Yeehaw! Dear Husband says that after 10 years of living in the house, he is still tired of our big living room being so dark at night, and can we please add some sconces in order to brighten things up. “Yeehaw,” because I get to do a project… and it’s been while, so I have the patience, desire and money to attack the issue. That said: I didn’t say I wouldn’t make it a torturous project. Starting with my first torturous decision: Where to place the sconces flanking the fireplace — at the edge of the mantle, or on the main wall just beyond and in this case, set back a bit? What is the “right” answer? Is there a “right” answer?
Let me note, the living room and dining room in my 1951 colonial-ranch are one big open concept room, about 45′ long by 15′ wide. See those two round steps to the left of the Barcelona chair? Those are steps up to the dining room. There are a lot of windows, and the light is fabulous in the day time. But, the only built-in lighting fixture in the space is the chandelier in the dining room. The ceilings are quite high in the living room. And at night, when we closed the pinch pleat drapes, it’s very difficult to light the room with table lamps. We also have a pole lamp. I don’t really care if it’s darkish. But Dear Husband wants light. 10 years later, he still wants it. Okay.
We’ll put a pair of sconces flanking the fireplace, and another pair at the far end of the room flanking that window. That’s it, though. The rest of the space will use table lamps. I am concerned that any more sconces will make the room look like an airport runway. I’ll show a panorama of the space later, as I continue to ask your opinions as I eat my kishkas (sp?) out.
I rarely make decisions that involve calling in electricians, cutting holes in walls and carefully applied grasscloth and in general, mean “permanent” changes… easily. This project will likely involve scores of hours of research and much nail-biting and second guessing about not only the right style of sconce, but also how tall, how wide, how far out it will stick, the shade, the finish and of course, the cost. Already, excitedly, I have spent two hours with DH looking at vintage sconces online and kind of getting a general focus in place… then I went to the local lighting store and spent two hours looking at new lighting in catalogs… and then I came home and another three online again, looking at both new and vintage. Let the games begin.
So back to the question of the day — where to place the sconces that will flank the fireplace? Some key measurements: The fireplace and mantle are set on a wall that protrudes about 6″ from the main wall behind. Where you see the light switch by the door at the right, there’s about 10.5″ of wall space. The big decision:
Should I put the sconces on the main wall (outside arrows) or on the mantel wall?
What do you think, readers? Any “original” go-to examples in your homes?
I think you should pick your period/vintage sconces first, before deciding placement? The scale, shape, and amount of offset from the wall in the sconce would affect my opinion on placement… My initial inclination is on the setback wall, to better frame/bookend the fireplace, but I can imagine a few sconces that would look better in the more pronounced placement on the wall over the fireplace.
Wall. I think it would look pretty crowded on the outcropping of the FP, but it would really depend on the scale of the sconces. Good luck!
We have the same issue; our 1951 ranch has the fireplace at the end of the living room and at night it is the “dark hole”. I have told my husband more than once that people in the 50′s obviously had better night vision than we do
Our problem is mounting electrical boxes above the fireplace because of the chimney; sconces are not an option. So we will add some type of ceiling fixtures or track lighting. In your case, I would mount them to the side just to give you more room to accessorize directly above the mantle 
Your home is fab!
Logistically, I think placing them on the sides would work-out best for you. I can’t wait to see what you choose!
I vote for sides, too. It just seems right. It will seem consistent with the placement of those you are putting next to the windows.
LOVE your living room!
Greetings, Definitely to the side, but I am thinking, but with swing arm, so that you can move it forward or side to side.
Look at swing arm sconces. They make placement more ‘forgiving’ / flexable. I used them on my more ‘arts&crafts’ style fireplace. I’m sure you could find swing arm lamps to fit your period/style.
I vote for front. This is a really symmetrical wall. You have the ceiling beams overhead, with the fireplace bump-out right in the middle of two of them. You have two doors on either side, although the door on the left is further from the fireplace than the door on the right. You have a mirror centered over the fireplace. To make this look unified, I’d put the sconces in the front, on the fireplace bump-out, about a foot above the mantle (depending on how big the sconces are). This will make the fireplace look like a unit.
If you put them on the sides, what will you do with the left side, which is further from the door than the right? Because you could center the sconce on the right between the bump-out and the door, but would you put the left one at the same distance from the bump-out or center it in the wall, which would just look odd to me? I think it would look disjointed to see: door – big space – sconce – bump out – little space – sconce – door. To me, it would be more unified to see the fireplace as a unit on the wall. Door – fireplace with sconces and mirror – door.
