How to Choose a Ceiling Light in Singapore: Size, Brightness and Colour
Last updated: 8 October 2026
Quick answer: To choose a ceiling light in Singapore, check four things in order: the size against your room, the brightness in lumens, the colour temperature and what the listing includes. Pick a larger or longer fitting for a larger room and a slim profile if the ceiling is low. Compare lumens rather than watts for brightness, and choose 3000K Warm White, 4000K Cool White, 6500K Daylight or a 3 colour light that can switch between tones. Read whether the listing is a complete light or a casing only.
Integrated LED, casing only or bulb type
The type decides what else you must buy: ceiling lights are sold with the LED built in, as casing-only items, or as fittings that take bulbs.
| Type | What it means | What to check on the listing |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated LED | The LED light source is built into the fitting, so you buy a finished light and not bulbs | Power, lumens, colour temperature and size |
| Casing only | A cover and base without the light source, which is bought separately | What the listing includes, and the base and cover sizes |
| Bulb type | A holder takes a replaceable bulb, so you buy the bulbs separately | The base type of the holder and the bulb wattage the fitting allows |
On our site, the Sunshine Modern LED Ceiling Light 6500k lists “Light Source: Integrated LED”. The Lighting Hub LED Ceiling Light Series 2581 (Casing Only) says “This item includes the Ceiling Light Cover and Base only.” and “LED module is not included and can be purchased separately by searching βChipboardβ on our website.” Shape is a separate choice: our ceiling lights include round, square and linear fittings.
A bulb-type fitting works only if the bulb’s base matches its holder.
To read codes such as E27, B22, E14 and GU10, see our guide to light bulb base types.
Ceiling light size: match the width to the room and the height to the ceiling
Choose the width or length of the fitting from the size of the room, and its height from the headroom you have.
As a commonly quoted rule of thumb for a single round light, add the room’s length and width in feet and read the total as the fitting’s diameter in inches. In metric terms, that is about one-twelfth of the length plus the width. For example, a bedroom of 3 m by 3 m gives 6 m divided by 12, or 0.5 m, so a fitting about 500 mm across is in the right range for one central light. On our site, the 48W size of the Ceiling Light Tri-Tone Model 2543 lists “48W: Γ500mm Γ H85mm”. A long room or corridor can suit a linear fitting, and a large room can take more than one light.
Then check the profile height: the three listings in the table below state H60 mm, H70 mm and H40 mm, and a lower profile leaves more headroom under the light in a low-ceiling room or hallway.
Brightness: check the lumens on the listing
Brightness is stated in lumens (lm), while watts only show how much power the light uses.
Watts alone do not tell you the lumens. The 26W Model 2531/400 lists “Luminous Flux: ~2100β2300 lm”, the 24W Hans Smart Round Ceiling Light lists “Lumen: 1920Lm”, and the 48W Long Ceiling Light-10 lists “Lumen: 4800 lm”. Dividing lumens by watts gives 80 lm per watt for the Hans Smart Round and 100 lm per watt for the Long Ceiling Light-10, so compare the lumens, not the wattage. To work out how many lumens a room needs, see our guide to how many lumens you need.
Colour: Warm White, Cool White, Daylight or a 3 colour ceiling light
Colour temperature, measured in Kelvin, describes how warm or cool the white light looks and is separate from brightness: 3000K is Warm White, 4000K is Cool White and 6500K is Daylight.
A 3 colour ceiling light is one fitting that offers more than one of these tones, so you can decide after it is installed. Read how each listing describes it: Model 2531/400 lists “Adjustable CCT (3000Kβ6500K)” and an “Optional Remote Control”, the Long Ceiling Light-10 lists “3CCT (3000K / 4500K / 6500K)”, and the Hans Smart Round lists “Colour Temp: Tri-Colour” and describes a Zigbee hub connection.
For what each colour temperature looks like and which room suits which, see our guide to lighting colour temperature.
LED ceiling light or ceiling fan with light?
As our ceiling fan guide for HDB flats notes, a fan with an integrated LED may serve as the room’s main light if its published light output and distribution suit the space, so it can replace a ceiling light in a room that also needs air movement. A fan without a light still needs a separate fitting; the guide also covers blade size and clearance. Choose a ceiling light when the room needs light only.
