Orb Downlight Wall Light 14cm

A half-sphere pressed from iron alloy and hung off the wall on a short stem, with the LED set inside the curve so all the light goes downward. The result is a pool on the wall beneath it and almost nothing above, which is exactly what you want on a stair, in a corridor or beside a bed where an upward spill would be in your eyes. There is no visible lamp and no glare.

It is small - 14 centimetres across and seven deep - which is the argument for it. A run of three or four down a hallway at even spacing gives a sequence of soft scallops of light without any one fitting dominating, and the shallow projection means nobody catches a shoulder on it. Beside a bed it sits at the right scale for a small nightstand, and the downward throw keeps the light off a sleeping partner.

White suits a pale wall where you want the fitting to recede; black gives a firmer full stop against plaster or brick and holds its own in a darker room. Warm white at 2700-3500K is the default for domestic use; cool white at 5500-7000K is available where the light is doing a job rather than setting a mood. It runs at 90-260 volts and is hardwired, so it should be fitted by a qualified electrician with the circuit isolated first.

• Dimensions: 14 cm across x 7 cm deep
• Material: iron alloy housing
• Light: integrated LED, downward throw only
• Voltage: 90-260V, AC
• Two finishes and two light tones
• Hardwired mains fitting - installation by a qualified electrician
• Dry locations only; not for bathroom zones 0, 1 or 2