The other thing is, if you put a sconce on the right side of the fireplace, over the light switch, your hand is always going to be banging into the sconce whenever you turn the switch off or or. You think your hand will remember where the damn thing is, but it won’t. Either you’ll knock off the sconce shade and break it (if you get glass) or bruise your hand. And the first person who swings around that door at full-speed trying to answer the phone or the doorbell will kosh their head on it.
This sounds silly, but why not use use painter’s tape to temporarily attach small bright flashlights or Christmas tree lights to the areas where the sconces might be placed? That will give some idea of how the light will appear in the space. Rennovating our 1970 house, we discovered exactly where we needed the lights and exactly why the electrician cannot place them there. We’re still working on that problem. Hours, days, and weeks later, we are still trying to decide which affordable sconces to buy. We’re nearly fatigued enough to just make a decison already but wish we could find lighting we like and will still like years from now because it suits the house well.
Hey Pam,
From a practical standpoint I think sconces on the front of the fireplace will provide you with more light in the room (which is why you are installing them). I believe if you install the sconces on the sides of the fireplace (giving the room you have with that door in the way on one side), you will have most of your light trapped in the corners formed by the protruding fireplace. If the door were not there, I would recommend installing sconces in the middle of your picture grouping and the middle of the door but I know you don’t want to make your door into a wall haha!
The light needs to wash the surfaces around them, so I agree that putting them on the sides of the bump out would block the light and create unintentional shawdows. I know you’re wanting to keep it all in the period but I used to have what they call an “eyeball light” above the fireplace and I loved it and used it everyday. It is a recessed light on the ceiling and it angles toward the mantel area, thereby flooding it with light. In some homes lately I’ve seen two small lights in the ceiling for that purpose. They are very unobtrusive and your electrician can do it from the attic. I can’t recommend it enough. Then you can still do the sconces on the walls by the window where they would flood those walls with light.
Sara, I second your motion about the eyeball lights! We had them in the house my parents built when I was 2 or 3–circa 1971–and they cast a gorgeous glow on the floor to ceiling brick hearth wall of the oversized fireplace in our “softly” colonial living room–moss green slighty sculpted wool carpet and med brown stained mouldings; beautiful brown, gold and green floral floor-length draperies; white walls; muted red bricks. The effect of these lights is much different from canned lights or even modern recessed lighting–the eyeballs are unobtrusive, but sort of funky and elegance if you do actually notice them.
Pam–if you could find a vintage set of these, I think they would be a very natural update that an owner would have made to your house in the early 70′s. And by all means go for some sconces as well.
Okay, I meant “funky and elegant” not “elegance”–but funk and elegance are a rare and golden combination!
I have two eyeball lights above my fireplace, I agree, they work great to lighten the space.
For sconces, I favor the walls next to the fireplace for esthetic reasons, but agree the light would be better if they were on the fireplace wall. I think you would choose different sconces, depending on the placement.
On another note after looking again as far as height goes, I would make the middle of your sconces line up with the middle of your star burst mirror which depending on the size of the sconce will still give you plenty of room to decorate your mantel.
haha, I haven’t even got to the Torturous question of how high or low to place them!!!
If your house is victorian period it should go on the front wall. That is traditional for that era. If your house is 1930′s era English Tudor) it should also go on the front. If your house is 1940′s and has an outlet built into the mantel it should again go on the front. I don’t know about the 1950′s or 1960′s era. And of course if you’re following your aesthetic and not tradition that it doesn’t really matter.
C.Bourne
I vote for the sides or the fireplace, for two reasons. One, IF, IF, you ever want to be rid of the scones, the hole in the wall will be much easier to fix than a hole in the fireplace front.
Second, from an electrical standpoint, I would think it would be a cheaper and easier route to tap right into the existing wiring from the light switches. I’m betting the slightly extended fireplace wall/front is solid masonary. Won’t it be hard to lace the wiring into that facade-even if they go down from the ceiling?
As for exact placement, I think you’re going to need the chosen fixture in hand before you can make that decision.
Just my 2 cents!
What about just using recessed lights in the ceiling? You might have an issue with getting an electrical box above the fireplace depending on where the chimney is. You might ask the electrician first what is possible and practical. I have a friend that has plugs above the fireplace and she has two lamps on the fireplace and also a plug to light up greens at Christmas time. Your space looks lovely. I think it would be easier to patch a ceiling than grasscloth! Another possibility might be to find the sconces that plug into a outlet and have a metal piece coming down the wall to hide the cord. Perhaps one of those could go behind the sofa. Also, seems like a lamp could go on the bookcase behind the sofa and that might provide enough light.
haha, this is partly what DH and I discussed in our 2-hr conversation Staring At Walls. NO to can lights in this room — there are five sections of beamed ceiling; impossible plus I don’t like the look. We also talked about lamp on table at far wall like you said; but came back to sconces.
