Key Takeaways

• Choose downlight brightness by lumens (not watts) and match it to the room size and ceiling height.
• Use 2700–3000K for cosy spaces, 4000K for kitchens/offices, and check CRI ≥80 (ideally ≥90 for colour‑critical areas).
• Space most LED downlights 1.2–1.8m apart, and keep them at least 0.6m from walls to avoid “wall washing” streaks.
• Combine bright LED ceiling downlights with pendants, wall lights, or strip lights for depth and ambience.
• For bathrooms and coastal areas, pick appropriate IP ratings (IP44+ for wet zones) and corrosion‑resistant finishes.
• Decide early whether you need dimmable, smart, or emergency/backup-compatible fittings to avoid rewiring later.

For most South African homes, 400–800 lumens per bright LED downlight will comfortably light living spaces when spaced correctly for your ceiling height and room size.

A common mistake we see is choosing downlights by watts instead of lumens. An old 50W halogen produced around 400–500 lumens; a quality 6–8W LED downlight can now deliver 550–800 lumens with far less heat and power draw. In an average 3 x 4m bedroom with a 2.6m ceiling, four 600–700 lumen fittings usually give a nice 150–200 lux on the floor, which is perfect for general use.

As a rule of thumb for residential spaces, aim for 100–200 lux in lounges and bedrooms, and 300–500 lux in task-heavy areas like kitchens and home offices. If each LED downlight produces 700 lumens and you want 200 lux in a 12m² room, you’ll need around three to four fittings depending on reflectance (lighter surfaces “bounce” more light). We regularly run this type of calculation when advising on recessed LED downlights for renovations and new builds.

In short: Focus on lumens per fitting and target 100–200 lux for living spaces and 300–500 lux for task areas, then work backwards to the number of downlights you need.

A 6–8W LED downlight with 500–800 lumens typically replaces a 50W halogen downlight while using roughly 80–90% less power and producing much less heat in the ceiling void.

We still walk into older homes with hot halogen cans that scorched ceilings and cooked insulation. Replacing them with integrated LED or GU10 LED lamps in the 6–8W range not only lowers your electricity bill but also reduces risk around heat build-up. A customer in Pretoria swapped twenty 50W halogens (1,000W total) for twenty 7W LEDs (140W total) and immediately saw a big Eskom saving without sacrificing brightness.

On paper, that’s an 86% reduction in wattage, but the real magic is in efficacy: a good LED downlight offers 80–100 lumens per watt compared to roughly 10 lumens per watt on older halogens. So a 7W LED at 700 lumens can feel as bright or brighter than the “same” halogen, especially if you choose a slightly narrower beam angle (e.g. 38° vs 60°) to focus light where you need it.

Bottom line: When upgrading from 50W halogens, look for 6–8W LED downlights delivering 500–800 lumens and compare lumen output, not just watts, to ensure a true brightness match.

Most bright LED downlights should be spaced 1.2–1.8m apart and around 0.6–0.9m from walls to avoid harsh scallops and dark patches on your ceiling and walls.

A useful guide is the “ceiling height divided by two” rule for spacing. With a 2.7m ceiling, you’d start around 1.3m between fittings; taller ceilings can push that a bit wider. In open-plan areas, we often mix tighter grids over kitchens (for work surfaces) with slightly looser spacing in lounges where you supplement with pendant lights or floor lamps for ambience.

Remember beam angle too. A 60° beam spreads wider and allows more spacing, while a 36–40° beam is better for highlighting islands or artwork. If a downlight with a 60° beam is mounted on a 2.7m ceiling, the light circle on the floor is roughly 3m across, but intensity drops off at the edges. Keeping spacing around half that diameter (1.5m) keeps illumination fairly even.

Key takeaway: Use your ceiling height and beam angle to set spacing, and keep fittings at least 0.6m off walls for a cleaner, more professional-looking lighting layout.

Use warm white (2700–3000K) bright LED downlights for relaxing spaces and neutral/cool white (4000–5000K) for task areas like kitchens, sculleries, offices, and garages.

Colour temperature (CCT) is measured in Kelvin (K). Lower numbers like 2700K feel warm and cosy (similar to old incandescent lamps), while 4000K feels crisper and more neutral. In South African homes, we often recommend 3000K for lounges and bedrooms, 3000–4000K for dining rooms depending on décor, and 4000K for kitchens where you need to see chopping boards and food colours clearly. If you’re unsure, 3000K is a safe middle ground that still feels homely.

Some modern downlights offer switchable CCT (for example 3000K/4000K/6000K on one fitting). That’s brilliant during renovations when you haven’t fully decided on finishes yet. We’ve used these for clients in new developments so they can “test” colours in situ and then standardise after move-in, rather than committing too early.

In short: Go warm (2700–3000K) where you relax and neutral (around 4000K) where you work, and consider CCT-switchable downlights if you’re still finalising décor choices.

Look for LED downlights with a colour rendering index (CRI) of at least 80, and choose CRI 90+ for kitchens, clothing areas, or anywhere accurate colour matters.

