Lighting is a vital element of interior design and home decor. The type, direction and color of emitted indoor light all impact the mood and interior of a space. Many of us have shopped throughout the year for better task lighting -- from table lights to floor lights. However, with the holidays on the horizon, the time has come to add a bit of warm, soft lighting best suited for relaxation. As Americans cocoon in their homes during recently renewed stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders, creating a comfortable, inviting space is a must. Cozy, intimate spaces evoke no design trend or philosophy better than the Danish one of Hygge. Follow below to learn more about Hygge, how lighting impacts interior design and how to choose modern wall sconces for cozy interiors this Winter.
(Center) Troy Lighting Andromeda Carbide Black and Polished Nickel Two-Light 5'' Wide Wall Sconce, from TopModern
Wall sconces can be a bit more complicated than other light fixtures. More comparable to overhead lights than table or floor lights, wall sconces typically require hard-wiring pre-install. In simpler terms, wall sconces are rarely equipped to use a plug and outlet. They must be wired into the wall where a unit has already been installed by an electrician. The location of hard-wiring will limit where you can place your wall sconces. However, you can always choose to have the wiring expanded upon in order to place wall sconces in other areas of your home. Before choosing your wall sconce, consider also how far out the wall sconce can reasonably extend before becoming cumbersome or dangerous. Some wall sconces come equipped with a retractable arm, but others protrude at the end of their arm without the ability to collapse. Consider the width of your hallway, the size of your entryway or the position of furniture when choosing your wall sconces.
(Center) Hudson Valley Longmont Aged Brass 5'' Wide Wall Sconce, from TopModern
Determining the reason for which you intend to purchase wall sconces for your home is essential to choosing the right set. For example, the type of wall sconce best suited to your interior will depend significantly upon its intended use. A low-mounted wall sconce with a downturned shade is perfect for a nightstand or reading light. However, an outward-facing, high-mounted light is better for ambient or pseudo-overhead lighting. Further still, an upward-cast wall sconce might be best for lighting a pathway or illuminating a corner to make a room feel bigger.
(Center) Hubbardton Forge Lisse Two-Light Incandescent Wall Sconce, from TopModern
Wall sconces are not necessarily more expensive than other types of lights -- e.g. floor, table, task or overhead lights. However, installing additional hard-wiring for new wall sconces -- in new spots on the wall -- can make the endeavor a bit more costly. Before purchasing your wall sconces, be sure to decide how many you will need. For example, in your bedroom, you might decide to add two -- one on either side of the bed as nightlights. In your hallway or entryway, however, you might need a set of two or three on each side of the hall. Designers typically recommend placing wall sconces between eight and ten feet from each other in a hallway or a stairwell.
(Center) Corbett Lighting Vertigo Bronze / Gold Leaf 10'' Wide Wall Sconce, from TopModern
Personal style should always dictate design choices. Consider your preferences when choosing your wall sconces. Draw on inspiration from periods of design and art you enjoy most. Reflect your aesthetic, whether that be the industrial style of the Bauhaus or the frilly style of the Victorian period. Reflect your style in each choice of metals, glass, coloring and shape. Style should never be left behind when choosing light fixtures just because they are practical and functional. Wall sconces should be beautiful and statement-making too!
(Center) Minka Lavery Liege Aged Kinston Bronze with Brass Highlights Industrial Wall Sconce, from TopModern
By this point, you might be fairly certain which wall sconces are best for your home. You will have considered the location of necessary wiring, thought about your personal style and picked the placement of each light. However, the way in which your new wall sconces will work with existing light fixtures must also be considered. Be sure to factor in the style, scale and lighting intensity of other light fixtures before settling on your wall sconces. Finally, remember that interior lighting should always be layered. Avoid relying completely on wall sconces for a room’s lighting program. Layer wall sconces with overhead lights, floor lamps, table lamps, natural light and task lighting wherever needed.