I am being harsh about the cans… sorry…. maybe strategically placed like another reader suggested. hmmm
Hi Pam,
I understand your distaste for traditional canned lighting, however, today, there are many options for recessed lighting that are unobtrusive and next to invisible. I have a friend who lights the mantle of his fireplace with a recessed fixture that is about an inch in diameter. The emanating light is soft and lovely. Search “unobtrusive recessed lighting” in Google images and you will find an array of beautiful fixtures.
I see that many commenters have already suggested the same, and I don’t think that the beams in your ceiling would be an issue at all with a great lighting design.
Your wonderful sunburst mirror is an amazing focal point for your fireplace, and I think that the addition of any sconces here would detract from its beauty. If you are set on sconces, I would use a pinhole light over your fireplace and sconces on the window wall.
Also, an uplight behind your philodendron (totally jealous of its size, btw) would totally enhance the the lighting of your room.
If you don’t already have a copy of the Better Homes & Gardens Decorating Book from 1961, get one. There are plenty of copies on eBay and it has a great section on lighting. The pictures are groovy as well.
Best regards,
Beth
Hi Pam – how lovely that room is! I’ve gotta say my first question was “what is DH wishing to be able to see with the increased lighting?” Wall-sconces don’t provide lots of light so if he is wanting to be able to read without moving to a light or clean the room, then I would agree that a ceiling light might be more effective. How about some bullet downlights from the ceiling? Or a central mid-mod fixture?
Eyeball lights are a little different than can lights, we have both in our beamed ceiling (1964 colonial). The eyeball lights are on each side over the center of the huge fieldstone fireplace and appear to showcase the fireplace, as well as light the room. They can be refocused in other directions. There are two can lights on each side of the room, on the other side of the beams flanking the fireplace. They are original to the 1964 house, and I am used to them so they look fine to me.
Kate emailed me:
Pam, I can’t comment on your page, I don’t know what the problem is, must be sunspots. Regarding your sconce quandry:
I vote for front. This is a really symmetrical wall. You have the ceiling beams overhead, with the fireplace bump-out right in the middle of two of them. You have two doors on either side, although the door on the left is further from the fireplace than the door on the right. You have a mirror centered over the fireplace. To make this look unified, I’d put the sconces in the front, on the fireplace bump-out, about a foot above the mantle (depending on how big the sconces are). This will make the fireplace look like a unit.
If you put them on the sides, what will you do with the left side, which is further from the door than the right? Because you could center the sconce on the right between the bump-out and the door, but would you put the left one at the same distance from the bump-out or center it in the wall, which would just look odd to me? I think it would look disjointed to see: door – big space – sconce – bump out – little space – sconce – door. To me, it would be more unified to see the fireplace as a unit on the wall. Door – fireplace with sconces and mirror – door.
The other thing is, if you put a sconce on the right side of the fireplace, over the light switch, your hand is always going to be banging into the sconce whenever you turn the switch off or or. You think your hand will remember where the damn thing is, but it won’t. Either you’ll knock off the sconce shade and break it (if you get glass) or bruise your hand. And the first person who swings around that door at full-speed trying to answer the phone or the doorbell will kosh their head on it.
Kate nailed it. Well said. Also, I imagine if you place them on the wall that the space to the left requires it to be so close, that the fireplace bump would block the light and you’d end up with a really harsh shadow and a dark mantle.
Front, most definitely. It will look weird on the sides. The fireplace itself is the focus, so the lighting should reflect that.
Since your woodwork is colonial, not modern, I would go with a simple colonial style, nothing too funky or retro.
Something like the Rejuvenation “Sweet Home” candle sconce would be nice.
Definitely a vote here for flanking your mirror on the front of the fireplace. I think the sides would look weird, like the sconces were an afterthought. On the other wall, centered on each side (bye-bye hanging piece on the left). And WOW what a gorgeous living room!
I vote for the mantle bump out wall. As well as providing extra light, they will also be jewelry. Can’t wait to see the fabulous fixtures you pick!
I’m struck by two things: 1) the spaces that exist on the back walls at either side of the fireplace and 2) the fact that the fireplace comes forward 6 inches. The side doors and the ceiling beams that intersect the perimeter crown moldings also complicate the visual composition here.
