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How to Hang Bedroom Wall Sconces

A bedroom featuring a geometric pendant light and two modern wall sconces mounted on wooden slat walls above the bed

﻿Featured Fixture: Hinkley "Lex" 2715BZ﻿

It finally happened. As much as I love the look of my antique Tiffany table lamp, I decided to switch to wall sconces for my bedroom lighting needs. There’s just a limit to how many times the cat can nearly bring the whole thing crashing down by getting under the shade, and the base of the lamp makes anything I put on the table—no matter how necessary—look like clutter. Enough is enough!

The transition was easier than expected, and I found that there are several benefits to wall sconces. For one, no more bulky lamp bases taking up table space! But beyond that, the sconces gave the whole room a modern facelift that, looking at it now, I think was long overdue. The light output from the sconce is also better than the lamp, though that may be due to the design of my shade (your results may vary).

If you’re joining me on the wall sconce train, your first question is probably, “Where do I hang it?” Fortunately, we have…

Tips for Hanging your Bedroom Wall Sconces

Tip #1: Bedroom wall sconces are usually hung on the sides of the bed, centered with the headboard. 
Tip #2: If you don’t have a headboard, you can hang them about two feet above the sides of your bed, or five feet from the floor.
Tip #3: Each sconce should be eight to ten feet from each other to provide even lighting.
Tip #4: You can use outdoor-rated wall sconces in your bedroom! Outdoor ratings mean a fixture can be installed outside, but this is not mandatory. If you want to install an outdoor-rated fixture inside, you can.

Following these tips will give you light where you need it most, and the sconces can be easily accessed when you’re getting up in the morning or going to bed at night.

Of course, these are general estimates, and there is no hard and fast rule. If the above does not work for you, then you may want to consider the following rules of thumb: hang the sconce at a height where you cannot see the top of the lamp, slightly higher than your shoulder when standing. The sconce should be close enough to turn on and off while in a sitting position at the edge of the bed closest to the sconce. If you intend to hang the sconce higher for a more ambient glow effect, you may want to consider having a switch installed for ease of access, as Toronto interior designer Alyssa Colagiacomo did in this article.

I spend most of my evenings in the living room or office, but if you have a workspace within your bedroom or otherwise need light in different locations, you may want to consider a swing-arm wall sconce. Once mounted, these lights can be adjusted and moved around by extending or retracting the arm to provide more visibility over your desk or table.

﻿Wall sconces come in a wide variety of styles, and while they are in general more modern than table lamps, you don’t necessarily have to change your whole room style to accommodate the sconce! Let’s look at some different examples.

Example #1

A bright bedroom featuring a large round paper pendant light and two brass wall scones mounted beside the bed

﻿Product: HL111101-AGB﻿
Source: Instagram, @houseofsixinteriors﻿

In this photo, @houseofsixinteriors maintains the eclectic personality of the room by choosing a simple pair of wall sconces. These bedroom wall sconces work as a pair, creating symmetry and balance in a room that uses asymmetrical accessory pairs (rug and framed wall decor; two different plant types on the side tables; woven basket and woven wall hanging) as a form of expression. This allows the room to be unique and eye-catching without becoming overwhelming. And with the understated wall sconces as sources of light, the paper lantern chandelier in the center of the ceiling remains the focal point as a décor piece as much as a light source. With just this one conservative choice, the wild details of the room stand out without becoming too much of a strain—and the aged brass finish of the sconces blend together well with the color of the wood floor and window blinds, creating further unity.

Example #2

a cozy bedroom featuring two black adjustable wall scones mounted on either side of the bed against a white brick wall

﻿Product: 9-961CP-1-89﻿
Source: Instagram, @designsbyashleyknie﻿﻿﻿

﻿Farmhouse lighting returns with these transitional/industrial wall sconces! @designsbyashleyknie perfectly captures a modern farmhouse bedroom here with a minimalist color scheme, exposed brick wall, and fresh plants. The stark contrast between the predominantly white furniture and walls and the matte black of the sconces provides visual interest and depth to the room. In this photo, you can see a small mirror on the bedside table that is likely used for getting ready in the morning. Lighting can play a major role in how we see ourselves in the mirror, which is part of why vanity lights are design the way they are (but more on that another day!), so having a light source that can be adjusted and moved closer or further away could be useful for that purpose. They’re perfect for both style and function!

Example #3

A neatly styled bedroom with a wooden bed, white bedding, matching nightstands, and two wall sconces mounted above each side of the bed, along with a plant for a clean, modern look

﻿Product: HL249101﻿
Source: Instagram, @audreycrispinteriors﻿﻿﻿﻿﻿

Our final example comes from @audreycrispinteriors. While you can’t quite see it in this photo thanks to the smart placement of the bedside tables, these wall sconces plug into the wall! If you don’t have electric wiring set up for bedroom wall sconces (or don’t want to pay to have it done), plug-in wall sconces are available in a variety of styles. These sconces blend into the room and accentuate the symmetry already on display, providing even lighting within easy reach of the bed. I love the use of two different finishes on this fixture (aged brass on the mounting plate/arm and black on the shade) to create a more versatile style for this fixture. This sconce is perfect for a room with a less restrictive color scheme, or if you want to diversify your color palette a bit more.

You might be surprised at how these small but mighty fixtures can inspire the design of your bedroom or blend into the design you already have!

No matter your style or budget, wall sconces are a great choice for bedroom lighting. For example, I personally love the antique appeal of the Symphony sconce by Maxim Lighting, the rustic farmhouse look of the Gulliver sconce by Progress Lighting, and the uniquely decorative base of the Morgan swing-arm sconce by Crystorama! There are so many different options to choose from. You might be surprised at how these small but mighty fixtures can inspire the design of your bedroom or blend into the design you already have!

I couldn’t be happier with my switch to sconces in the bedroom. I’m sleeping better now that I don’t have to worry about the cat knocking over the lamp, and I’m guilt-free about using my bedside table as a table rather than a lamp stand. The space gain on the table was an added perk too. Finally, my glasses, books, and coffee don’t have to compete for a sturdy place on the table surface! And yes, the lighting from the sconces is better—though, again, that might be due in part to the style of my lamp and its darker shade, which are both things to consider when installing any light fixture.

There’s a happy ending for my Tiffany lamp in all this, too! It has a new home in the office, where it can be a functional décor piece.

Benefits of Switching from Table Lamps to Bedroom Wall Sconces

More space on your tabletop!
More even lighting!
Swing-arm sconces can adjust to give you more light where you need it!
Gives room a more modern feel…
…but come in a wide variety of styles to fit your décor!
Easy change to make—plug-in sconces available!

Our Tips for Switching to Bedroom Wall Sconces

Bedroom wall sconces are usually hung on the sides of the bed, centered with the headboard.
Or you can hang them about two feet above the sides of your bed/five feet from the floor.
Each sconce should be eight to ten feet from each other to provide even lighting.
You can use outdoor-rated wall sconces inside.

How to Hang Bedroom Wall Sconces

Tips for Hanging your Bedroom Wall Sconces

Example #1

Example #2

Example #3

Benefits of Switching from Table Lamps to Bedroom Wall Sconces

Our Tips for Switching to Bedroom Wall Sconces

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