Ceiling light points: spacing and distances by room

Of all the decisions on a build, this is the one with the shortest deadline: once the false ceiling closes, it's done. Moving a downlight afterwards means opening the plasterboard, redoing it, and repainting.

The right layout depends on how the space is used, the ceiling height, the position of the furniture and the characteristics of the light fitting chosen. The numbers that follow are pre-sizing references for housing — I always adjust them to the final fitting and, on more demanding projects, confirm them with a lighting calculation.

Bedroom

In the bedroom I prioritise comfort, and avoid a rigid grid of downlights. For a bedroom of 12 to 15 m² — about 3.00 × 4.00 m, 2.50 m ceiling height —, a balanced solution is:

• 4 to 6 downlights;
• between downlights: about 1.20 to 1.50 m;
• to the walls: about 60 to 75 cm;
• independent light next to the bedside tables;
• dedicated light inside the wardrobes.

I use two rows of downlights, and avoid placing any right above the head of the bed.

Important: if the headboard already has integrated light, I don't need to compensate for the lack of downlights over the bed with an extra ceiling point.

Wardrobe

With a wardrobe 60 cm deep, I don't just place the downlight in the centre of the bedroom. I prefer to bring the light closer to the front of the piece, to light the interior and whoever is using it.

I start from 40 to 60 cm from the front of the wardrobe, but I always confirm against the optics of the downlight chosen — a narrower beam needs less distance than a wider one.

Living room

I think of the living room in layers of light, not a uniform grid. For a living room of 20 to 25 m² — about 4.00 × 5.00 m, 2.50 m ceiling height —, a possible solution is:

• 6 to 8 downlights for general lighting;
• indirect or decorative lighting;
• accent light for a wall, a painting or an architectural feature;
• a floor or table lamp next to the sofa, when needed.

As a starting point: wall → downlight, 60 to 80 cm; downlight → downlight, 1.20 to 1.50 m. But I always adjust to the furniture — if there's a TV wall, it makes no sense to put a row of downlights right above the screen, because it creates glare; if there's a piece of art, I swap a general-lighting downlight for an adjustable one, aimed at the piece.

Living room + dining area

When the living room includes the dining table, I treat that zone separately: living room with general downlight lighting, table with a pendant or set of pendants, wall with its own accent. Three circuits, not one — that way I don't need to turn on the whole room just to have dinner for two.

The pendant over the table sits between 70 and 90 cm from the tabletop — below that it dazzles whoever is sitting opposite, above that it starts lighting the room instead of the table. And it centres on the table, not on the room: a table pushed to one side takes the light with it.

Kitchen

The kitchen is probably the room where positioning demands the most care. In a 12 m² kitchen — about 3.00 × 4.00 m —, the most common mistake is placing 6 downlights in a perfectly centred grid: whoever is at the counter ends up between the light source and the work surface, casting their own shadow over whatever they're cutting.

Counter

With cabinets about 60 cm deep, I position the downlights with the front of the counter in mind, not the middle of the kitchen. In a layout like this, a row of downlights sits 50 to 70 cm from the wall — but the final position always depends on the cabinet depth and the fitting's optics.

Alongside this, I use under-cabinet light or a strip built into the unit itself: it brings the source closer to the work surface and reduces the shadow of whoever is standing there.

Island

For an island, there are two solutions I use: pendants over the island's axis, or adjustable downlights (or a row of fittings) above it.

I don't decide the number of downlights automatically from the length — a 2.40 m island doesn't always have three equal points. The position relates to the length, the number of seats, the island's function, its width and the type of fitting. The kitchen measurements note has the counter and walkway distances.

Bathroom

Here I always keep general lighting apart from face lighting. For a bathroom of 5 to 6 m², 2.50 m ceiling height, a possible layout is: 2 to 3 general downlights and dedicated light at the mirror. In the shower I don't place a downlight — I use LED in the false ceiling, over the zone.

Mirror

This is one of the most important points. A ceiling downlight, right above whoever is standing in front of the mirror, creates strong shadows on the eye sockets, nose and chin. For make-up, for shaving, or for everyday grooming, I prefer light closer to the face, distributed from the sides or built into the mirror itself.

I don't treat the ceiling downlight as a substitute for the mirror light.

In wet zones, the fittings have to respect the volumes set out in the electrical project — that isn't a decorating choice.

Hall and hallways

In a 1.20 × 4.00 m hallway, for example, I don't use the same grid as a living room. One possible solution: 3 downlights aligned on the hallway's axis, spaced 1.20 to 1.40 m apart, with the first and last set back from the ends in a balanced way. If the wall has paintings, photographs or a decorative finish, I prefer an adjustable light that draws attention to that wall.

How to quickly work out a grid

For a pre-sizing pass, I use simple logic. Example: a living room of 5.00 × 4.00 m, aiming for about 1.40 m between downlights. I start by dividing the length into three intervals — 5.00 ÷ 3 ≈ 1.67 m — and the width into two — 4.00 ÷ 2 = 2.00 m.

These values can turn out too wide for the fitting chosen. A 3 × 2 downlight solution works with a wide-distribution fitting; a narrower beam may call for a different layout. This is where photometry comes in.

The rule that avoids most mistakes

Instead of asking 'how many downlights should I fit', I ask 'what area can I adequately light with this fitting, at the height it will be installed'.

Two fittings with exactly the same output — 800 lumens, for example — but different beam angles, 36° and 60°, shouldn't be installed with the same spacing: the distribution of the light is different, even with the same output.

Quick table for residential projects

These values are indicative — they aren't regulatory distances.

Coves and curtains: 10 to 15 cm

Cove light only works if it has room to open up. I leave 10 to 15 cm between the light point and the face of the cove or the start of the curtain. Pushed right against it, it draws a hard line instead of a wash of light.

Sloped or stepped ceilings

These aren't solved with a regular grid. They're marked point by point, in the drawing, with the ceiling section in front of you — and the clear height of each one is confirmed.

The final rule

A good lighting plan shouldn't look like a collection of points distributed geometrically across the ceiling. There has to be a clear relationship: architecture → furniture → function → lighting → atmosphere. That's why, before setting the light points, I need at least a preliminary version of the furniture plan. The ceiling responds to the space beneath it — never the other way round.

These are the numbers I use when specifying a house. They don't replace the electrical project or the installation rules: it's the electrician, with the project in hand, who confirms zones, protections and circuit ratings.