While the space on the left back wall seems ample, the space on the right back wall between the fireplace and door seems too narrow and crowded for any sconce of reasonable scale or proportion. Plus, with the fireplace wall protruding 6 inches, I’m concerned that a sconce mounted on the right back wall will cast an odd shadow around the right corner of the fireplace protrusion. This shadow might look especially odd in contrast to the hot spot that the sconce might create on the right back wall. For these reasons, I would not recommend putting the sconces on the back side walls.
On the other hand, the protruding fireplace creates a self-framing backdrop that organizes all the elements that you’re dealing with: the firespace, mantel, existing mirror, and seasonal decorations, as well as the sconces that you’re considering. For that reason, I’d recommend mounting the wall sconces on the front sides of the fireplace wall, above about where the mantel vases are shown.
If your main goal is to create a sense of more light overall, and if you’re concerned about the complications of adding fixed electrical elements to your walls and permanently disturbing your delicate wall finishes, you may want to forego wall sconces altogether and consider adding aim-able recessed down lights to the ceilings. I believe that people find light at the perimeter of a space to be essential to perceiving the space to be well-lit, even if the perimeter light is subtle. Recessed down lights would create more such light on the perimeter walls than would sconces. Moreover, recessed fixtures light an area without introducing the potentially harsh hot spot of a sconce—people don’t generally see the source of light with down lights. One down-light fixture centered above the fireplace would allow you to high light whatever centerpiece you put over the mantel. If one fixture is not enough, you may wish to consider three—I’m just not sure about the look of potentially three of scallops of light on such a small wall wall, but I think an odd number/three is better than two if one is not enough. Likewise, aim-able recessed down lights would allow you to high light the art work at the other end of the room. Last, if you’re unhappy with the placement of ceiling lights, relocating them within the ceiling and patching the ceiling is generally easier and more forgiving than relocating them on the wall and patching the walls, especially with your kind of wallcovering.
In any case, all best to you, whatever you decide. Thanks again for doing such a great job with Retrorennovation.
Are you a designer, bux?
Yep, I’m a commercial/contract designer who shares your enthusiasm for mid-century modest/post-War housing.
Sides…
I think, traditionally, sconces go on the front of the fireplace. At least, that’s where all the original ones have been in my prior homes. You may be able to see examples in a Rejuvenation catalog. I believe the WSJ had an article on sconces not too long ago.
I have to agree with putting them on the bumpout. It would be really crowded and stuffed into that little space between the bumpout and the door on the right and as Allen said I think a lot of the light would get trapped in the corners. Good luck!
I’d say the front. The sides are already a bit off balance (you have brought it to balance with the addition of artwork on the left) since the doors on either side are not of equal distance. I think if you put them on the outside, you would throw of the balance you have created there.
On the sides of the bumpout, not the front. On the front will make the mantle look cluttery. On the main wall will be asymmetric. There is too little space between the bumpout and the door to the right. That’s if you use sconces. You should reconsider lighting options. Sconces will look busy-ish no matter what.
What about something that runs along the front of the bumpout, but higher up, above the mirror? Something horizontal, which hides the tubes/bulbs?
Or, if your set on sconces, then up high, on the front of the bumpout. Perhaps round ones (circular on the front – picking up the circular look of your mirror) that are mounted at about the height of the tops of the doors.
“you’re”
I’m casting my vote for the front of the fireplace. I think the symmetry you have now is beautiful, and sconces on the front would enhance this. I agree with Shelley in PHX, that placing them on the side walls would look “weird”. So there you go, just one opinion. I also agree with the comments about choosing the sconces first. Depending on what you get, they might look better on the sides. Good luck, your taste is impeccable, so whatever you choose will be Fab!
The problem with choosing sconces first, is that there is only 10″ width on the setback wall to the right by the door. If I choose the setback area, I will need to make sure the sconces are not too wide and also have to take into account the 6″ protrusion….
I vote inner. I’m not keen on a sconce being so close to the door, though in real life that may look perfectly fine. Why don’t you install the other sconces first then see if you actually need the fireplace ones. A new solution may occur to you in the meantime.
i hear you on this. but if i buy vintage sconces i will need to buy four not two, so this is a consideration
Ah, yes…4 instead of 2. I just spent an ungodly amount of money because I just had to have 4 matching antique sconces for my master bathroom. Things just get more expensive the higher quantity of matching lights that you have to have!
Oh, this is fun! We actually get to help Pam decide something for her house!
First, I just have to majorly ***swoooooooon*** over your matching (oh MY!) loveseats!!!! Maybe they are actually full size sofas, but the angle of the photo makes them look like loveseats. No matter, they are fabulous! Color me green.
So, here is my humble opinion, on several things.
