Sconces: A Home’s Secret Weapon

Perhaps more than any other type of interior lighting, the wall sconce is the most underrated and underutilized. Almost magical in the way it can transform boring areas into interesting and inviting spaces, the wall sconce should be prevalent in every house that wants to feel like a home.

Whenever possible, use wall sconces in hallways to get a warm, comfortable feeling that will draw you further into the hall and help lead you to whatever room or rooms lie ahead. You can’t get that result using standard recessed cans or simple flush mount fixtures to light the area. Wall sconces can create a nice glow that gives a sense of softness to halls and makes them an added feature in a home rather than an area to avoid. Typically, wall sconces should be mounted at 68” to 72” from the floor.

Large sun-filled great rooms are wonderful during the day, but tend to feel like big, scary, dark caverns at night. Sconces mounted around the perimeter of the room will make the room seem smaller and more intimate.

In lower levels, sconces will dress up the area so that it doesn’t feel like a “basement” and the low-level light from dimmed sconces will give the impression of warmth in an area that often feels cool.

Stairways are another great place for sconces. Many styles can act as a focal point in this area, hanging on the wall like a functional piece of art. A wall sconce also allows for easier maintenance. Reaching and changing the light bulb in a sconce is much easier than in a ceiling fixture or a recessed light that would usually require a ladder in a stairway.

Finally, rather than just another coach light on the outside of your home, outdoor-rated sconces can really make that back deck feel like an extension of your indoor living space.

By making large rooms feel cozier and making small spaces seem special; the power of wall sconces to transform any area to something more desirable should not be underestimated.

Article written by Mark Hansen, Lighting Design Expert at The Ar-Jay Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. To locate the closest Lighting One showroom, visit www.lighting-one.com. Sconce shown in photo is 8820-CC from the Knight's Bridge Collection, available at Lighting One showrooms.