Most walls need three sconces at most, and plenty of rooms get by with one. These 8 wall sconce ideas show how a few well-placed fixtures end up looking like they were always part of the room.
8 Wall Sconce Ideas for Bedrooms, Bathrooms, Breakfast Nooks, and Tall Walls
Every idea here sticks to one, two, or three fixtures, so no wall ends up crowded. You’ll see sconces beside a bed, around mirrors, over a breakfast table, and down a tall wall by an arched doorway.
The common thread is placement. Each sconce sits where the light does some work, and each one borrows a color, a shape, or a metal from what’s around it. Let’s start beside the bed.
Clear the Nightstand, Keep the Reading Light
Centered in a white trim panel, the sconce does the job of a bedside lamp, so the nightstand stays free for flowers and a book. The frosted white glass shade softens the bulb, which means no harsh glare when you’re reading in bed. Hang yours at head height when you’re sitting up in bed, so the light lands on your page.
Sideways Light That Flatters Your Face
A matching pair on either side of the mirror lights your face from both sides, where one ceiling light leaves shadows under your eyes. The pleated cream shades keep the glow soft, and the black metal arms give the oak, marble, and gold something dark to balance against. Hang both at the same height so the pair looks even.
A Focal Point for Plain Tile
Plain tile can look flat, and a fixture with a looping, S-shaped arm gives the wall something to look at. Two clear bulbs sit at different heights, so light comes from top and bottom at once, and the soft gold melts into the cream tile. Planning lights for a tiled bathroom? Our bathroom lighting roundup has more to borrow from.
Brass Is the Glue for Mixed Shapes
Three different sconces hang together here and still look like a set, because brass shows up on every one. The shapes change from a tall bar to a ribbed glass panel to a lantern-style frame, so the wall has variety without feeling messy. Stagger the heights like this so your eye keeps moving across the wall, and stop at three.
Lighting for a Nook With No Spare Space
A brass sconce on each side of the flower prints lights the nook from the wall, so the table holds flowers and breakfast instead of a lamp. The brass shades echo the gold frames and the brass caps on the chair legs, which ties the corner together. Pick small shades like these so the art stays the star.
Soft Shape for a Loud Color Room
Coral paint overhead and a coral sink are plenty of color, so a cream ruffled sconce keeps the wall calm. Its wavy edge echoes the round sink and the curved mirror, and a second one peeks in at the edge of the frame. Worth a look if you’re choosing a vanity to go with it.
For a Wall With Nothing Going On
Petal-shaped sconces give a plain, textured blue-gray wall something to look at, and the pink petals glow once the bulbs are on. The petals are thin metal with tiny holes, so the light comes out soft and speckled instead of as a hard beam. Hang the pair at slightly different heights, like these, and it’ll read relaxed, not stiff.
Tall Walls Need Long Arms
On a wall this tall, one small fixture would disappear, so three long arms stepped down the wall fill the height. The black cone shades angle toward the arch, pulling your eye through to the room beyond. Brass arms keep the black from feeling heavy, and the different heights make three read as a plan, not a row.
