Inspiring Wall Lighting Ideas To Enhance Your Home

Bridging the gap between practicality and creativity, wall lights offer both function and flair. They work to cast a soft and comforting glow whilst supplying necessary illumination for safety, performing tasks, accentuating other design features or even just as decor on their own.

When we’re thinking of wall lighting ideas, the first image that comes to mind is often that of a single ornamental fixture that helps to provide supplementary illumination beyond accent lighting.

Yet thanks to the diverse range of fixture styles on the market, you can be far more creative with wall lights than this – and they’re not limited to any single purpose. They can serve an array of different functions – from cooking and general safety to adding finesse to interior design.

Wall lights are also crucial components of any properly-layered lighting scheme, providing depth and style to your living space by complimenting other lighting sources.

Available in an assortment of different sizes and materials from contemporary solid brass, classic white and crystal, wall lights are an attractive and timeless feature. But with such a wide variety of lighting fixtures to choose from, it can be tricky to know where to start.

Below, we run you through some inspiring wall lighting ideas that you can use to enhance your home.

Choosing the Right Wall Lights

There are an enormous variety of wall lights on the market, each with a range of potential functions.

They can act as decorative focal points, sources of ambient light or work as mood lighting by adding a soft and subtle glow. They can serve either as direct or indirect light sources, offering general lighting at night-time or a more flexible illumination using a dimmer switch.

Choosing the right light for you, however, can be difficult and overwhelming. Knowing where to start and what will work best is tricky, which is why it’s always a good idea to research and plan your choices ahead of time.

When considering which wall lights to add into your home, you should begin by thinking about what exactly you’ll be using them for.

Working alongside standard ceiling lights, wall-mounted fixtures are often used to provide supplemental illumination rather than general lighting. They can, however, take the place of overhead lights to create a more atmospheric feel whilst reducing glare.

Wall-mounted swing-arm lights in offices, picture lights for accentuating pieces of artwork or even outdoor wall spots can all be used to add depth and balance to your home.

Start by carefully considering what function you’d like your lighting rigs to fulfil. Then, select the fixtures that best suit your stylistic preferences.

Wall Lights to Make Outdoor Garden Parties Extra Special

Whether you’re looking to add a feature, accentuate particular areas of your yard or improve the lighting of your garden in a more general sense, wall lights are also appropriate choices for illuminating your outdoor living areas.

Adding wall lights to your garden allows you to enjoy the space even after the sun has gone down. No longer are you restricted to using it only when daylight allows.

Outdoor wall lights aren’t only useful for their functionality, though. They’re also ideal for creating the perfect mood for special occasions.

Stylish fixtures can be used to provide aesthetically-pleasing lighting for garden parties. Whether you’re looking for snug lighting for around the firepit or a softly lit alfresco dinner, wall lights can be used to make an otherwise dimly lit area inviting and comfortable.

Combining a range of different garden lights at different height levels will keep your display looking attractive. Softly-lit festoons, fairy lights, lanterns and candles can all provide low-level mood lighting. There’s no right or wrong when it comes to designing your outdoor lighting arrangements.

Be mindful, however, that mood lighting isn’t always enough when it comes to lighting your garden for safety reasons. Fairy lights and festoons provide mood lighting, but aren’t ideal for providing general illumination.

Topping off your outdoor lighting scheme with wall lights ensures that all bases are covered by adding brighter ambient light. They can add both necessary security and reliability without compromising style.

Low-level markers and globes can help to make areas of planting and other structures clearly visible so as to avoid tripping – and you don’t need to depend upon the availability of batteries or plug sockets to turn them on.

Wall Lights and Ceiling Lights That Compliment Each other

When adding new lighting fixtures into your home, it’s always a good idea to use a variety of different lighting styles – but the wrong combinations can come across as jarring and unintentional. For that reason, it’s important to ensure that varying designs mix well with each other.

One way to achieve this is to select a particular focal point and allow other sources of illumination to serve as background lighting. A grand ceiling chandelier, for example, would make for an excellent centrepiece whilst table lamps and other mood bulbs provide mood lighting.

Combinations of different light sources can look both chic and deliberate if done with careful planning. If you just throw down fixtures here, there and everywhere, however, you lighting layout can quickly turn from appearing stylistically intentional to accidentally terrible.

By layering lights, you’ll be able to incorporate many different fixtures to fulfil all of your needs without having them clash. Just be sure not to over-do it. Adding too many different styles into one room will only make it look messy – so aim for around 2-4 separate fixtures.

When combining wall lights with ceiling lights, you should also be sure to layer your fixtures in order to create an attractive design that’s purpose-built.

Traditional wall fixtures and uplights can be used to accentuate feature items and, coupled with brighter ceiling fixtures, provide an adequate amount of light whilst maintaining that attractive look and feel.

3 Great Interior Design Ideas Using Wall Lights

Here are three of our favorite wall lighting ideas to try out when adding fixtures to your home.

1.   Using Wall Lights to Enhance Recesses and Corners

In larger rooms, it can be difficult to ensure that overhead lighting reaches all areas of the space. Wall lights are perfect for illuminating darker recesses and corners.

