Picking the Perfect Wall Sconces

In addition to being a great way to light a room, wall sconces can be a design statement in and of themselves. Whether in the bathroom, kitchen, dining room, front hall, or the bedroom, consider adding wall sconces or replacing old tired ones with something new.

Wall sconces are often wired into an electrical box in the wall. So, when renovating or building, think about them while the project is still in the planning stages since the electrical boxes will need to be installed into the wall where the sconces are to go. If you're replacing old sconces, you can wire them to the existing electrical box or have an electrician move the box to exactly where you want it, which will require repairing the wall afterwards. If electric sconces aren't wired directly into the wall, then there's going to be a wire on the outside of the wall running to an outlet. Of course, there are sconces that just hold candles, which also do the trick for lighting and circumvent all this business about electrical boxes.

Like any sort of fixture in a house, wall sconces should be in keeping with the overall architecture and design. Mecox Gardens in Southampton and East Hampton have sconces that are well suited for a variety of styles and rooms, from dining room to bedroom. Three good options from Mecox Gardens are their well priced Nickeled Mirrored Sconce, the Oval Agatha Sconce and the more expensive but very pretty Isabelle Sconce.

If modern is more in keeping with the look of the house, Design Within Reach in East Hampton carries (or has available online) modern wall sconces. The Orbit Sconce has a veneer of natural cherry or white ash. The Nelson wall sconce ("cigar") by renowned designer George Nelson could be installed in quite a few places, on either side of a bed or in a dining room, for example. The Drink Wall Sconce has small proportions, clean lines and can be used in multiples.

For something with a 1950s space age look, check out the Aloha Atomic Age single wall bracket from Rejuvenation. This company (rejuvenation.com) has a huge selection of lighting in period styles for all rooms in the house. Also, many local antique shops have good options for wall sconces. Looking on 1stdibs.com can help you browse at home before setting out.

Where do sconces go in a house? Two ideal places are on the sides of a bathroom mirror. These should be hung at about 66 to 70 inches from the floor to the center of the fixture. The wall mounted rectangle sconce from Waterworks is a good looking choice for the bathroom. For that room, keep in mind that it usually looks best when the metal finish of the fixture matches the finish used on other accessories throughout. So if you go for polished chrome towel bars and sink fittings, then go for the polished chrome wall sconces as well.

A pair of wall sconces, with a mirror or painting between, over a console table or bureau is a classic layout that works very well. When installing sconces over a console table it's difficult to make a hard and fast rule about the height to hang them as it depends on the height of the ceiling, the size of the sconces and so forth. Typically, they are installed about five to six feet off the floor to the center of the sconce. Start with this, then adjust the height to what looks best.

Changing or adding sconces can give a room a whole new look, so don't hesitate to upgrade the old or add something new.

- Leslie Banker

Back to Contents