Wall Sconce Placement by Room: Height, Spacing and Brightness

A wall sconce mounted at the wrong height either blinds you or lights the ceiling. The right height depends on the room, because it depends on where your eyes are when you're in it. Heights below are from the finished floor to the center of the fixture unless stated otherwise.

Living room and hallway

• Height: 60–66 in (150–168 cm) to center. That is just above eye level for most people standing, so the light source stays out of direct view.
• Spacing in a hallway: one sconce every 8–10 ft (2.4–3 m). Alternate sides if the hall is wide enough; keep them on one side if it is under 4 ft wide.
• Beside a fireplace or artwork: center the sconces on the feature, 6–12 in (15–30 cm) outside its edges.
• Up-lights vs down-lights: a sconce that throws light up reads as ambient and works at 66–72 in. One that throws light down is a task light and belongs lower, around 60 in.

Bedroom (bedside)

• Height: 30–36 in (75–90 cm) above the top of the mattress, which usually lands at 55–62 in (140–158 cm) from the floor. You want to read without the bulb in your sightline when sitting up.
• Position: 6–12 in (15–30 cm) outside the edge of the headboard, or centered over the nightstand if there is no headboard.
• Swing-arm or adjustable sconces are worth it here. Aim them at the page, not the pillow, and put each on its own switch.

Bathroom vanity

• Beside the mirror: 60–65 in (152–165 cm) to center, roughly at face height. Space the pair 28–40 in (70–100 cm) apart, ideally 36–40 in, so light hits both sides of the face evenly and you don't shave or apply makeup in your own shadow.
• Above the mirror: if there is no room beside it, mount a bar light 75–80 in (190–200 cm) from the floor, centered.
• Rating: anything within reach of the shower or tub needs a damp- or wet-location rating. Check the product page.

Stairs

Measure from the tread directly below each sconce, and keep the same tread-to-center height on every fixture, 60–66 in (150–168 cm). Sconces should follow the pitch of the stairs, not sit at one floor height.

Outdoors (front door, garage, patio)

• Height: 66–72 in (168–183 cm) to center, or about one-quarter of the way down from the top of the door, whichever is higher. Taller than indoors so the light spreads across the step and path.
• Pairs: one each side of the door, centered on the door frame, 6–12 in outside the trim.
• Size: a single sconce should be one-quarter to one-third the height of the door (a 7 ft door takes a 20–28 in sconce). A pair can be one-fifth to one-quarter.

Brightness by room

Room	Per sconce
Hallway, stairs	300–500 lumens
Living room (ambient)	400–600 lumens
Bedside (reading)	400–500 lumens, dimmable
Bathroom vanity	800–1,600 lumens total across the pair
Exterior door	600–800 lumens

Plug-in vs hardwired

If there is no junction box where you want the sconce, a plug-in sconce with a cord cover mounts anywhere and moves with you. Hardwired is cleaner and switch-controlled. Our Sconces collection has both; the product page says which.