Installing New Wall Sconces
- Kiersten
- Feb 25, 2021
- 2 min read
After my "junior electrician training" when we installed the outdoor wall light fixtures, I felt pretty confident that I could tackle some more and decided to move on and wire new wall sconces in our entry. We had to take them off to paint, and I really didn't want to put them back on. This house is only 20 years old, but those things felt even more dated... not a good "vintage" old, but a stuck in the 80s/90s old. They were a creamy porcelain shell-like shape that pushed light up. I just threw them away when I took them off the walls which was long before I had something to replace them with.
Wall sconces are a funny category of lighting I've really never explored before. There are a lot of cute ways to use sconces in bathrooms, vanities, etc. but I didn't see a lot of inspiration online for more broad coverage like we have them. After some searching, I landed on these from Home Depot.
I liked how the antique gold paired with black felt classic but modern. I also liked the candlestick design with the clear modern globe. They could be installed both pointing up or down, so I liked knowing I had some flexibility. Plus, they were pretty cheap - so for not a lot of money, I could make an impact.
I called my electrician (cough-dad-cough) to come watch me do the first one (I thought I could handle it but wanted one more "junior electrician" session before I went solo.) He gave me a passing grade, then I got to work on the rest! Final flip of the breaker box, and we had light!
I like the character of these and how they give a nod to the past but fit with the current, and provide a more even light coverage up the stairs. They're a softer alternate to using the bright can lighting in the ceiling all the time. These lights would be really cute in a bathroom, near a bar or in a bedroom too.
Need a Fix Up? Here's what we used:
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