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?
Larry says
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!
KDA says
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.
Pamela Hazelton says
Sides…
bux1234567 says
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.
pam kueber says
Are you a designer, bux?
bux1234567 says
Yep, I’m a commercial/contract designer who shares your enthusiasm for mid-century modest/post-War housing.
kelly Brickey says
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!
Shelly in PHX says
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!
Laura E. says
Something like the Rejuvenation “Sweet Home” candle sconce would be nice.
Laura E. says
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.
pam kueber says
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.
jen says
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.
lynda davis says
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.
pam kueber says
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.
pam kueber says
I am being harsh about the cans… sorry…. maybe strategically placed like another reader suggested. hmmm
Beth Hibbard says
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
Alice says
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?
Elaine says
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.