The downlight selection process can be a difficult procedure; choosing which finish you want should be the easiest decision to make. It doesn’t involve any real technical thought as it is purely based on aesthetics. You want to choose the best finish that matches the environment they’re being installed in.

The best way to choose the right downlights for your project is to narrow down the options that are available to you. If you already know what your selection criteria is in terms of cut out sizes and other specifications this can be done by using the filters that are positioned down the left hand side of our website. We also have a filter for finishes.

If you want a more specific finish like matt black or antique brass, you're going to be left with just a few options. If you're seeking a more popular finish such as matt white, polished chrome or brushed steel then most of our downlights are available in each of them. A white finish offers a more glossy effect and matt white is less shiny, or reflective. Polished chrome (also known as chrome) is also shiny and popular in bathrooms as matches taps and bathroom equipment. Brushed steel comes in many different versions that are very similar with different names like satin nickel, brushed nickel and stainless steel. These are essentially different shades of a steel effect finish.

Choosing the Right Finish

Choosing the right finish for your downlights is just like choosing the colour of your wall paper or style of furniture, it’s your room and your decision. This is unless you’ve hired a interior designer. However, drawing from our vast experience as the UK’s leading downlights retailer, here are some basic things to consider that can help you with the selection process:

• White or matt white downlights match the colour of most ceilings and blend less noticeably into the ceiling space. This is a particular advantage in the daytime, when the lights are not in use, white downlights will appear less visible especially the Integral EvoFire downlight which has an ultra slim 1mm bezel.
  
  
• If you want an even more minimal appearance then taking this a step further you could opt for plaster-in downlights from Levello that have a near invisible design. This trim-less effect literally becomes part of your ceiling. This design has a paintable bezel that allows you to paint to the exact colour of your ceiling. As it’s a plaster-in downlight without a trim, the aperture of the downlight is even smaller than then 50mm diameter of the LED GU10 that goes inside of it. Just enough space for all of the light to shine through. These downlights look great in the daytime when the light isn't on.
  
  
• Satin chrome downlights provide a more contemporary effect and can be used to match up with other fixtures, light switches, power sockets, door handles or furnishings within the room. This is the same for other finishes like antique brass or black nickel. Your downlights can become a feature of the room and matching them with other accessories can make a room look stunning. There are many variations of satin chrome finishes, some are slightly lighter like satin nickel or darker like brushed nickel but some manufacturers just choose to name things differently.
  
  
• Polished chrome downlights are our #1 choice for bathrooms. It is much easier to match this finish with taps, towel rails and other bathroom accessories. Trying to match other finishes like brushed steel can be very difficult as brushed steel taps would be much more expensive and may have to be made to order.

Here's a selection of finishes we offer, if you click on any of them, you can view them in our main downlights page.

As you can see we offer a variety of finishes, but did you know that you can paint some of these bezels yourself? If you select one of the matt bezel finishes for the Halers H2 Pro550 for example you can paint them to whatever colour you want. Our extensive range of premium quality downlights are available for next day delivery at competitive prices.