Sconces + Wall Lamps
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Modern Wall Sconces & Wall Lights
Dating back to the 15th century, wall sconces were invented before the luxury of electricity came to exist. They were once simple candle brackets, usually constructed from wood or metal, that were affixed to the walls of homes and churches to illuminate rooms and hallways after dark. It’s safe to say: This type of wall light fixture has come a long way from its Middle English origins.
Modern home lighting has redefined the notion of a sconce. Though wall sconces’ roots recall a more primitive era, they are now largely thought of as wall lights or wall lamps, which vary in appearance so widely that only a few modern wall lights qualify as wall sconces. Designer wall sconces and wall lamps are thoughtful touches in any room of the home. Illuminate a hallway with a series of LED wall lights; flank a master bed with mid-century modern wall sconces; or decorate a living room or study with a modern wall lamp or two.
These fixtures shouldn’t be relegated to a home’s interiors, however. Modern outdoor sconces can transform a patio, terrace, or deck with warm, soft light, too. Affix wall sconces near your outdoor dining area or seating arrangement to shed light post-sunset. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by just how many places a wall sconce can look right at home.
At Design Within Reach, discover what defines the many types of modern wall lamps available, then shop modern, minimalist, and contemporary designer wall lamps that will light your space in style.
Types of Modern Wall Lights
Wall Sconces
First, wall sconces are wall lights that feature one or more upturned or downturned arms, at the end of which are light bulbs with lampshades or diffusers. These wall lamps are sometimes called armed wall lights. Traditional wall sconces include wall torchieres, candle sconces, and barn lights, while modern wall sconces typically have simple, unembellished arms with design-forward glass or metal diffusers.
Plug-In Wall Lamps
Plug-in wall lamps are a type of wall light defined by their electrical requirements, rather than their silhouette. A plug-in wall lamp is a sconce that is not hardwired. This type is relatively easy to install since you don’t need an electrician to wire it. However, it does require a nearby outlet — and its visible wires don’t offer the same clean, streamlined look that you can achieve with a hardwired sconce. Many plug-in wall lamps have on/off switches located on their cord or on the base of the lamp.
Swing-Arm Wall Lamps
As their name would suggest, swing-arm wall lamps have rotating bases that allow the lamp to be swung in a 180º arc. Some swing-arm wall lamps are adjustable further, with rotating lampshades and jointed arms that pivot up, down, left, or right in addition to swinging side to side.
Wall Lanterns
Often equipped with paper or paper-like lampshades that fully encapsulate the light fixture’s light bulb, wall lanterns are lantern-like in appearance and emit a very warm, gentle glow. Wall lanterns’ internal structure is visible through their semi-opaque lampshades, for a compelling look that is a bit more structural than wall lights with glass globe diffusers.
Flush-Mount Wall Lights
Unlike the other wall lights on this list, flush-mount wall lights are armless wall lamps that install flush against the wall. They may have opaque, upturned or downturned shades or semi-opaque diffusers. These wall lights make great hallway lights as you can place multiple along the wall without overwhelming the space with too much hardware.
How to Choose Modern Wall Sconces & Wall Lights
Once you’ve chosen a style that you think plays well with your home’s interiors, think about wall sconce placement. They’re truly versatile fixtures that will look equally chic in a bedroom, office, bathroom, or living room. As a unique design element, a wall sconce effortlessly provides luminous ambient light to your interiors — no candles required.
Wall lights and sconces lend themselves particularly well to being used in multiples. In pairs, they can create symmetry positioned on either side of a bed, living room mantel, kitchen sideboard, or bathroom mirror. Modern wall lamps can also be placed at intervals along a hallway or stairwell for well-distributed lighting that naturally connects one space to another.
When it comes to positioning your wall sconces, a good rule to follow is to hang your wall sconces between 60” and 72” above the floor, depending on the height of your ceilings. If you’re hanging multiple along a hallway, try to keep them at least 6’ apart. If you’re interested in using your wall lights for specific purposes, like reading or working, consider a swing-arm wall lamp or adjustable wall light that affords you increased control over the direction and position of light.
At Design Within Reach, we’re here to answer questions and more, with complementary design services to support you at every step of your interior design journey. Our staff of in-store design professionals can give advice and recommendations via chat, photos, and live video. They can also do 3-D renderings of your rooms so you can see how an arrangement might work. Look for the black chat icon at the lower right of webpages.