CRI is measured on a scale from 0–100 and tells you how naturally colours appear under the light compared to daylight. A cheap 70 CRI downlight can make your R8000 sofa look dull and your skin tones slightly grey, especially at night. In contrast, a 90+ CRI fitting brings out the richness in timber floors, fabrics, and artwork – something our design-conscious clients in places like Franschhoek and Ballito really notice.

Many quality LED downlights sold in South Africa already meet ≥80 CRI, which aligns with international best practice for general interiors. For colour-critical environments such as boutiques or art displays, we sometimes specify 90–95 CRI fittings, paired with accent lighting like picture lights or track spots to really show off textures and tones.

Bottom line: Never drop below CRI 80 for indoor downlights, and if budget allows, upgrade to CRI 90+ where you care about finishes, clothing, or skin tones looking their best.

Dimmable bright LED downlights are worth it in living areas, bedrooms, and dining rooms where you want bright light for tasks and softer mood lighting for evenings and entertaining.

In our experience, South Africans increasingly treat lighting like “light décor”. You might want full brightness while kids do homework at the dining table, but a softer level for a rugby game or dinner with friends. Dimmable downlights paired with a quality LED dimmer let you do that without switching on extra lamps. Just ensure the fittings and dimmers are compatible – older dimmer technology can flicker or cut out with low-wattage LEDs.

For load-shedding resilience, we see more clients combining dimmable downlights with battery backup systems or inverter circuits so they can run essential lighting at a lower, power-saving level. If you’re renovating, decide early whether you want dimming so your electrician can spec the correct wiring and control gear upfront.

Key takeaway: If budget allows, use dimmable LED downlights in any room where you relax or entertain, and always match dimmers to LED-compatible models from reputable brands.

In bathrooms and wet areas, choose LED downlights with at least IP44 near baths and showers, and IP65 or higher if they’re directly over the shower or exposed to spray.

IP ratings describe how well a fitting is protected against dust and water. Many standard indoor downlights are IP20 – fine for dry areas like lounges and bedrooms, but not great for steamy Durban bathrooms. Over basins and general bathroom ceilings, IP44 is usually sufficient. Directly over a shower where spray is likely, we recommend IP65, which protects against low‑pressure water jets and is widely used for downlights in shower enclosures.

South African regulations and international norms also emphasise using the correct IP zones around baths and showers. While your electrician should know SANS 10142 wiring standards, it’s still wise as a homeowner to double‑check product IP ratings on packaging or online listings, especially when buying recessed fittings for bathrooms and dedicated bathroom lights for vanities and mirrors.

In short: Use IP20 downlights for dry rooms, IP44+ near baths and basins, and IP65-rated fittings directly over showers or where water spray can reach.

Coastal homes should use bright LED downlights with corrosion-resistant materials and finishes, or sealed trims, to handle salt-laden air and reduce long-term rust and discolouration.

If you’ve lived in places like Blouberg or Umhlanga, you’ll know how aggressively the sea air attacks metal. We recommend fittings with powder-coated aluminium or high-quality plastic trims, and stainless or treated fixings. For outdoor coastal lighting this becomes critical, but even indoor downlights near open sliding doors or coastal balconies benefit from better corrosion resistance.

We often pair corrosion-resistant interiors with purpose-made coastal-rated outdoor floodlights and wall lights, ensuring the whole property maintains its look for years. A small upgrade in specification upfront usually saves significant replacement costs in salty environments.

Bottom line: In coastal zones, look beyond brightness and colour; choose LED downlights and outdoor fittings with corrosion-resistant finishes to protect your investment from sea air.

Downlights form the bright general layer in kitchens and living rooms, which you should complement with pendants, wall lights, and strip lighting for task and mood layers.

We rarely design a modern South African kitchen with only ceiling spots. Instead, we use a grid of neutral-white downlights for general brightness, under-cabinet LED strip lights for shadow-free worktops, and pendant lights over islands or dining tables for visual focus. This “layered” approach lets you adapt the light for cooking, working from home, or entertaining.

In open-plan living spaces, bright LED downlights handle cleaning and “everything on” moments, while wall lights and floor lamps create a softer, more intimate feel at night. Our indoor lighting guide dives deeper into layering, but the core idea is simple: don’t ask one type of fitting to do all the work.

Key takeaway: Treat bright LED downlights as your foundation layer, then add pendants, wall lights, and strip lighting for flexibility, drama, and comfort in everyday use.

Integrated LED downlights generally offer better efficiency and beam control, while GU10 housings offer easier lamp replacement and future flexibility at a slightly lower upfront cost.

Integrated units include the LED module and driver in one body and are engineered for optimal thermal management, which often means higher lumen-per-watt and a longer rated life. Many integrated bright LED downlights now quote 25,000–50,000 hours, which, at three hours per day, is over 20 years of use. GU10 fittings, by contrast, separate the housing from the lamp, letting you swap lamps without changing the whole unit.

In practice, we often use integrated downlights in new builds or where clients want a very low-profile, minimalist look, and GU10 housings in renos where cut-out sizes already exist or where budget dictates a more modular approach. Both can perform extremely well if you choose quality gear from trusted ranges like Brightstar Lighting or similar.

In short: Choose integrated LED for maximum performance and a sleek finish, and GU10 housings when you value simple lamp replacement and future-proof flexibility.