(Center) Troy Lighting Raef Textured Black 10'' Wide Wall Sconce, from TopModern
Light fixtures can be stunning, impeccably-designed pieces of art. However, they must always be perfectly functional as well. While often left to the last minute, lighting should not be discounted. Lighting has an enormous impact on the mood, atmosphere and usability of a space. Improper lighting in an interior can drown it in darkness or flatten and wash it out. Poor lighting can also be harmful to mental health and painful for the eyes. It can even be physically dangerous for those walking in rooms crowded with furniture or down sharply inclined stairwells. Inappropriate lighting can make a small room feel tiny or a large room feel cold and ominous. Effective lighting -- however -- can make a small room feel large and airy and a bigger room feel warm and inviting. It can make a hallway feel soft and welcoming rather than claustrophobic.
The color, intensity and direction of each light fixture in your home will either add to or detract from an inviting interior. Designers largely agree that interior lighting should reflect natural light. It should be warm and soft -- yet still usable for a variety of activities. Be sure to choose cool-to-the-touch bulbs with warm color tones and filtered shades or globes for each of your light fixtures. This combination will replicate natural light as best as possible.
(Center) Hudson Valley Lighting Warm Modern Wall Sconce, from TopModern
Home decor and interiors-lovers have scrambled all season for ways to help their homes evoke Hygge. Hygge -- for those unfamiliar with the philosophy -- is a Danish concept for the intimacy and coziness of a warm, nostalgic space in which family and friends gather. The term calls to mind a special evening spent around the fireplace with one’s partner or the first step into a warm house from a chilly driveway during Winter. Americans embracing the philosophy of hygge might focus on ridding their homes of worries and fears in favor of comfort and the joy of the holiday season.
As you might have guessed, lighting is an essential element in achieving Hygge at home. Though traditionally the warmth and light of a Hygge interior might be accomplished with a cluster of candles or a crackling hearth, warm-toned wall sconces can work just as well. To create a natural glow with the mid-century flair so common of Hygge interiors, consider vintage-inspired bulbs and dimmers for each of your light fixtures. Avoid an “electric” look wherever possible, choosing soft, filtered light at every turn. We love any wall sconces that offer texture and interest in their hardware, while incorporating vintage elements in the bulbs, globes or shades.
(Center) Hudson Valley Lighting Warm Modern Wall Sconce, from TopModern
An industrial space does not have to feel cold or oppressive. With the right lighting, it can be as cozy, warm and homey as any other interior design style. Choosing warm-toned woods like cedar and pine as well as warm-toned metals like brass and copper can transform an industrial room. To add a bit of Bauhaus flair, we recommend adding the Hudson Valley Lighting Warm Modern Wall Sconce to your industrial-inspired interior.
(Center) Hudson Valley Lighting Chic Vintage & Industrial Wall Sconce, from TopModern
Green has been everywhere this year. Interiors across the country have been packed full of natural shades and materials at the behest of expert paint manufacturers, interior designers and professional decorators. The interest in green seems to stem from two places: a renewed interest in vintage patterns and styles and a fresh focus on bringing nature indoors. With 2021 turning towards a more luxe expression of the organic interiors trend, we recommend choosing wall sconces with a mixture of bronze or gold and rich green hues. We particularly love the Hudson Valley Lighting Chic Vintage & Industrial Wall Sconce from TopModern.
(Center) Troy Lighting Xavier Vintage Iron 5'' Wide Wall Sconce, from TopModern
Just like the industrial trend, adding black to your home does not necessarily mean it will make a space feel dark or gloomy. Black can add an air of understated glamour to any interior and is especially perfect for the Winter season when natural light is in short supply. Black hardware in wall sconces creates the perfect backdrop for romantic, softly glowing light. We cannot help but love the Troy Lighting Xavier Vintage Iron 5'' Wide Wall Sconce for its graphic silhouette and vintage-inspired bulb.
