Lighting Ireland: What to Check Before You Buy (and What Most People Get Wrong)

Quick answer

Most problems with lighting bought online in Ireland come down to three things: a fitting that looks right in a photo but is the wrong size for the room, a bulb with the wrong colour temperature, or a product without an IP rating installed somewhere that needs one. Fix those three checks before you order and you'll avoid 90% of the returns.

Why online lighting purchases go wrong

Lighting is one of the hardest categories to buy online. A pendant that photographs beautifully against a white studio background can look like a decorative teacup once it's hanging over your actual kitchen table. A wall light that looks substantial in isolation can disappear against the wall of a real room. And no product photo shows you what the light actually looks like when it's on.

Irish buyers have a specific additional problem: most of the content and product photography online is produced for UK or American rooms. Those rooms are often bigger, with higher ceilings and larger furniture. The scale references are off. A pendant described as "large" in an American product listing may be medium at best in the context it's showing, and that context may be a room twice the size of a typical Dublin semi.

The seven mistakes below are the ones that generate the most returns and regrets. Check each one before you confirm any order.

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Mistake 1: Buying a pendant without measuring the table or island first

This is the most common and the most expensive mistake. The correct size for a pendant or chandelier over a dining table is roughly half to two-thirds of the table width. Over a 160cm table, that means a fitting between 80cm and 105cm wide. Most people buy something much smaller because it looked right in the photo.

For kitchen islands, the calculation is different. If you're hanging multiple pendants in a row, the combined width of the fittings should cover roughly two-thirds of the island length, with even spacing between pendants and clearance at each end. Three pendants over a 200cm island means each fitting should be around 25 to 30cm wide, spaced evenly across 130 to 140cm of the island length.

Height matters too. The standard for pendants over a dining table is 70 to 75cm between the table surface and the bottom of the fitting. Over a kitchen island where people stand rather than sit, you need more clearance — around 80 to 90cm.

The Modern Nordic LED Pendant Light at €484,95 is designed as a set of three with a linear base, which takes the spacing calculation out of the equation. The base plate handles the distribution and gives you a measured, even result over a table or island without trial and error.

Mistake 2: Ignoring ceiling height before choosing a fitting

Most Irish semi-detached houses built between 1960 and 1990 have ceiling heights of 2.4 metres. Some upstairs bedrooms are lower. This is not the same as the rooms in most product photography, which tend to be shot in spaces with 2.7 to 3 metre ceilings.

A pendant that drops 60cm in a room with a 3 metre ceiling gives you 2.4 metres of clearance below the fitting. The same pendant in a room with a 2.4 metre ceiling gives you 1.8 metres. That's below the head height of many adults and a hazard in a room where people move around freely.

The rule for rooms with ceilings under 2.5 metres: flush mounts or pendants that drop no more than 30 to 40 centimetres. Above a fixed point like a dining table or kitchen island, you can go lower because people don't walk through that space. In the centre of a sitting room, bedroom, or hallway, keep the clearance above 2.1 metres minimum.

The Porthole Ceiling Light at €99,90 is a flush mount — it sits against the ceiling with no drop at all. That makes it suitable for the low-ceiling hallways and bedrooms common in Irish housing stock where a pendant simply isn't viable.

Mistake 3: Choosing the wrong colour temperature

Colour temperature is measured in Kelvin. It's the single number that most determines how a room feels once the light is on, and most buyers don't check it.

Warm white at 2700K to 3000K makes a room feel comfortable and lived-in. It's the right choice for sitting rooms, bedrooms, hallways, and dining areas. Cool white at 4000K and above makes a space feel clinical and bright. It's useful in a utility room, home office, or kitchen worktop area. In a sitting room or bedroom, it makes the room feel cold — especially in an Irish winter when there's no competing daylight.

The mistake happens in two ways. First, people buy the wrong temperature without realising. Second, they mix temperatures across fittings in the same space — a 2700K pendant over the dining table and 4000K downlights in the ceiling of the same room. The result looks incoherent. Pick one temperature per room and stick to it.

