More Sconce Tips

The wall sconce is often one of the most underappreciated and least understood members of the light Fixture family. They’re unique in that they light a room indirectly by bouncing the light off the wall, as opposed to shining directly into it (as a ceiling fixture would) or lighting up a particular area (like a lamp does). Properly placed Wall Sconces can also make the room appear bigger, which adds an impressive air to your home.

You’re going to want to mount the wall sconces about six to six and a half feet high on the wall, because any higher and they’ll only be lighting the ceiling, not the room. Any lower and the sconces will become hazards that will get bumped into a lot. Because the sconces light up the walls, you don’t need to place them close together. We suggest no closer than six feet, but the look of the room will be important in determining where the sconces should go.

There are a number of other ideas you should keep in mind when thinking about using wall sconces in your home:

- The dimensions: Just as you don’t want your sconces too low, you also don’t want them to extend too far into a room, because you don’t want to bump into them all the time (or not be able to carry furniture or other large objects down the hallway).
- Symmetry is pleasing to the eye. You should use them symmetrically when accenting hallways, doors, bedrooms, etc.
- Sconces make for great bathroom vanity lights!
- Sconces are best used for ambient light, as they reflect light off walls and ceilings. Thus, you should not rely on sconces to light your favorite reading chair, kitchen, or anywhere else where you’re going to want to be able to see well.