Wall lights are an essential part of any interior lighting scheme as they are perfect for bringing subtlety, interest and warmth to a room. A great lighting scheme is all about creating layers of light - pairing
ceiling lights with
wall lights and adding
floor and
table lamps as required - so you have the right mix of bright light for working by and ambient light for relaxation. Here are our top tips for choosing and fitting the right wall lights for any room in your home.
1. THREE TYPES OF LIGHT - AMBIENT, TASK & ACCENT
First off you need to think about what kind of wall light you require.
AMBIENT LIGHT - refers to the overall lighting levels in a room, generally provided by ceiling lights as they illuminate all corners of a room evenly, but can also be offered by brighter wall lights spaced evenly around a room.
TASK LIGHT - bright, focussed light that we can work and read by - think spot lights, adjustable wall lights, floor and table lamps.
ACCENT LIGHT - decorative statement lighting that helps dictate the mood in a room, such as coloured lighting for a sense of intimacy or drama and soft layers of light for relaxation and dialling up a feeling of warmth.
Club Plug-in Wall Light
@the.devon.good.life
2. WHAT IS THE BEST HEIGHT FOR WALL LIGHTS?
When thinking about the position of your wall lights, bear in mind the size and style of the wall light fitting, the proportions of the room and the kind of look you wish to create.
As a rule of thumb, wall lights should be positioned around
152-180cm (5-6ft) above floor level and placed around
250-300cm (or 8-10ft) apart.
Aim for the top of the wall light to
sit at or just above eye level, to avoid glare from the exposed bulb. But it is important they don't get in your way, so you may need to adjust the height for a narrow hallway, if you wish to fit them above or either side of a sofa and places like over a bath tub, cooker or kitchen sink.
If in doubt, the rule of two thirds works well - fit the wall light two thirds of the way up the wall.
For rooms with
high ceilings (say more than 10ft) it might be better to fit them higher up, or consider
adjustable lights that can be angled upwards to banish shadows.
If you are fitting wall lights in a
bathroom or
bedroom, you may want to lower the height so that they sit comfortably either side of the bed for
bedside lighting. Or if you are fitting them above the bed, place the lights around shoulder height, so that you can turn them on and off easily from the bed.
For
bathrooms, consider fitting wall sconces either side of the
mirror, above the wash basin, with the centres sitting slightly lower, at around eye level. For more handy advice about choosing wall lights, read our
Wall Lights FAQ in the Jim Lawrence Knowledge Base.
3. WHAT IS BETTER, POINTING UP OR DOWN?
Either orientation is good depending on what you want to achieve.
UPLIGHTS - as the name suggests - are designed to cast light upwards along the wall and towards the ceiling, which helps to open up a
living room or
hallway making it feel more spacious.
DOWNLIGHTS - on the other hand send the majority of the light downwards, creating a more focused pool of light for a cozy and relaxing feel in a larger living space. Among the most popular wall lights we manufacture here at Jim Lawrence, are our fabulous
Brooke and
Carrick wall sconces that can be fitted either way up and can be paired with a number of different shades so you can get creative with your style.
4. WHAT IS A WALL SCONCE?
This is an old fashioned term for a wall light so tends to relate to vintage, or period style wall lights chosen for their decorative flair her heritage style. The designs are traditionally associated with candles and oil lamps but nowadays have been electrified and are a wonderful way of bringing a sense of luxury and period style to a space.
Wall sconces come in a variety of styles, from traditional candle sconces, to lantern sconces that add a more rustic ambience, and modern flush-mounted sconces that sit flush against the wall and diffuse light across it. Our
Grantham is an elegant wall sconce for a sense of beautiful period style, while our
Elmwood has a touch of
Mid Century or
Art Deco pizazz about it. At the other end of the spectrum, our
Thorpe wall light has a clean, minimal outline for a modern look.
5. WHAT IS AN ARTICULATED WALL LIGHT?
Articulated, or adjustable wall lights, are generally hinged so you can swing the shade arm outwards or upwards to direct the light exactly where you need it.
Adjustable wall lights are perfect for an office, kitchen, reading area and bedroom as they provide excellent tasking light while also freeing up space on your desk, table or counter top. We have recently introduced a range of handsome
articulated wall lights, with metal and fabric shades and
plug-in options to choose from.
6. WHAT ARE THE BEST WALL LIGHTS FOR A BEDSIDE?
Wall lights make an excellent alternative to
bedside table lamps because they produce great tasking light for reading by and free up space on your
bedside table for your night time bits and bobs. Choose a downlight for focussed light, or an uplight for added ambience. Opt for designs
with a pull cord, that plug-in or have a switch for extra ease when turning them on and off from bed, and think about an adjustable wall light so you can direct the light where you need it.
In a bedroom, wall lights offer a softer, more gentle alternative to the main ceiling light and give a warm ambient glow. For extra ambience, add in a
dimmer switch to create just the right level of illumination. Shown below is our much loved
Club Wall Light now with the addition of a pull cord, alongside our ever popular
Hanson Library Wall light with pull cord.
7. HOW TO FIT A PICTURE LIGHT
If you want to showcase a picture or a piece of art, our wall or frame mounted range of
Drummond picture lights are specially designed for the purpose. Picture lights make perfect living or dining room wall lights as they kill two birds with one stone - they illuminate your paintings as well as provide soft layers of accent light. Lighting pictures is not an exact science but a basic rule is to position pictures on the wall with the c
entre at eye level - about 1.5m (5ft) from floor level and to position the picture light centrally above the picture. Most picture lights have adjustable heads that can be swivelled to direct the light correctly onto the picture below.
LANDSCAPE PICTURES - choose a picture light that is
1/2 to 1/3 the size of the picture not including the frame.
PORTRAIT PICTURES - select a picture light that is as close to
1/2 the width of the picture as is possible, not including the frame.
For more information, see our
Picture Lighting Guide
8. OUR TOP TIPS FOR CHOOSING WALL LIGHTS
1. WALL LIGHTS WITH SHADES project a sense of cosiness and calm in a living space as they diffuse light through their shades as well as top and bottom.
2. GLASS WALL LIGHTS create a sense of space in a room as they reflect light naturally and give a sense of openness.
3. HIGHLIGHT your home's architectural features such as a fireplace, archway or alcove with a pair of matching wall lights on either side.
4. FIT MATCHING wall lights along a hallway or corridor to create a sense of flow and a warm and welcoming feel as you move from room to room.
5. MIX & MATCH different coloured shades on wall lights with those on your floor and table lamps, as well as your soft furnishings to give a room more visual interest.
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