If you're buying a fitting that uses replaceable bulbs, check the base type and buy dimmable LEDs at the right Kelvin before the fitting arrives. The warmest practical option for a sitting room or bedroom is 2700K. Some prefer 2400K for bedside lamps, which is closer to candlelight.

Mistake 4: Buying bathroom or outdoor fittings without checking the IP rating

IP stands for Ingress Protection. It's a two-digit code that tells you how well a fitting is protected against solid objects and moisture. For most indoor rooms, IP rating doesn't matter. For bathrooms, outdoor walls, and covered outdoor areas, it's the difference between a safe installation and a fire risk.

Irish bathrooms are divided into zones under the ETCI National Rules for Electrical Installations:

• Zone 0 — inside the bath or shower itself. Minimum IP67. Low voltage only (max 12V).
• Zone 1 — above the bath or shower up to 2.25 metres from the floor. Minimum IP44, but IP65 is the practical standard because most shower lights are rated at IP65 anyway.
• Zone 2 — 0.6 metres around the outside of the bath and above the basin. Minimum IP44.
• Outside the zones — no legal IP requirement, but IP44 is recommended throughout because bathroom steam reaches every corner of the room, including the light fitting above the door.

The practical takeaway: if a product page for a bathroom fitting doesn't state the IP rating clearly, don't buy it. Any reputable bathroom fitting will have IP44 or IP65 stated in the specifications. If it's not there, the fitting isn't rated for bathroom use.

For outdoor wall lights, IP44 is the minimum for a covered porch or sheltered wall. For exposed outdoor positions — a garden wall, a gable end, a fence post — IP65 is the standard. Rain comes sideways in Ireland. IP44 on an exposed outdoor fitting is not adequate.

Mistake 5: Mismatching finishes across a room or open-plan space

This is the mistake that's hardest to see in advance and most obvious once the fitting is installed. "Brass" is not a single colour. In one product, it's warm yellow-gold. In another, it's pale champagne. In a third, it's dark antique. Buy three "brass" fittings from three different suppliers and you'll have three different metals in the same room that look nothing like each other.

The same problem exists with black, chrome, and brushed nickel. Each manufacturer interprets the finish differently, and product photography makes it worse because studio lighting affects how metal tones render.

Two approaches that work. First, buy all fittings for a room from the same supplier. The finishes will at least be consistent within the same manufacturer's range. Second, if you're mixing suppliers, use one dominant finish and keep secondary pieces small. A room with all-black pendant fittings and a single brass floor lamp reads as intentional. A room with three different blacks and two different brasses reads as unfinished.

The Industrial Design Floor Lamp at €229,90 is finished in matte black — the most versatile finish for mixing because it reads as neutral rather than metallic. It pairs with brass, chrome, and other black fittings without competing.

Mistake 6: Buying a fixed-brightness fitting for a room that needs flexibility

A sitting room at 7pm on a winter evening needs different light from the same room at 11am on a Sunday morning. A bedroom needs different light for getting dressed than it does for reading before sleep. A fixed-brightness ceiling fitting with no dimmer handles neither well — it's either too bright for one situation or not bright enough for the other.

Dimmers are cheap. A standard dimmer switch costs €15 to €25 fitted. The investment makes sense in any room where you spend time in the evening — sitting rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms. It makes less sense in hallways, utility rooms, and kitchens where consistent task light is more useful than atmosphere.

Before you buy: check that the fitting is compatible with a dimmer, and check that the bulbs are dimmable LEDs. Not all LED bulbs dim. Non-dimmable LEDs on a dimmer circuit will flicker, buzz, or fail early. The product page will say "dimmable" if the fitting or bulb supports it. If it doesn't say it, assume it doesn't.

The Portable Collapsible Lantern at €121,95 has built-in dimming via touch control. It's rechargeable and requires no wiring, which makes it useful for rooms where you want adjustable light without committing to a dimmer switch installation.