#1 Fireplace sconces. Yes! On the front – this is traditional placement. There are so many different styles of sconces out there, you will find something that works great with that placement. The most important will be to not have them look like an “add on” but an original feature of the house, and I think the only way to accomplish that is with proper placement (and to some extent, style). If they were on the sides, I would immediately say to myself, oh, those aren’t original to the house – just because of their placement.
# 2 Sconces by the window: No. I wouldn’t do that, honestly Pam. Even though I am the matchiest of matchy people, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. So, I vote down the sconces by the window and instead:
It looks like you have a gorgeous ceiling, box beams and all! Lucky you. I would opt for a matching light fixture in the ceiling (one that matches the fireplace sconces). Bonus that you have the high ceilings! You say you have 5 sections of ceiling in between the box beams. Because the room is so long, I’d even recommend 2 ceiling fixtures….in box 2 and box 4 (assuming your 5 boxes are in a linear row). Is the fireplace centered in the room – ie, lined up with box 3 of the ceiling? If so, I would definitely do sconces at the fireplace (that’s box 3), and matching ceiling fixtures in boxes 2 and 4. This would create a wonderful balance and symmetry in the room.
Really, Pam – we need a picture from one end of the room to the other to include the ceiling
Something like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-and-IMPRESSIVE-1940s-WHEAT-chandelier-AND-sconces-/380412183438?pt=Architectural_Garden&hash=item589255438e
Or fixtures like this (colonial revival) with the matching single glass sconces….I’d pick different glass though….
http://www.rejuvenation.com/fixshowC577-4/templates/selection.phtml
And, I would most definitely put them on a dimmer….there is nothing more wonderful than dimmed lights for ambiance! I am a huge dimmer fan!
Ok, on to the window end, here is what I would do:
# 3 – acquire a 6 way mogul bulb floor lamp, and I’d probably place in the right hand corner, or I would even opt for a matching pair of vintage mogul bulb floor lamps. I have 5 in my house, and if you want LIGHT, these are the way to go, especially the 40′s style with the center bulb and 3 candle bulbs around – they have the milk glass center shade, and have a fabric drum shade that sits on it. The center bulb is usually 3 way – 100 watt, 200 watt, 300 watt, plus the 3 candle bulbs. Let me tell you – nothing better!!!! I love each and every one of mine, and they get used a lot.
Or………
OMG – you could do a pair of torchiere’s….I just found these on eBay, and I would be snapping them up – they are gorgeous and an EXCELLENT price. Vintage matching torchieres are pretty hard to find, and when you do, they command big bucks. The last pair of Rembrandt torchieres I saw out here were $1200. These are an exceptional buy at $425 for the pair, and the glass shades are stunning!
Take a look – they would look so awesome in the corners by your on each side of your window, and are VERY in keeping with the style of your loveseats at the end, and the era/style of your house.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fantastic-Pair-of-OLD-REMBRANDT-Torchiere-Floor-Lamps-Great-Original-Shades-/160756949584?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item256ddc6250
Ok, I’m done now! LOL
I should qualify – I’d put the torchieres flanking each side of the window…about where the sconces would have been vs. all the way in the corners…………
Another vote for on the face of the fireplace wall. A more traditional placement for sure, though probably it will displace your vases. Maybe they would still look right without the flowers in them, though.
You might look into corner sconces that could tuck into the sides of the bumpout, but my quick google search didn’t turn up any that would look great.
I agree that the front of the mantel is best, for all the reasons stated, and that standing lamps next to the windows would work better than sconces. If you have your heart set on wall lamps next to the windows, you could always do plug-in ones, and if you find wall lamps really don’t work there, you’d only have small mounting holes to repair and could still have floor lamps… or ceiling swag lamps in each corner.
Mantel wall.
The sconces should be placed above the mantel. Here’s another idea, Pam. Cut a space into the mantel itself and put in long tube lights with frosted glass over them, the glass flush with the mantel. My previous home built in 1949 had this and it was very effective lighting at night. Good luck with your project and be sure to show us the results!!
I vote to put them on the sides:
–Wiring into the masonry would be more difficult, hence pricier.
–You could take advantage of some existing dead space by putting them on the sides, whereas putting them over the mantel will get in the way of a lot of other things you might want to put there (such as what is there right now, though the vases of greenery would probably compete too much with any sconces, no matter what you choose). The mantel is usually the home’s prime focal point for displaying beautiful things. Don’t hobble yourself by eating up the real estate with the lighting.
–To the fear that putting them on the side will cast too much of their light into the little corners where the fireplace juts out, I say that putting them too close together will focus an imbalanced amount in the center of the room, leaving dark corners. Also, if they’re over the mantel, they’re liable to shine directly into the sunburst mirror, magnifying said imbalance.
