Large Wall Sconces

Large Wall Sconces: Light With Real Presence for Tall Walls and Wide Rooms

Most wall lights are drawn for an ordinary 8-foot wall, which is why they can look like a postage stamp in a two-story foyer, beside a king headboard or next to a stone fireplace. Large wall sconces fix that problem of scale. They bring enough height, width or depth to hold their own against big furniture and tall ceilings, and they spread light across a wider stretch of wall than a compact fixture ever could.

Our selection of 11 fixtures leans long rather than bulky: bars, waves and capsules that gain presence through length, nine of them modern in spirit. Eight run on an integrated LED, and the materials range from aluminum and wood, three pieces each, to acrylic, glass and marble, with single designs in iron, brass and bamboo. The Long Wave LED Wall Sconce, the Long Wood LED Bar Wall Sconce and the Marble and Gold Up-Down Wall Sconce show the idea well. To compare every kind of wall light, browse our complete range of wall sconces.

How Big Is a Large Sconce?

There is no official cutoff, but in most American homes a sconce starts to feel large at roughly 16 to 18 inches tall, or about 12 inches wide for a horizontal design. Depth counts too: a fixture that projects 8 inches or more has a strong sculptural presence even when it is not especially tall. An oversized sconce reads almost like architecture, so judge a large wall sconce against the wall it will live on, not against other lights.

A simple test saves returns. Cut a piece of cardboard to the fixture's height and width, tape it to the wall at the planned height and look at it from the doorway for a day. If the template looks slightly too big, it is usually the right size, because lit fixtures read smaller than paper once furniture and art are in place.

Proportion Rules in Inches and Feet

• Flanking a mirror, headboard or painting: pick a sconce about one quarter to one third the height of the piece it frames.
• On walls of 10 feet or more: fixtures around 20 inches tall or larger keep the proportions honest.
• Beside a fireplace: leave 6 to 12 inches between each sconce and the edge of the mantel, and mount the pair symmetrically.
• In a long hallway: space fixtures about 8 to 10 feet apart so the pools of light overlap.
• In a tight walkway: keep projection near 4 inches, the cap public accessibility guidelines set between 27 and 80 inches off the floor.

Mounting Height When the Fixture Is Tall

The familiar rule of 60 to 66 inches from the floor still applies, but with a big fixture it matters where you measure. Measure to the center of the fixture, not to its top or bottom, so a 24-inch sconce does not tower over the room. On walls taller than 9 feet, lift the center to around 66 to 72 inches, and in a double-height foyer you can align the fixtures with the top of the front door instead.

Beside a bed, keep the bottom of the shade just above your shoulder when you sit up to read, so the light falls on the page and not into your eyes. Our guide on how high to mount wall sconces covers each room in detail.

Rooms Where Big Sconces Shine

The living room is the classic setting, and ten of our eleven designs are tagged for it: a pair of long fixtures on either side of the fireplace or a wide window gives the room a symmetrical frame and a warm glow at conversation height. See living room wall sconces for placement ideas around sofas and shelving. Seven suit hallways and five bedrooms, where a generous sconce beside a tall headboard replaces a bedside lamp; bedroom wall sconces gathers reading-friendly shapes.

Stairwells and two-story entries are where small fixtures fail most often, because the wall is simply too tall for them. Large sconces at each landing guide the eye upward and light the treads; browse staircase wall sconces and our hallway and entryway lighting for the full picture. In a dining room, a pair above a sideboard balances the fixture over the table.

Brightness, Bulbs and Warmth

A big fixture does not have to be a bright one. As accent light, a sconce is pleasant at roughly 200 to 400 lumens; as the main light in a hallway or on a stair, aim for 400 to 800. In a living room, plan about 10 to 20 lumens per square foot across all fixtures combined, and choose warm white between 2700 and 3000 K so a long bar of light feels like evening glow rather than an office panel.

With a built-in LED on eight pieces, there is usually no bulb to buy; the other three take a G9, an E26 or an E12 or E26 bulb, as listed on each product page. Only one design here is listed as dimmable, so if you want to turn a big sconce down at night, check its page first or compare our dimmable wall sconces, and use an LED-compatible dimmer.

Installing a Heavier Wall Fixture

Every fixture in this collection is hardwired and mounts to a wall junction box with a crossbar or mounting plate. Turn off the breaker, test that the wires are dead, and make sure the box is fastened to a stud or a brace rather than held by drywall alone, especially for a deep or weighty fixture. Use a level before you tighten the final screws, since a small tilt is obvious on a tall design. Where no box exists yet, a licensed electrician can install one.

Mistakes to Avoid With Oversized Sconces

• Choosing from a photo instead of the measured dimensions.
• Mounting a tall fixture too low, so it crowds the sofa or headboard.
• Putting a deep sconce in a walkway where shoulders can catch it.
• Hanging a pair off-center from the bed, mantel or mirror they frame.
• Mixing cool and warm bulbs on the same wall.

FAQ: Large Wall Sconces

What are sconces?

Sconces are light fixtures attached to a wall instead of a ceiling or table. The word once meant a wall bracket for candles; today it covers electric wall lights of every size.

What is a sconce light fixture?

It is a wall-mounted fixture with a backplate over the electrical box, a body or arm, and a shade or diffuser. Power can come from a hardwired connection, a plug or a battery.

What is a wall sconce light?

It is simply a light that lives on the wall. Large versions often serve as the main light in hallways and stairwells, or as a framing pair around a bed, mirror or fireplace.

What size wall sconce do I need?

Aim for roughly one quarter to one third the height of the mirror, headboard or art you are framing. On walls of 10 feet or taller, look at fixtures around 20 inches tall or more.

How high should a large wall sconce be mounted?

Center it 60 to 66 inches from the floor on a standard wall, and around 66 to 72 inches on walls taller than 9 feet, measuring to the center of the fixture.

How far apart should large wall sconces be?

In a hallway, about 8 to 10 feet apart. Around a fireplace, bed or mirror, mount them symmetrically, 6 to 12 inches beyond the edge of the piece they frame.

Explore More Big-Scale Lighting

For light thrown both ways along a tall wall, compare up and down wall lights.

Scale works best when it repeats across a home. Over the dining table, our large chandeliers match the presence of a big sconce, and in rooms with lower ceilings, large ceiling lights keep a generous diameter without a long drop.

The Aftensol Large Sconce Selection

We gathered these fixtures for the walls that small lights leave behind. Check each product page for the height, width and projection, tape out the size on your wall, and choose the piece that fills the space with confidence.

Keep exploring: wall sconces · living room lighting · large chandeliers