Dispelling the Myth: Are Wall Lights Old-Fashioned?

Wall lights are both a stylish and practical choice of fixture when it comes to adding finesse and function into your home. Providing focused illumination, wall fixtures are ideal for task lighting and brightening areas that large overhead fixtures might fail to reach – like alcoves and bay windows.

And yet, despite their many uses and functions, wall lights are sometimes described as old-fashioned, supposedly inappropriate in modern homes. In this article, we’ll be dispelling the myth about wall lights being a fixture of the past and explaining how you can use them to suit any contemporary interior design scheme.

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A Timeless Trend

There are many trends that began several decades ago yet still find themselves an integral part of our modern-day culture. In the fashion industry, for example, there are plenty of styles that have been around for a great number of years – tucked in t-shirts, flared trousers, mom jeans. Does that make them old-fashioned, too?

The thing is, just because something has been around for a long time, that doesn’t mean that it’s outdated. Wall lights are timeless. Classic. Their style has withstood the test of time and wall fixtures still find themselves blending beautifully into chic cafes, contemporary homes and boutique hotels.

It’s no doubt that wall lights are a timeless trend, regardless of when that trend began. Just because wall lights have been around for a while, that doesn’t make them outdated. They have and always will be a great option for lighting any room whilst adding style and creative distinction.

Wherever they’re added, wall lights make a great addition to any home design – traditional or contemporary – working to brighten up your living space.

Using Wall Lights to Brighten Your Home

One of the main advantages of wall lights is that they can squeeze into areas where overhead fixtures can’t reach. For that reason, wall lights are a great solution to uneven lighting spread, to brightening up hidden areas such as alcoves, bay windows and either side of chimney breasts.

Not only that, but wall lights are an incredibly stylish lighting solution, adding character whilst being minimally invasive. Ideal for squeezing into areas where space may be limited, wall lights can be used to add character and style to an area whilst being minimally invasive.

Before you start adding wall fixtures into your home, it’s important that you first take the time to consider the functions that you’d like your lights to perform. This will determine where you decide to place your lights and the bulbs that you choose to use with them.

If you’re looking for task lighting, for instance, it would make sense to opt for higher-lumen bulbs mounted onto an adjustable wall arm. Accent tiffany lights, on the other hand, can be used to highlight attractive design features and provide direct illumination to draw attention to different objects.

By first deciding where, and why, you wish to add wall lights into your living space, you’ll be better able to implement fixtures that suit your needs whilst looking great.

A Designers Favorite

Wall lights are very popular amongst interior designers and lighting experts. English interior designer and businesswoman Nina Campbell states that “Wall lights are a good option and setting wall sconces into a mirror creates a dazzling reflective effect, although they would need to be installed by an expert.”

Clearly, after a little further examination, wall lights are not old fashioned. In fact, they may be just the thing you need to provide the perfect finishing touch to any home.

Author Profile

Adam Malvern

Adam is an in-house technical writer for Scotlight Direct, a website dedicated to providing the latest and most accurate information on lighting topics. With a passion for writing and a deep understanding of various lighting concepts and designs. Adam has been a valuable asset to the team since joining in 2019.