Best Wall Sconces for a Living Room: 7 Nordic Picks
Wall sconces are the quickest way to make a living room feel like a Nordic one. Two lights at eye level give softer, more even light than a single ceiling fixture, and they light the walls, which makes a room feel larger. These are seven sconces from our range that we think work best in a living room, with notes on where each one belongs.
Quick answer
- Softest mood light: Alabaster plaster sconce.
- Best all-rounder: Linen, dimmable, in white, black or gold.
- No electrician needed: Wick plug-in wall lamp.
- Statement piece: Havana mid-century sconce.
What makes a good living room sconce
No glare at eye level. A living room sconce sits roughly where your eyes are when you stand, so the bulb should be hidden behind a shade, plaster, silk or frosted glass.
Light on the wall, not only in the room. Up-and-down sconces wash the wall in two directions and add depth. A single downward cone feels flatter.
Dimming. The same light has to work for a film night and for tidying up. A dimmable sconce or a plug-in dimmer covers both.
Our 7 picks
1. Alabaster Plaster Wall Sconce
A small white plaster block with curved cut-outs that send warm light up the wall and down towards the floor. Matte plaster absorbs reflections, so you notice the glow rather than the fitting, and it can be painted to match the wall. It is a mood light, not a reading light.
Best for: the dark end of a living room and either side of a fireplace or TV.
2. Linen Nordic Wall Sconce
Linen is the quiet, matte sconce we would choose for most living rooms. It is dimmable, and the white, black and gold finishes all share the same silhouette, so you can use different finishes in different rooms without the house looking inconsistent.
Best for: a pair either side of a sofa or a sideboard.
3. Meridian Up & Down Wall Lamp
Meridian sends light up and down along one vertical line, leaving a bright band above and below with a softer zone in between. That treats the wall itself as something to light, which is the trick behind most well-lit Scandinavian living rooms.
Best for: feature walls, hallways that open into the living room, and tall rooms.
4. Wick Nordic Plug-In Wall Lamp
Wick plugs into an ordinary socket, so the only trace it leaves is two screw holes. The diffuser spreads light evenly across the shade so you can sit right beside it, which makes it one of the few plug-in sconces that also works as a reading light.
Best for: renters, and walls without a junction box.
5. Havana Mid-Century Wall Sconce
A silk-wrapped shade in cigar, oval, lantern or ball shapes that casts warm light up and down. The ball is the easiest to place in an otherwise modern room; the cigar is the most obviously 1950s.
Best for: mid-century and eclectic living rooms that want one decorative piece.
6. Nimbus Walnut LED Wall Light
A solid walnut disc wrapped in a soft LED halo. Because the light appears to come from behind the wood, it reads as warm geometry rather than as a lamp, and it projects very little from the wall.
Best for: contemporary living rooms with oak or walnut furniture.
7. Disc Bauhaus LED Halo Lamp
A single circle with a diffused ring of light, mounted almost flush. It comes in six finishes and two sizes and works where a projecting sconce would get in the way, such as beside a doorway or behind a sofa that sits close to the wall.
Best for: narrow rooms and walls where people walk past.
How high and how far apart
In a living room, mount the centre of the sconce about 150 to 170 cm (60 to 66 in) above the floor, a little above eye level when seated. Pairs either side of a sofa or mirror usually sit 150 to 200 cm apart. See how high to mount wall sconces for every room, and the full collections of wall lights and plug-in wall sconces.
Frequently asked questions
Are wall sconces a good idea in a living room?
Yes. Sconces light the walls and give an even, low glare level of light that a single ceiling light cannot, and they free up table space. Most Scandinavian living rooms use several small light sources rather than one big one.
Can I add wall sconces without wiring?
Yes. Plug-in sconces such as Wick run their cord to a normal socket, and rechargeable sconces have no cord at all. Our renter's guide compares the options.
Should living room sconces point up or down?
For ambient light choose up-and-down or upward sconces, which wash the wall and ceiling. Downward or adjustable sconces are better beside a reading chair.
What colour temperature should living room sconces be?
Warm white, about 2200 to 2700 K, is the usual choice for living rooms in the evening.
Every Lumenorth order ships free worldwide, with delivery in 3 to 14 business days, and you have 30 days to return anything that does not suit the room.