Mistake 7: Not checking what's included in the box

Most lighting product pages show a fitting and a bulb in the same photo. Most lighting fittings don't include a bulb. This is standard across the industry and not unique to any one retailer. The problem is that buyers often don't notice until the fitting arrives.

Before you order, check the product description for these specifics:

• Bulb included: yes or no
• Bulb base type: E27, E14, G9, GU10, B22 — these are not interchangeable
• Maximum wattage or LED equivalent
• Number of bulbs required if it's a multi-arm fitting
• Cable or chain length — relevant for rooms with low or high ceilings
• Canopy or ceiling plate included — some pendants are sold as shade-only

The same check applies to installation requirements. Some wall lights are hardwired and require an electrician. Others are plug-in and require only a socket. If you're renting, or if there's no wiring in the wall where you want the light, a plug-in option is significantly easier. Check before you buy, not after the electrician has quoted you.

The Industrial Blue Wall Light at €49,90 is hardwired. That's worth knowing in advance. Budget for installation if you don't have an existing junction box at the location.

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A quick checklist before you confirm any order | Lighting Ireland

• Ceiling height measured and clearance calculated
• Table or island width measured if buying a pendant
• Colour temperature checked (2700K for living spaces, 4000K for task areas)
• IP rating confirmed if bathroom or outdoor
• Finish cross-referenced with existing fittings in the room
• Dimmable confirmed if fitting a dimmer switch
• Bulb base type and quantity noted
• Installation type confirmed (hardwired vs plug-in)

Product picks: well-specified fittings with clear product information

Product	Price	Key spec to note	Link
Modern Nordic LED Pendant Light	€484,95	Set of 3 with linear base — sizing done for you	View product
Porthole Ceiling Light	€99,90	Flush mount — no drop, suits low ceilings	View product
Industrial Design Floor Lamp	€229,90	Matte black — mixes with any finish	View product
Portable Collapsible Lantern	€121,95	Built-in dimmer, rechargeable, no wiring	View product
Industrial Blue Wall Light	€49,90	Hardwired — confirm installation before ordering	View product
Rope Spider Chandelier	€119,90	Looped cable — less vertical drop than a standard pendant	View product

Frequently asked questions

What size pendant do I need over a dining table?

The fitting width should be roughly half to two-thirds of the table width. Over a standard 160cm Irish dining table, that means a fitting between 80cm and 105cm wide. If using multiple pendants in a row, the combined visual width should cover roughly two-thirds of the table length with even spacing. Height: 70 to 75cm between the bottom of the fitting and the table surface.

What IP rating do I need for a bathroom ceiling light?

Zone 1 (above the bath or shower up to 2.25m) requires a minimum of IP44, though IP65 is the practical standard. Zone 2 (0.6m around the bath and basin) also requires IP44 minimum. Outside the defined zones, there's no legal requirement, but IP44 is recommended throughout because bathroom steam reaches all areas of the room. Any bathroom fitting that doesn't state its IP rating on the product page should be avoided.

Can I use any LED bulb with a dimmer switch?

No. Only LED bulbs labelled as "dimmable" work on a dimmer circuit. Non-dimmable LEDs on a dimmer will flicker, hum, or fail early. The product page or packaging will say "dimmable" if the bulb supports it. If you're installing new dimmers, buy dimmable LEDs at the same time rather than assuming existing bulbs will be compatible.

How do I match finishes when buying lighting from different suppliers?

You can't guarantee an exact match across suppliers because each manufacturer interprets finishes differently. The safest approach is to buy all fittings for a single room from one supplier. If mixing suppliers, use one dominant finish throughout and limit accent finishes to smaller pieces. Matte black is the most forgiving finish for mixing because it reads as neutral rather than metallic.

What's the difference between hardwired and plug-in wall lights?

Hardwired wall lights connect directly to your home's electrical circuit and require an electrician to install. Plug-in wall lights use a standard socket and can be installed without professional help. If there's no existing wiring or junction box at the location you want the light, a plug-in option is significantly simpler and cheaper. Always check the installation type on the product page before ordering.

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