–To the fear that putting them on the side will make them seem like an afterthought, I say so? They ARE an afterthought. Pam has survived without them for years. They’re going to be functional little helpers, not the stars of a sconce-themed diorama. The stars of the decor are Pam’s art and whatever she wants to seasonally swap out on her mantel. The sconces are just there to discreetly help from the sidelines. We’re casting the butler here, not the leading lady. (But you should still get the most suitable and elegant butler available.)
–In future years, you (or a future owner) might have a nice large painting that would fit beautifully in the place of honor over the fireplace — but only if the area is not crowded by the sconces.
Pam, I encourage you to step back and take the long view. We’re all excited about the sconces right now, but in the long run you’ll want visitors to say “What a pretty room,” not “”I can’t stop looking at your sconces.”
Pam, follow your own advice and consult a pro – either an experienced decorator or an electician that knows a few things about lighting. You are going for secondary lighting not task lighting so that you don’t feel like you are in a cave at night. As others have noted, fireplace sconces traditionally are mounted over the mantel not on the sidewalls. You have a living room skewed towards traditional design whith the fireplace taking center stage with the ceiling beams symetrical to the mantel. There is not enough room to the right for placement because of the door. A good electician should be able to work in your attic to place ceiling downlights around the perimeter. Museums and galleries do this all the time to throw light onto art d’object and paintings without lighting the entire space. They are pinlights, not the big can lights you are probably thinking of. You could then forgo cluttering the walls with light fixtures. Oh what a beautiful fireplace, oh what a beautiful living room. maybe some more floor lamps. Have fun!
okay, maybe ‘pin lights’. i will make another trip to the lighting store. Ross there is very good. But: keep these comments coming, folks, this is REALLY helpful.
That’s a tough one. Visually, I think I’d like to see them on the sides, but I think Allen might be right about the light getting trapped in the corners. Not to take the easy way out, but I actually think either could work because your living room is GORGEOUS. Oh my, so gorgeous.
I have to ask … are those vintage sofas or something available currently? Because I am in love, love, love with them!
The loveseats are vintage Baker. I bought them at an antiques show in Saline, Mich., about 15 years ago. They were pink damask… but shredded. I had them reupholstered 9 years ago, after we moved here. At the time, there were not great midcentury style fabrics available yet. My upholstery is kind of linen-weave-looking. It was expensive to buy and expensive to get done… Thank you for your kind comments, all.
May have been expensive, but it seems like it was worth it. They are really, really lovely!
Sconces belong on the chimneybreast – Not on either side.
Hi Pam, gorgeous room!
I am caught between the two as well.
I think that if you want your sconces to be center of attention and a focal point, you should put them above the mantle. This will showcase them. I also feel like they will throw the light a little better. You will probably want to find something a little lower but with an organic feel to decorate the mantle with; your current vase and branch setup is beautiful, but will be too tall with sconces in place.
If you install sconces flanking the fireplace, I think you will wind up with pieces that blend into the background; nice if you don’t have anything super special, or if you have to purchase new sconces and aren’t really wanting to make them a showcase item. You will also be able to keep your vase and branch mantle decorations.
Sorry for the poor photoshop, but here is what something might look like above your mantle:
http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y119/chaseabryant/?action=view¤t=SconceonFireplace.jpg
And Flanking your Mantle:
http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y119/chaseabryant/?action=view¤t=SconceFlankFireplace.jpg
Keep in mind that you will require sconces that are fairly narrow if you want to flank the fireplace, but if you place them above the mantle you will have more leeway with the width of the light.
WOW, Chase — can I show these mockups on the blog? They are really helpful! I don’t know how to do photoshop like this!
Of course you can!
And, if you have a sconce in mind, I’d be glad to at least try to put it in the picture in place of the ones that are there.
Awesome, Chase….you’ve got mad skills and a talent for taking the pain and suffering out of the situation.
Wow, Chase! You are a brave man. Now everyone will be sending you pictures to photoshop for them. Ha,ha
But while I’m here I’ll vote for sconces on the front mantle wall. More traditional. I think the left hand wall would odd with the sconce in the corner and even odder centered on the space.
Good luck, Pam. Thanks for the homework.
You could let DH choose as he gave the go ahead. Chortle….I know, I know, crazy talk!
I lean towards the mantle wall. That said, if you choose the location first it will influence your choice of sconces and if you choose the sconces first it will influence your choice for location.
