The Complete Handbook of Wall Light Fixtures

Chapter 1: Understanding Wall Light Fixtures

The Framework of the Wall Light

Wall light fixtures are a separate category from ceiling-mounted or portable lighting, not because of the lamp they use, but because of the fixed, vertical, and often shallow environment they live in. You are mounting a thermal load to a wall. You are also directing light through a plane that is usually parallel to the viewer's line of sight, and you are doing so with a fraction of the depth and air volume available to a recessed downlight or a ceiling pendant. Every professional decision you make regarding a wall light stems from this reality: the fixture must physically attach to a structure, safely dissipate heat, and perform an optical task in a space that is geometrically constrained.

To understand them, you must understand their anatomy. At the most basic level, a wall light consists of a mounting plate (the part that attaches to the electrical box in the wall), a housing (the body that holds everything), and a lamp assembly, which today is most often an integrated LED array or a socket for a replaceable lamp. There is also a diffuser or lens, which is either glass, acrylic, or polycarbonate, and a series of internal components like the driver (the electronics that convert line voltage to the operating voltage of the LED). The mounting plate is arguably the most important component in terms of longevity, because it is the sole mechanical interface between the fixture and the