Wall Sconce Roundup
Different types of wall sconces and how best to use them
To start- I love wall sconces! They give a custom look to homes, can light art, or a cozy little reading nook, without bulky lamps, etc. So many good uses! There are 3 different types of wall sconce lighting you can have in your house (hard-wired, plug in’s, and the battery trick!)- and we have all three so I’ll walk you through the options! Links for everything I used are at the very bottom :-)
First up: Hard-wired
Hard-wired wall sconces are put in by an electrician and have the power connection through the wall wired into the studs of home. These are definitely the most common and are the best option. The sconces we have in our Master Bathroom and Main Bathroom (above) are hard-wired in from when we built our addition. They are much more permanent than the other options.
Second option: Plug-in’s
Plug in wall sconces are also pretty common as well. You hang them like normal with screws, and there’s a cord that comes out of the bottom to plug into an outlet. They usually come with a cord cover (like second picture above) to keep it neat and hidden. Some people paint the cover the same as the wall, or wallpaper over it. This type in our Master Bedroom was perfect because there were plugs right below where our nightstands go and it’s less permanent than hard wired options if I decde I want a different look later on.
Third Option: Battery trick
The 2 lights pictured above were purchased as “battery operated”. They have a tiny battery compartment in the base and you screw them into the wall just llike any wall decor and they have a little remote to turn them on and off.
The three pictures above (my girls bedroom, my sons bedroom, and our family room) all have the battery trick! For these lights I either couldn’t find something I worked in a plug in option or I didn’t want to have the permanence of having them hardwired in. For my kids rooms I know I will redesign them multiple times so I didnt want to be stuck with wall sconces hardwired in case I needed a change, in comes the battery option!
Order sconces you like based on style and price point (not on hard wired, or electric options
Attach the sconce to the wall like you would normally.
Tuck in any visible wires
Order sconces you like based on style and price point (not on hard wired, or electric options
Attach the back plate to the wall with provided screws
Tuck all wires into the sconce (like pictured)
This one was meant to be hard wired. If you’re using a plug in kind you can just cut the attached cord right off.
Attach light to back plate. This one was just 2 little screws
You could technically stop at the previous step if you just wanted the sconce for looks and not for actual light, but I wanted ours to be functional so I ordered these round battery operated lights
The lights I ordered came with a 3m sticker for the back. Peeled it off and stuck the battery operated light right to wear you would screw in the light bulb!
Use your remote and enjoy your new sconce!
