CUSTOMER SUPPORT
087 711 5767
Where Should Wall Lights Be Placed? A Height Guide by Room
Wall light height and placement follows the same underlying logic as sizing a mirror: it's relative to something, a task, a piece of furniture, or an average sightline, not a single universal number you can apply everywhere. The right height for a bedside reading light has nothing to do with the right height for a hallway accent light, even though both are technically "wall lights." Here's a concrete reference point for every common situation, so you always have a real number to measure from rather than guessing.
General wall light height rules
Before getting room-specific, three baseline rules cover most general cases.
For general accent or decorative wall lights, hallways, living rooms, feature walls, centre the fitting at roughly 150–165cm from the floor, in line with average eye level. This is the default whenever a wall light isn't doing a specific task and doesn't have another object (like a mirror or a bed) to measure against.
Task-focused wall lights, reading or grooming lights, are set by the task itself rather than a fixed eye-level rule. These are covered room by room below, since a reading light and a vanity light answer to completely different measurements.
For spacing between multiple wall lights along a wall or hallway, aim for 1.8–2.4m apart as a general guide. This spacing gives even, consistent illumination along the run without obvious dark patches falling between fittings.
Bedside wall lights
Mount a bedside wall light around 100–110cm above the floor, or roughly 20–25cm above the top of the mattress. This puts the light at a height where it falls naturally onto a book held at chest or shoulder height, without glaring directly into your eyes when lying flat.
Position it roughly 15–20cm to the side of where the pillow sits, close enough to reach the switch without stretching, far enough that it isn't at risk of being knocked while getting into or out of bed. For the fuller comparison between choosing a wall light or a pendant for this exact spot, see our bedside wall lights vs pendant lights guide.
Wall lights flanking a mirror or vanity
Position these roughly at eye level, around 150–160cm from the floor, either at the mirror's outer edges or slightly beyond them. Space the two fittings symmetrically, matching the mirror's width plus a small margin either side, so light falls evenly across the face from both directions rather than concentrating on one side and leaving the other in shadow.
This placement matters more than it might seem: get it wrong and even a properly IP-rated bathroom wall light won't actually solve the shadow problem it's there for. For the full IP zone and styling breakdown specific to bathrooms, see our bathroom wall lights guide.
Hallway and staircase wall lights
Centre hallway fittings at roughly 150–165cm from the floor, consistent with the general rule above. Space them evenly along the run, 1.8–2.4m apart, and where possible, align the spacing with doorways or landings rather than letting a fitting fall awkwardly in the middle of a blank stretch of wall.
On a staircase, the fixed-height rule doesn't quite apply. Position lights to follow the rake of the stairs rather than sitting at one uniform height, keeping each fitting roughly level with the tread nearest it as the staircase climbs. This keeps the whole run evenly lit from bottom to top, rather than bright at the base and noticeably dimmer higher up.
Living room and feature wall lights
For a general accent wall light, 150–165cm from the floor remains the default. Adjust upward slightly, to around 170–180cm, if the light needs to clear the back of a tall sofa or armchair positioned directly against that wall, so the fitting isn't sitting awkwardly close to the top of the furniture.
For a wall light positioned either side of a piece of art or a fireplace, height becomes less about a fixed number and more about visual balance. Align it with the centre of the artwork, or the top third of the mantel, so the wall light reads as part of a considered arrangement rather than an independent object competing with what it's flanking.
Outdoor entrance and patio wall lights
Mount an entrance wall light at or slightly above eye level beside the front door, generally 150–170cm from the floor. High enough that it doesn't glare directly into your eyes as you approach, but low enough that it actually illuminates the doorway and the step in front of it, rather than just lighting the wall above head height.
For a pair flanking a garage or double door, mirror the height exactly on both sides for visual symmetry, and confirm the fitting's IP rating suits direct weather exposure before finalising the position, this matters more outdoors than almost anywhere else in the home. Along a boundary wall or a longer patio run, use the same 1.8–2.4m spacing as an indoor hallway, tightening it up in darker or less overlooked spots where security matters as much as ambiance.
Quick reference table
| Location | Height from floor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| General accent / hallway / feature wall | 150–165cm | Average eye level |
| Bedside reading light | 100–110cm (20–25cm above mattress) | 15–20cm to the side of the pillow |
| Flanking a mirror or vanity | 150–160cm | Symmetrical, at or beyond mirror's outer edge |
| Hallway (spacing) | 150–165cm | Space fittings 1.8–2.4m apart |
| Staircase | Follows the rake, level with each tread | Not a fixed height |
| Living room, clearing tall furniture | 170–180cm | Adjust upward as needed |
| Flanking art or a fireplace | Aligned with artwork centre or mantel's top third | Visual balance over fixed number |
| Outdoor entrance | 150–170cm | Confirm IP rating for exposure |
| Outdoor boundary / patio (spacing) | 150–170cm | Space 1.8–2.4m apart, tighter for security |
Frequently asked questions
What's the standard height for a wall light in a hallway? Around 150–165cm from the floor, roughly average eye level, spaced 1.8–2.4m apart along the run.
How high should a bedside wall light be mounted? Around 100–110cm from the floor, or roughly 20–25cm above the top of the mattress, positioned slightly to the side of where the pillow sits.
Does the height change for an outdoor wall light? Not dramatically, entrance and patio wall lights sit in a similar 150–170cm range, but always confirm the fitting carries an appropriate IP rating for direct weather exposure before finalising the position.
What if my situation doesn't match any of these exactly? Go back to the underlying logic rather than forcing one of these numbers to fit: measure against the task (reading, grooming), the furniture nearby, or the average sightline for that spot, and the right height usually becomes clear.
Bringing it together
Every height above answers to the same underlying logic: measure against the task, the furniture, or the sightline in that specific spot, not a single number that's supposed to work everywhere. When a situation doesn't quite match one of the examples here, apply that same thinking rather than defaulting to one fixed height for everything.
Browse the full wall lights collection at Lighting.co.za, and if you haven't already, our complete wall light buying guide covers the practical decisions, job, location, and light direction, that come before placement. Nationwide delivery is available across South Africa.
