Wall Washers

Choosing a Wall Washer

A wall washer spreads light across a surface evenly and widely. The aim is not to light the room but to turn the wall into a surface of light: texture comes forward and the space reads wider. Our collection holds 11 products.

Distance: How Close to the Wall?

Placed too close to the wall, the light flares at the top and never reaches down; placed too far away, the washing effect is lost and it becomes ordinary lighting. In practice the distance between fitting and wall is kept at about a quarter of the ceiling height. When the spacing between fittings is chosen close to that same distance, the cones of light join and no banding is left on the wall.

Where Is It Used?

• Stone, brick and fair-faced concrete walls: brings out the texture.
• Galleries and exhibitions: lights hanging works evenly and leaves no shadow.
• Hotel and shop facades: keeps the surface visible through the night.
• Corridors: washing the wall instead of lining the ceiling with spots widens the space markedly.

Power and Size

Our catalogue offers 6–12 W for accent work and 18–36 W for wide surfaces. Sizes run from compact 20 cm models to 100 cm linear bodies: linear models joined end to end build an unbroken line of wash.

Interior or Facade?

A product used on a facade must have an adequate IP rating. On a facade it also matters that the light does not escape upwards — light scattered up neither lights the facade nor pleases the neighbour.

Budget

Our 7 products with a published price run from 14 EUR to 53 EUR, with a median of 26 EUR.

The Wall Itself Is a Variable

The same fitting gives a different result on different walls. A matt, light-coloured surface spreads the light and brightens the room; a dark, matt surface absorbs it, so more power is needed for the same effect. On glossy, polished surfaces the light source appears as a reflection and the washing effect breaks down. Where the wall has a pronounced texture — stone, brick, combed render — bringing the fitting closer to the surface lengthens the shadows and pushes the texture further forward.