Good luck, I want all the lighting and lamps all the time so this kind of commit causes blood to bead on my forehead.
hahahahaha Good one, Just Another! best laf of the day ahahahahahahaa
There’s a nice photo of a room similar to yours with sconces above the fireplace on page 54 of the March issue of Better Homes and Gardens.
After looking at dozens of pix of fireplace sconces I would say that you can’t go wrong either way, Pam. It looks good both ways. I would just make sure that you choose fixtures that cast plenty of light up (to bounce off the ceiling), down, and outward. E.g., ones in the style of the wheat sconces Tappan Trailer Tami linked to would do that, and also would fit very nicely on either side of the fireplace if you decide to put the sconces there.
As far as losing too much light in the corners with a side placement, I don’t think you’d lose much since the projection is only six inches and any fixture you chose would probably project at least four inches. And even if you did lose a little, it can look very dramatic and turn your fireplace into more of a feature, and you can still have plenty of light: http://www.houzz.com/photos/77551/Living-room-contemporary-living-room-toronto
I second those who’ve suggested skipping the sconces flanking the windows. I think four sconces in one modest-sized room is too many (and believe me, I have a HUGE fetish for light fixtures and lamps, so I don’t often counsel less rather than more!). My first choice would be swags in the corners. The light would bounce off both walls and the ceiling and reflect back into the room. No wiring required, and you can change them if you find lights you like even more. I think they could fit in without moving your plants or interfering with your current decor.
Can’t wait to see pix of the finished project. Oooh, shopping for vintage light fixtures. I envy you!!!
Hahaha! Lynn – you and I would get along great. I could spend my WHOLE life shopping for antique/vintage light fixtures, lamps, etc. Anything that takes a light bulb. It is my number 1 vintage fetish, LOL.
After I posted the Rembrandt torchieres for Pam, I totally caught myself trying to find a place to fit them into my own house. Shame shame. I need one more light like a hole in the head. But really, is 7 floor lamps too many?
Ha ha, Tami! I have no problem with seven floor lamps. Can you ever really have too much lighting? That’s why I surprised myself telling Pam to maybe rethink the four sconces!
I actually have that same Markel chandelier you posted, but with a different shade–it has green & orange flowers. You’ve probably seen it. I paid considerably less than that listing. It is gorgeous. Yes, I can and have spent entire days combing eBay and/or Etsy for lights. You and I could have a lot of fun light shopping together!
Lynn – that’s too funny about the Markel light being in your house! I have very similar sconces, but mine have yellow and pink roses on them with a chrome back plate, and I have a flush mount ceiling fixture with the matching shade.
As for cost, the guy that posts those on eBay, RossMCT, is one of the most pricey, but he always has really grand lights.
And yes, we could have more than a lot of fun light shopping! You aren’t in California are you?
Hi, Tami–No, although I’m a Santa Barbara native I live in Montana. Would love to come to the Bay Area sometime for the new modernism show. Mission to modern–that just about covers it for me! Where are you?
I’ve looked at that eBay vendor’s stuff many times. I know one reason his prices are high is that he restores and rewires everything. But frankly I prefer the patina on my fixture to the shiny brass on his. Or maybe I’m just cheap and lazy!
LOL Lynn – hey, cheap and lazy works for me too! I’m in San Jose, so I went to the Deco/Modernism show in San Francisco this year, swooned over LOTS of stuff including the 6 foot long chrome Art Deco toy train…oh my…$9500 and then there was the $8500 1940′s curved floor model giant fishtank with chrome trim.
I’m originally from Washington, so used to be closer to Montana! Give me a shout if you pass through here someday……we could go get in trouble easily enough.
I used to live in Seattle and go back as often as I can. I have family strewn from San Jose to Hayward to Santa Rosa. I will definitely come to the SF modernism show sooner or later to swoon. I assume most stuff would be out of my price range. It would be so fun to hook up with you!
Lynn-O, the room is actually quite large: 30′x15′ by 106″ tall — and, the adjacent dining room, open to living room but separated by a built-in counter-like cabinet, adds another 15′ of length. I know it’s my bad that I did not show whole room, which makes it harder… but there were craft projects going on in two spots! Here’s dining room: http://retrorenovation.com/2011/11/13/a-vintage-lightolier-for-my-dining-room-finish-what-you-started-week-5-weigh-in-upload-your-photos-too/
Thanks, Pam. It’s kind of hard to get perspective on the room size when only seeing one end. I didn’t realize it connected to the dining room. Of course I remember the dining room from the light fixture pix. (I never forget a light fixture. Tee hee.)
Dying to see what you come up with!
Yea! More photos of Pam’s abode at last. I just knew it would be a knockout and it certainly is!