Fitting it: surface mounting and a licensed electrician
A surface-mounted ceiling light is fixed to the ceiling surface and sits below it, so it is not recessed into the ceiling like a downlight. Model 2531/400 lists “Installation: Surface Mounted Ceiling Light”, the Sunshine Modern LED Ceiling Light 6500k lists “Installation: Surface Mounted”, and the Long Ceiling Light-10 lists “Easy surface mount installation”.
A larger or heavier fitting needs a more secure fixing point, so tell your installer the fitting’s size and ask them to check the ceiling before installation. Wiring a light is electrical work: in an HDB flat, HDB states that “All wiring installation work must be carried out by an EMA licensed electrical worker” (HDB, Renovation Guidelines for Electrical Works).
What to read on a listing: three examples
Read the same lines on every listing, because listings do not all publish the same details.
| Line to read | Model 2531/400 (White) 26W | Long Ceiling Light-10 | Hans Smart Round Ceiling Light 24W |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape and size | Square: “Size: L400 Γ W400 Γ H60 mm” | Linear: “Product Size: (L)1200 x (W)140 x (H)40 mm” | Round: “Dimension: β400*H70mm” |
| Power | “Power Consumption: 26W” | “Power: 48W” | “Power: 24W” |
| Lumens | “Luminous Flux: ~2100β2300 lm” | “Lumen: 4800 lm” | “Lumen: 1920Lm” |
| Colour | “Adjustable CCT (3000Kβ6500K)” | “Color Temperature: 3CCT (3000K / 4500K / 6500K)” | “Colour Temp: Tri-Colour” |
| Control | “Control Option: Remote Control (Dimming + CCT)”; the remote is optional | “Dimmable: No” | “Connects to Zigbee hub” |
- IP rating: the Long Ceiling Light-10 lists “IP Rating: IP20”. IP20 gives no protection against water, so ask us before choosing a light with that rating for a damp room such as a bathroom.
- What comes in the box: Model 2531/400 lists the remote as optional and a casing-only item has no LED module, so ask us what a listing includes before you order.
Warranty: check the brand
Lighting Hub’s Warranty Policy page lists 2 years for Lighting Hub-brand LED lights, with strip lights and LED power supplies excluded. Other brands follow the terms listed on that page or the manufacturer’s own terms, so ask us which brand a model is.
See the light in person, or send us your floor plan
Colour and finish are easier to judge by eye. Visit one of our 5 showrooms (call the branch first to check that a specific model is on display). If you are planning a renovation, send your floor plan to info@lightinghub.sg and our light specialist can assess your drawings and suggest fittings and quantities. You can read about our lighting design service, or see our HDB lighting ideas guide for a room-by-room look at a flat.
FAQ
What size ceiling light do I need for my room?
A commonly quoted rule of thumb adds the room’s length and width in feet and reads the total as the fitting’s diameter in inches; in metric terms, that is about one-twelfth of the length plus the width. A 3 m by 3 m room gives 0.5 m, or about 500 mm across. Use it as a starting point and check the size and height stated on the listing.
Should I compare watts or lumens when buying a ceiling light?
Compare lumens, which show brightness; watts show power use. The 26W Model 2531/400 lists “Luminous Flux: ~2100β2300 lm”, the 24W Hans Smart Round Ceiling Light lists “Lumen: 1920Lm” and the 48W Long Ceiling Light-10 lists “Lumen: 4800 lm”.
Should I buy a ceiling light or a ceiling fan with a light?
A ceiling fan with an integrated LED may serve as the room’s main light if its published light output and distribution suit the space, while a fan without a light still needs a separate fitting. Choose a fan with a light if the room also needs air movement, and check blade size and clearance in our ceiling fan guide for HDB flats.
What does casing only mean on a ceiling light listing?
It means the item is a cover and base without the light source. The Lighting Hub LED Ceiling Light Series 2581 (Casing Only) listing says “This item includes the Ceiling Light Cover and Base only.” and “LED module is not included and can be purchased separately by searching βChipboardβ on our website.”
Who can install a ceiling light in an HDB flat?
Wiring a ceiling light is electrical work. In an HDB flat, HDB states that “All wiring installation work must be carried out by an EMA licensed electrical worker”. Tell your installer the fitting’s size and ask them to check the ceiling fixing before installation.
