Up & Down Wall Lighting: Let the Light Blend In

Sometimes the best lighting is the lighting you barely notice.

Up and down wall lights create a soft wash of light both above and below the fitting, illuminating the wall rather than directing harsh light directly into the room. The result is an atmospheric, architectural effect that works particularly well in hallways, bedrooms, living spaces and stairways.

Some great examples are the Bologna ceramic up and down light, and the KOS indoor decorative plaster wall light. The simple plaster form provides a clean, understated look, while the up-and-down light distribution creates attractive pools of light across the wall. We have many other suitable options on our website that provide a similar effect as well! Great examples can be seen in our show room in Bristol. Come by and see it for yourself!

Make the light part of the wall

One of the biggest advantages of a plaster wall light is that it can be painted to match your wall.

Rather than having a contrasting metal or glass fitting competing with your interior, a plaster fitting can be finished in the same emulsion colour as the surrounding wall. Once painted, it becomes much more integrated into the architecture — almost disappearing when the light is switched off, while the illumination itself becomes the focus.

It also makes the fitting practical when decorating. Change the colour of your room and you can change the colour of the light fitting too.

Add a warmer glow with dim-to-warm

For an even more atmospheric effect, pair an up-and-down fitting with dimmable, dim-to-warm LED bulbs and a compatible dimmer switch.

Dim-to-warm bulbs become warmer in colour as they are dimmed. At a higher setting they provide useful, warm-white illumination, while turning them down produces a softer, more intimate glow.

This works particularly well with up-and-down lighting because you're already creating indirect illumination from the wall. At full brightness, the light can provide useful ambient illumination; in the evening, dimming it down creates a gentle wash of warm light.

Subtle by day, atmospheric by night

That's what makes paintable plaster up-and-down lighting so appealing. During the day, the fitting can blend almost seamlessly into the wall. At night, it becomes an architectural feature, creating light and shadow without dominating the room.

For a clean, contemporary interior where the effect of the lighting is more important than the fitting itself, a paintable plaster up-and-down wall light is a simple and versatile choice.