How High to Hang Wall Sconces in the Bedroom, Hallway and Living Room

A wall sconce puts light exactly where you need it: beside the bed, along a hallway or next to a favorite chair, without taking up a table or floor space. The catch is that it's fixed to the wall, so the height has to be right before the electrician fits the wall box. Here are the measurements to plan around.

1. The general rule: about 60 to 66 inches

For most rooms, place the center of the sconce about 60 to 66 inches (5 ft to 5 ft 6 in) above the floor. At that height the light sits a little above eye level for most adults, so you see the glow of the shade rather than the bulb itself.

• Ceilings of 9 ft or more: move toward the top of the range, or slightly above it, so the sconce doesn't look low on a tall wall.
• Taller sconces: measure to the middle of the fixture, not the top. A 26.6 inch tall sconce such as the Candela vertical version needs its center at the right height, which puts its top well above 6 ft.
• Upward-facing shades: keep the top of the shade below eye level for anyone standing nearby, so nobody looks down into the bulb.

2. Beside the bed

Bedside sconces free up the nightstand and give each side of the bed its own reading light. Measure from the mattress, not the floor:

• Height: the bottom of the shade about 20 to 30 inches above the top of the mattress. That is usually 45 to 55 inches above the floor. Sit up in bed against the headboard before you fix it: the light should fall onto your book, and you shouldn't see the bulb.
• Side to side: center each sconce over its nightstand, or about 6 to 12 inches out from the edge of the headboard.
• Pairs: hang one on each side at exactly the same height, measured from the floor.
• Switching: a switch near the bed, or a sconce with its own switch, saves getting up to turn it off.

3. In a hallway

• Height: center about 60 to 66 inches above the floor, the same along the whole hallway.
• Spacing: about 8 to 10 feet apart, with the first one 3 to 4 feet in from the end of the hall or from a door.
• Wall projection: in a narrow hallway, choose a slim sconce that sticks out about 4 inches or less from the wall, so people don't brush against it. The Alvera projects 2.8 inches. Deeper sconces such as the Haldane (8.3 inches) suit wider halls or a spot above a console or bench, where nobody walks right past them.
• Doors: keep at least a few inches between the sconce and the door trim, and check that an open door won't swing into it.

4. Living room and reading corners

• Beside a chair: place the sconce just behind and to the side of the chair, with the bottom of the shade a little above the eye level of someone sitting down, about 48 to 60 inches above the floor.
• Either side of a mirror, artwork or fireplace: hang a matched pair at the same height, about 4 to 8 inches out from each side of the frame. Over a console table, the 60 to 66 inch rule usually lines the sconces up with the middle of the mirror.
• As accent light: a disc-shaped sconce such as the Solenne (7.9 inches wide, integrated LED) washes the wall with a soft glow and works well in pairs along a living room wall.

5. In the bathroom

Sconces on each side of a bathroom mirror give the most even light on your face, usually with their centers around 60 to 66 inches above the floor and about 36 to 40 inches apart. A bathroom needs a sconce that is rated for damp locations, so check the Environment row in the Specifications table before you buy. The sconces in this guide are rated for dry indoor rooms only and are not suited to bathrooms.

6. An example: an Alvera beside the bed

Take a bed whose mattress top sits 25 inches above the floor, with an Alvera on each side. The Alvera is 14.2 inches tall from the top of its backplate to the bottom of its alabaster shade.

• Shade height: bottom of the shade 25 inches above the mattress, so 25 + 25 = 50 inches above the floor.
• Top of the fixture: 50 + 14.2 = about 64 inches above the floor.
• Wall box: the 4.7 inch round backplate sits at the top of the fixture, so its center, and the wall box behind it, is about 62 inches above the floor.
• Side to side: centered over each nightstand, both at exactly 62 inches.

7. Light and bulbs

• Color temperature: 2700K to 3000K gives a warm, relaxing light for bedrooms and living rooms. Our color temperature and bulb guide explains Kelvin, lumens and bulb bases.
• Bulb base: check the Socket row on the product page. Small sconces often take a G9 bulb (Alvera) or an E12 candelabra bulb (Candela, Haldane), and some have a built-in LED (Solenne).
• Dimming: a dimmer makes a bedside sconce work for reading and for winding down. Check whether the light, and the bulb you choose, is dimmable.

Before you order

• Check the Specifications table on each product page for the height, wall projection, backplate size, socket and whether a bulb is included.
• Most sconces are hardwired and need a wall box at the right height. Have a licensed electrician install them, following your local electrical code.
• Mark the planned position on the wall with painter's tape at full size and live with it for a day before the wall box goes in.
• Not sure what fits? Email us at support@lumorahearth.com with the room, the furniture height and your ceiling height, and we'll help you choose.

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