Blue Wall Sconces

Blue Wall Sconces: From Airy Coastal Tones to Deep Navy Accents

Wall sconces are lights fixed to the wall instead of the ceiling. A sconce light can wash a wall with an upward glow, throw a focused beam down onto a book, or do both at once, and because it sits near eye level it feels more personal than an overhead fixture. Most are hardwired into a box in the wall, while plug-in and battery models exist for walls without wiring. You will find every type, material and room in our full range of wall sconces.

Blue has a special place in American homes, from the navy and white of coastal cottages to the inky walls of a formal study. It reads calm and steady, it pairs with nearly every wood tone, and it can act as a quiet neutral or a bold accent. A blue wall sconce is an easy way to test the color before you commit to paint. This collection brings together 14 blue wall sconces, all hardwired. Half use glass, from the Colored Blown Glass Pebble Wall Sconce to the Stained Glass Half Cone Wall Sconce, and acrylic and metal appear in 3 each. Twelve are modern and seven Scandinavian.

Three Ways to Use Blue on a Wall

• Tone on tone: a blue sconce on a blue wall, one shade lighter or darker, for a tailored, layered look.
• Contrast: a deep blue fixture on a white, cream or pale gray wall, so the shape stands out like a drawing.
• Accent: a single pair of blue sconces in a neutral room, echoed once in a rug, a throw or a print.

Each approach suits a different personality. Tone on tone feels sophisticated and quiet, contrast feels graphic and fresh, and the accent route is the safest way to bring in color without repainting. If you are unsure, start with the accent: it is easy to live with, and it keeps your options open if you change the paint or the bedding next year.

Daylight vs Lamplight: How Blue Changes After Dark

Blue behaves differently once the light comes on. In daylight, powder or sky blue looks fresh; under a warm bulb at night it can deepen toward gray-blue, while navy may read almost black. Pair blue fixtures with 2700 K to 3000 K bulbs so the light itself stays warm; a cool 4000 K bulb next to a blue shade can make a bedroom feel chilly. With blue glass, as on the Minimalist Tinted Glass Wall Sconce or the Confetti Glass Globe Wall Sconce, expect a soft blue tint in the light itself, beautiful as an accent but best backed up by a reading lamp where you need to see clearly.

The Height and Spacing Rules

For general wall lighting, center sconces 60 to 66 inches above the floor. Beside a bed, mount them a little lower, so the light lands on the page rather than in your eyes when you sit up. A swan-neck arm, like the one on the Glass Globe Swan Neck Wall Sconce, brings the light forward over a nightstand or a reading chair. In a hallway or on a stair wall, repeat sconces every 8 to 10 feet and keep them at the same height above the steps. Our guide to how high to mount wall sconces covers each room in detail.

Blue in the Bedroom, Hallway and Entry

Blue and sleep go well together, which explains why 12 of the 14 designs are listed for the bedroom; our bedroom wall sconces gather more shapes made for both sides of the bed. Eight suit a living room, seven a hallway and five an entryway, where a blue sconce by the door gives guests a first hint of your palette; browse our entryway wall sconces for that spot. On a staircase, listed for three designs, a run of blue sconces guides the eye upward, and two also work in a home office.

Finishes That Make Blue Look Its Best

The metals around a blue fixture change its whole personality. Warm brass in a mirror frame or a door handle gives blue a classic, slightly nautical feel. Chrome and polished nickel keep it cool and crisp, perfect for a white kitchen or a modern hallway; our chrome wall sconces show that look. White and cream make blue feel relaxed, while black adds weight, as on a two-tone piece like the Two-Tone Metal Disc Wall Sconce. Whatever you pick, repeat the metal finish in a faucet, a frame or a cabinet pull nearby so the room feels pulled together.

Power, Bulbs and Switching

All 14 are hardwired, so they need a junction box in the wall and a wall switch; a licensed electrician can add a box where there is none. On bulbs, 8 designs have integrated LED, 2 take E26, and one each uses E12, G4 or G9, so check the bulb base on the product page before you buy spares. Our guide to E26 vs E12 bulb bases explains the difference between the two most common sizes. None of these sconces is listed as dimmable, so plan them on a standard on/off switch.

Blue Sconce Mistakes to Avoid

• Judging the shade on a phone screen only, without checking it against your wall in real light.
• Pairing blue with cool white bulbs, which makes the room feel cold at night.
• Mixing several blues that almost match but not quite.
• Relying on a tinted glass sconce as the only reading light.

FAQ: Blue Wall Sconces

What is a wall sconce?

It is a light mounted on a wall instead of the ceiling, sending light up, down or both and adding a soft layer of light at eye level.

What is a sconce light?

It is another name for a wall-mounted light. Most are hardwired, but plug-in and battery sconces can be used on walls with no electrical box.

What are wall sconces used for?

They light bedsides, hallways, staircases, entryways and artwork, and they make a room feel warmer by adding light below the ceiling.

How high should blue wall sconces be hung?

Center them 60 to 66 inches above the floor in most rooms, and a little lower beside the bed so the light falls on the page.

What colors go with blue wall sconces?

White, cream, warm wood, sand and gray all pair well with blue. Brass adds warmth, while chrome keeps the look crisp and cool.

What bulb should I use in a blue sconce?

A warm white bulb of 2700 K to 3000 K keeps the light inviting. Check the product page for the bulb base, since several of our designs use integrated LED.

Which rooms suit blue wall sconces?

Bedrooms most of all: 12 of our 14 blue sconces are listed for them. Living rooms, hallways and entryways follow.

Explore More Blue Lighting Ideas

Blue looks most deliberate when it appears more than once. Hang blue pendant lights over a kitchen island or a dining table to echo the sconces on a nearby wall, or bring the color overhead in a bedroom or a kid's room with blue ceiling lights. Two or three blue fixtures spread across an open-plan space connect the zones without any extra decor.

If the hallway is your next project, our hallway and entryway lighting page brings ceiling lights, pendants and sconces together for those spaces. Still choosing a color? Compare blue with our green wall sconces, which sit right next door on the color wheel and suit the same wood tones and brass details.

Blue Sconces From Aftensol

We chose these blue sconces for rooms that should feel calm in the evening, with color you can enjoy even when the light is off. Pick your shade and finish, check the size and bulb base on each product page, and mark the height on the wall before you drill.

Keep exploring: glass wall sconces · staircase wall sconces · all wall sconces