Ceiling and wall-mounted downlights are defined first and foremost by their type of mounting and not by their light characteristics. They are available with narrow-beam, wide-beam, symmetrical or asymmetric light distribution. Some luminaires can be positioned either on the wall or on the ceiling.

Criteria for ceiling and wall-mounted downlights
- choice of lamp determines light colour, functional life, efficiency, light intensity
- uniformity: optimised reflector for even illumination of areas
- cut-off angle increases visual comfort and limits glare and light pollution