light should fall over your shoulder, not into your eyes.
• Run the cable along a wall or under a thin rug, never across a walkway.

• No plug-in ceiling connector: most lights connect directly to the wires using connectors (chapter 6).
• Ceiling outlet in the wrong place (not above the table): a swag hook, with the cable running from the outlet to the hook, lets you move the pendant without building work.
• No lighting point in the ceiling: go for a floor lamp, table lamps and plug-in wall lights.
• Renting, or don’t want to drill: rechargeable cordless lamps, and wall lights that stand or fix without drilling. Move them around as you please.
• Bathroom: near the bath or shower, the light must be protected against splashes (IP44 rating at least) and suitable for the zone. Outside these zones, a standard light is fine. If in any doubt, ask an electrician for advice.
• Outdoor: choose a design rated at least IP44 (splashes) or IP65 (driving rain), and have it connected to a protected circuit.

• The light won’t switch on: check that the circuit breaker is back on, that the bulb is screwed in properly and has the right base, then that each wire is tight in its connector.
• The light flickers or buzzes: most often, a non-dimmable LED bulb on a dimmer, or a loose wire. Change the bulb or tighten the connections (with the power off).
• The circuit breaker trips: switch everything off and don’t try again. A wire is probably touching the earth or another wire: have it checked by an electrician.
• The light is dazzling: lower the bulb’s wattage, switch to warm white, or raise/lower the pendant (chapter 3).
• The light hangs at an angle: adjust the cable lengths one by one, or reposition the hook in the centre of the bracket.

Still stuck? Email us a photo of your installation at contact@XXX.com: we’ll reply within 1 to 2 working days.

• Always switch off and let the bulbs cool before cleaning.
• Metal and glass: a dry microfibre cloth once a month, slightly damp for glass.
• Rattan, wicker, bamboo, paper: a soft brush or the vacuum’s brush attachment, without water.
• Fabric: a lint roller or a vacuum on low power.
• Never use abrasive products or a jet of water on an electric light.

• You’re not comfortable with electrics, or the wires in your ceiling don’t match the colours described here.
• There is no earth (no green and yellow wire) but your light requires one.
• You want to add a new lighting point or a new outlet on the wall.
• The light is heavy (more than about 5 kg / 11 lb) and your ceiling is plasterboard: it needs a special fixing.
• The circuit breaker trips or you notice a burning smell.

With the product’s technical specifications (dimensions, weight, bulb base, wattage), an electrician can fit a light quickly.