A recessed spotlight disappears into the ceiling and needs a hole plus room above it. A surface-mounted spotlight is screwed onto the ceiling and needs neither. If you cannot cut into the ceiling — concrete, a rented home, a dormer — a surface-mounted spot is the answer.
The real distinction: what is above your ceiling?
The choice is almost never about how it looks. It is about what sits behind your ceiling. A recessed spotlight asks two things: a hole of the right cut-out size, and enough free space above it for both the spot and the driver.
If you have a suspended ceiling or a wooden floor above it, that space is usually there. If you are up against concrete, insulation or a roof structure, it stops. Drilling into concrete is possible, but you still have to route the wiring somewhere.
What the range shows
Of the 97 fixtures in the shop, 32 are recessed spotlights and 8 are surface-mounted. That difference is no accident: in most Dutch homes recessing is possible, and then the flush ceiling wins. Surface mounting is the solution for the cases where it is not.
The Faro surface-mounted spotlight is a good example: GU10 socket, tiltable, €14.95. You screw the base to the ceiling, feed the wire through and you are done. No hole saw, no plaster, no dust.
Four practical differences
- Installation. Recessed: cut the hole, insert the spring clips. Surface: two screws and a wire. Surface mounting is the job you finish in an afternoon.
- Aiming. Surface-mounted spots often tilt through a wider angle than recessed ones, because they are not held inside a hole. Useful above a painting or a worktop.
- Undoing it. A surface-mounted spot leaves two screw holes behind. A recessed spot leaves a hole of 68 to 75 mm that you have to close up.
- Appearance. Recessed is invisible and calm; surface-mounted is visible and becomes part of the picture. That can be exactly what you want.
What to watch when recessing
Two measurements, and they are constantly confused. The cut-out size is the hole in the ceiling, the recessed depth is how much room you need above it. In our catalog the cut-out sizes run from Ø28 mm to Ø82 mm, with Ø75 mm and Ø68-75 mm the most common.
Measure the space above your ceiling before you order. A spot that needs 27 mm fits almost anywhere; a deeper spot in a suspended ceiling with 4 cm of room will be a struggle.
And the rest of the range
Besides recessed and surface-mounted spots there are three more kinds of fixture, each with its own job:
- Stair lighting (11 products) — small spots in the risers, often with a sensor, such as the Steno step light at €17.95.
- Wall lights (26 products) — for atmosphere and accent on the wall, indoors and out. The Zaro is IP44 and may therefore go on the facade too.
- Pendant lights (10 products) — above a table or island, where you want the light low.
In practice you combine them. Ceiling spots for the base light, a pendant above the table, wall lights for the corners. A single layer of light makes a room look flat.
In short
If you can cut into your ceiling and there is room above it, a recessed spotlight is the calmest solution. If you cannot, or you want to be able to undo it later without a trace, surface mounting is not a compromise but simply the better choice. Have a look at the recessed spotlights or the surface-mounted spotlights.
Can a surface-mounted spot go in a rented home?
Yes, and that is exactly why people choose one. You leave only two screw holes behind instead of a hole of 68 to 75 mm.
How much room do I need above the ceiling for a recessed spot?
That is listed per spot as the recessed depth. The shallowest in our range need 27 mm, plus room for the driver.
Do surface-mounted spots give less light than recessed ones?
No, that depends on the light source, not on the mounting. Look at the number of lumens, not at the build.