I’m voting for sconces on the main wall. Could there be some type of mirror-backed sconce in keeping with your decor which could provide more illumination?
Is there some kind of up/down lighting fixture, maybe in a brushed brass, like the inverted cone wall-mount fixtures? Your ceiling is too beautiful not to light. I’d imagine an up light would create a dramatic effect on it at night.
Oh, my. You asked for answers, not more questions. Bottom line here is that, personally, I’d go with something simple and unobtrusive, but very period, which would blend with my current decor and hopefully with any future additions. Sconces once installed are there for the duration, more or less.
Please tell us about the ducks on the dining room wall!
Or maybe, just go over the top with brass sputnik sconces with star lights on the main wall. Too much is never enough, you know.
(No window sconces, though; floor lamps.)
outside
Flank the mirror on the FP with them. My two cents.
I vote fireplace wall – the light will flood room better without the wall edges to contend with. I also think that sconces are the next generation to what would have been gas lights or candles and the natural place for that type of light would have been mantlepiece wall. However, I think it is fine to have them flanking window as well – that would have been natural with gas/candle as well.
I think that you could find some cool ones that complement the mirror.
Good luck!
I think on the fireplace rather than to the sides. I feel the lighting will be more effective that way. I also think the righthand sconce may look a tad awkward if mounted on the side wall. That is my opinion.
However, I would consider future art or decor you may want to hang in place of the starburst mirror eventually. Sconces may prohibit larger items…
Pam – are you set on a pair of lights by the fireplace? My experience with mid-century is limited to my grandparents home (’43-’61), so this might not fit what you have, but have you considered a single light on the left wall where you now have a grouping of pictures? The right fixture would complement your starburst mirror and balance visually with the mirror. It would also be easier to install, and with two sconces by the window would stay with the classic adage that odd numbers are more visually appeally. If you wanted the light more balanced, you could also install the tiny (about half dollar sized) recessed lights in the ceiling. Then you’d have the look and the light. Have fun whatever you pick!
Late to this, I know, but you have some lovely artwork grouped around the room. Have you considered lighting that? Those bar-type downlights haven’t changed much over the years.
Wires could easily run along and be disguised by the crown molding, and the drop to the lights hidden with cord covers, which, by the way, could themselves be covered with the grass cloth wall paper so that you would hardly notice them.
I love your blog. But the answer I have for you, in my straightforward midwestern way, is: neither. I’d get a funky floor lamp to go with those great chairs. The mirror stands on its own. If I had a mantel and that cool mirror, I’d let it be. No vases, no sconces. If any objects, something low profile and metallic. If the starburst mirror goes somewhere else, like above a bed, then sconce away and find something else for the middle. Again, I greatly enjoy your blog! Have fun figuring out what makes you and hubby happy in this arrangement.
My first thought when reading your question regarding the mantle vs wall placement was “neither”. I vote for ceiling. One of the things I’ve noticed in beautiful, well designed homes is that they tend to have a combination of lighting. Up lights, down lights, and free standing (lamps, swags, torchiere, etc) are usually utilized. I think your mantle is beautiful and adding scones anywhere on that wall will detract from its impact and look cluttered. I’ve lived in a lot of different types of housing over the years and one thing I noticed was that overhead lighting is crucial. Crucial. After living in apartments built in the 1970′s and 1980′s which all lacked any sort of overhead lighting, I demanded overhead lights in the first house we bought. And then gladly donated half of the twenty lamps I had accumulated over the years. Good riddance.
I think Bux was spot on in his/her advice that pin lights from the ceiling will best enhance that part of the room. I’d suggest strategically adding them to other locations in the room as well. Then you can accent with sconces on the far wall. Or maybe you won’t need them after the strategically placed overhead lights on dimmers are installed. Someone suggested an uplight from the plant as well. I think that would look fantastic.
My grandparents had sconces in their living room on the fireplace bump out and they never put off enough light to to anything other than annoy and highlight the ceiling.
You mentioned your hesitance over cutting holes in the grasscloth. I think that is your subconscious sending you a message.
My grandparents had sconces in their living room on the fireplace bump out and they never put off enough light to to anything other than annoy and highlight the ceiling.
Also, like others have mentioned, an experienced electrician would be able to tell you the best place to add the best lighting based on your specific needs and demands for that space. Maybe Chico from Candice Olsen’s show reads this blog.
Very late to these comments, but wanted to vote with Saundra on using the left wall only. I think it might look better if you weren’t going for symmetry. My first thought was a pair of small sconces would look great on the left, and nothing by the windows. I don’t know how much light it would add, but it would be pretty!