Swell Wall Light - 4 Lights - Brushed Brass Elstead

Swell is a four-light bathroom wall light by Quoizel, supplied by Elstead Lighting. A horizontal steel arm in brushed brass carries four lampholders with downward-facing shades of frosted, fluted glass. The arm fixes to the wall with a round back plate.

Size and where it goes

The fitting is 81.3 cm wide, 23.7 cm high and projects 17.1 cm from the wall. Compare that width with the mirror or cabinet above the basin it will hang over — four shades spread the light along that whole length rather than only the centre. It weighs 3.2 kg.

IP44 means protection against splashing water from any direction, and the maker specifies Swell for interiors and bathrooms. In the catalogue it is assigned to bathrooms, above a mirror, dressing tables and dining rooms. It is a Class I fitting, so the connection box needs an earth conductor.

How much light and what kind

Four G9 LED lamps of 3 W each come in the box, so nothing needs to be bought once it is wired. Each gives 300 lm, 1200 lm in total — clearly more than an old 60 W bulb at around 800 lm. 3000 K is warm white, calm in morning and evening bathroom light.

The lamps are replaceable: the maker rates them at 25,000 hours, about 23 years at three hours a day, and when one fails only the G9 capsule is changed, not the fitting. Swell works with dimmable lamps — dimming needs a dimmer and G9 capsules marked as dimmable.

Build and style

The body and arm are steel, and the brushed brass has a matt, directional grain visible on the plate and lampholders. Frosted glass diffuses the light and hides the capsule, so looking into the mirror you do not see a bare lamp.

Quoizel calls Swell an American classic — a classic form with curved lampholder necks and bell-shaped shades. The same four-light fitting is also made in polished chrome.