Wall Lights Buying Guide

Wall lights are excellent for adding light to a hallway, room, porch, or outdoor area. They can easily be installed over any electrical outlet box.

Lighting is usually divided into three different categories, according to its purpose. Task lighting is designed to provide focused light for a specific task, such as reading or hobbywork. Ambient light is for providing general illumination for a room or other area of the house. Accent lighting is used to highlight specific objects, such as a portrait, or to create a mood through color, light, and shadow.

Wall lighting fixtures can be used for task lighting. For example, a sconce installed above the bed or near an armchair creates a convenient reading lamp. They can also be used to create elegant accents. But wall lights are most often employed to provide general light to a dark room, hallway, or staircase. They are particularly useful in places with low ceiling, as there may not be room to install a ceiling light.

For ambient lighting, space wall fixtures no closer than 6' apart. They should also be installed high enough to prevent glare, but low enough to reach conveniently. At least 60 inches from the floor is a good rule of thumb.

Wall lights should be chosen to complement the look of ceiling lighting and the architecture and decorating style of the home. Along with ceiling lights, well-chosen wall lights can add lasting aesthetic value to your home.

Wall Sconce Wall sconce is the general term for a light fixture attached to a wall. It usually refers to a fixture with a single arm that extends from the wall to a light bulb with a housing made of glass, cloth, or porcelain.

Torchieres Torchieres tend to forgo the arm, positioning the light source closer to the wall. The shade opens upward, directing the light towards the ceiling. Torchieres are an elegant way to provide either ambient or mood lighting, especially if the shade or light bulb is colored.

Candle Wall Sconces Originally wall sconces were made to hold candles, then oil lamps, hurricane lamps, and gas lights. The extending arm was designed to hold the flammable candle away from the wall, and the face plate with it's shiny metallic surface, was made to reflect the light, increasing its intensity. Today, some candle sconces are still designed to hold votive or taper candles. Others use electricity, but reinterpret the concept of a candle by using special flame-shaped bulbs in long, candle-shaped stems.

Wall Bracket Light Fixtures Wall bracket light fixtures are not appreciably different from sconces. However, they are more likely to have multiple light sockets than sconces, which tend to hold a single bulb. That isn't a solid rule, though, and it's worth looking at sconces and brackets when choosing the right light fixture for your needs.

Lanterns Lanterns are often used outdoors. They make a home look more welcoming and elegant. They can also provide needed light when installed on the keyhole side of a door, or near stairs or doorsills, to prevent guests from stumbling as they approach your home. Lanterns can also be used indoors, although that is a more unusual choice.

Wall lights should be chosen to complement the look of ceiling lighting and the architecture and decorating style of the home. Along with ceiling lights, well-chosen wall lights can add lasting aesthetic value to your home. Some of the more popular decorating styles are listed below.

Arts and Crafts Style Wall Light Fixtures The arts and crafts movement began around the turn of the 20th century as a reaction to the heavily ornamented Victorian style. It favors simple straight lines and the use of natural materials, such as copper, wood, and mica. It emphasizes the importance of handmade crafts, as opposed to factory-produced items. Arts and Crafts style wall light fixtures will tend to use darker metals, such as bronze and iron, and strong, geometric shapes. Arts and Crafts style lanterns, brackets, and sconces are all available for very reasonable prices.

Art Deco Style Light Fixtures Although the period of Art Deco had its heyday from 1925-1950, it wasn't called that until the 1960s. Art Deco style is abstract, urban, and jazzy. It emphasizes soft, curving or strong and angular glass housings--sometimes with contrasting patterned metalwork. It embraced the industrial twentieth century by using new materials like aluminum and bakelite and was the first style to incorporate electricity from the beginning. It's worth looking at Art Deco bathroom lighting fixtures, as they provide a good example of the style.

Colonial Style Light Fixtures The colonial period in our country was a time of simplicity, refinement, and practicality. Colonial houses were often built in the Georgian style, with flat columns and formal room layouts. Colonial lighting fixtures are practical, simple, and dignified. As befits the early American period, Colonial style lighting fixtures concentrate on lanterns and wall sconces.

Mission Style Light Fixtures Mission style refers to lighting that is boxy and warm. It is related to the Arts and Crafts style in that it tends to favor simple, plain lines. However, it tends towards darker and warmer coloring. Some Mission pieces tend towards a softer, more feminine look with rounder glass housings. This softer look provides an alternative to the stark, strong traditional Mission formality. Others incorporate stained or etched glass. Look for lanterns and sconces in the Mission style.

Tiffany Style Light Fixtures Louis Comfort Tiffany first began selling his stained glass lamps in 1899. Technically, they belong to the Art Nouveau period, but they deserve their own category, as they are so distinctive, colorful, and beautiful. Original Tiffany lamps are more than expensive, selling for as much as a million dollars. But there are plenty of beautiful reproductions created in the Tiffany style. Tiffany style wall scones and lanterns offer a bit of elegant whimsy that can enchance any home.

Tudor Style Light Fixtures What we call Tudor style is really an interpretation of Tudor architecture that became very popular in the 1920s. It romanticized rustic English cottages, and is characterized by steeply pitched roofs, dark vertical wood stripping against white walls, and mullioned windows. Tudor lighting uses flat, sometimes colored glass in heavy metal settings, garnished with chains, to invoke a medieval flavor. Tudor lanterns have an antique look that works well with Tudor architecture or any rustic country home.

Victorian Style Light Fixtures It was only in the later part of the Victorian period that electricity began to power lights. So, Victorian style lighting is based on old gas fixtures. The housings are usually etched or opaque glass globes that face upwards (so that the smoke from the gas could escape). The arms on Victorian light fixtures were designed to carry gas to the flame--so they are thicker than in other period styles. As with everything in that period, Victorian style lighting fixtures use very ornate metalwork. Victorian lanterns tend toward a gaslight look, while the wall sconces include fixtures that are reminiscent of candle holders.

The prices for wall lights range from around $25 to $250 or $350 for most styles. Tiffany and Victorian style wall fixtures are the most pricey, with some of them selling for as much as $1,000 each.

Craftmade
Kenroy
Kichler
Maxim
Meyda
Progress
Sea Gull Lighting
Thomas
Triarch International
World Imports