Try using wall fixtures to light awkward and hard-to-reach spaces like bay windows and the corners of chimney breasts to achieve an even spread.

2. Emphasizing Design Features

Wall fixtures and pendants can also be used to attract attention to particular design elements, like impressive pieces of artwork or posters.

Such fixtures can also double up as task lighting, brightening areas of the room that require specific functions – like bathroom wall lights to illuminate mirrors.

3. Spread Your Lights Around

It’s never a good idea to rely on a single light source to illuminate an entire room. A central ceiling fixture, for example, will only cast a pool of light onto the middle of your floor and leave other areas dimly lit.

Instead, open up the room by using multiple different light sources. Floor lamps can be combined with wall sconces and uplights to create a more diverse, evenly-spread lighting arrangement.

A Quick Guide to Single-Wall Spotlights

Single-wall spotlights can be used to fulfill a range of different functions whilst adding style and creative flair. Whether you’re considering purchasing fixtures for your home, office, or are just looking to explore new lighting options, this quick guide will help you to make the right decision.

A practical and attractive lighting option, single wall spots can be used for:

• Illuminating particular architectural features like beams, shelving or alcoves.
• Lighting up attractive pieces of artwork.
• Adding extra depth and layers of lighting to a room.
• Pairing up with main lighting sources to complement existing fixtures.
• Illuminating particular work spaces like desks, hobs and mirrors.

Not only are single-wall spotlights a practical lighting option, but they can also be very stylish. Spots can serve as a great addition when it comes to adding task lighting to your bathroom, providing focused illumination to assist visitors in activities like shaving or applying makeup.

They can be used in much the same way throughout the kitchen, too – whether as multiple-light bars or LEDs – to brighten up work surfaces used for cooking or cleaning.

Single-wall spotlights can be used in a variety of different rooms to provide practicality and flair. Lights in the living room can also be used to illuminate hard-to-reach areas like bay windows and alcoves whilst adding depth and style.

Try experimenting with a different range of lights, mixing and layering fixtures to create an attractive visual effect.

3 of the Best Tiffany Lights on the Market

Tiffany wall lights are a fashionable, bright and traditional lighting option guaranteed to serve as an attractive focal point in any room. 

Each light is handmade by skilled craftsmen, adding a unique aesthetic to any home.

Below are 3 of our favourite tiffany lighting styles.

Dragonfly Tiffany Wall Lights

Crafted using high-quality American glass, the dragonfly Tiffany wall light makes use of luxurious artistic stained glass to capture the beautiful image of a dragonfly.

Its artistic design can act as a stunning feature in any room even when switched off. Turn it on to reveal the eye-catching design of a beautifully-crafted dragonfly, softly lit to accentuate the light’s attractive characteristics.

Metropolitan Tiffany Wall Lights

Next on the list are metropolitan tiffany wall lights. More sleek and modern in their aesthetic than dragonfly lamps, metropolitan wall lights are both contemporary and classic.

Their antique brass shell is encased with crisp black and white-tinted glass pieces, pairing perfectly with more minimalistic themes.

 Affordable Tiffany Lights

The last of our favourite three categories in the tiffany family are those that are more affordable to anybody that has a slightly tighter budget.

In the picture to the right is an antique-looking lamp with golden trim and beads to create a classy, ornate look and feel.

This particular light can be purchased for as little as £56 from Scotlight Direct – a discount of £6 when compared with RRP. Similar styles are also available in our more affordable ranges.

Banish the Autumn Blues With Warm Wall Lights

We all fall victim to autumn and winter blues from time to time. As more and more research is being done into the effects of SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), it’s clear that the latter months of the year can leave us feeling miserable and impatient for summer to arrive.

For a range of reasons, it’s not uncommon for our happiness levels to dip as the year draws to a close. In fact, seasonal changes can affect us so much that SAD is now a recognized form of depression that results from a hypersensitivity to seasonal changes.

Even if we don’t suffer from SAD, we’re all aware of how the weather and outside conditions can greatly affect the way we feel. As the years draws to a close and the holiday seasons come and go, we could all do with a little pick-me-up to carry us through to summer.

Nothing quite lifts your mood like a sunny summer afternoon – and you can replicate that wonderful feeling by incorporating warm wall lights into your home for use during the winter months.

The lighting that you use in your home can work to counteract these seasonal changes in mood. Deep red and cosy orange lights can be used in your home to add warmth and comfort when the nights begin to draw in.

The warmer the lights you use, the better. Opt for bulbs with lower kelvin ratings, as these are proven to be more relaxing and replicate warm sunlight.

By incorporating warm wall lights into your home, you’ll be able to combat the autumnal blues by providing soothing low-temperature lights that look and feel great.

How to Brighten Up Your Home Using Wall Lights

Wall lights are a great way to brighten up areas of your home which central fixtures may fail to illuminate fully – such as alcoves, bay windows and either side of chimney breasts.

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 adding wall lighting fixtures into a room, take the time to carefully consider what function you’d like them to perform. This will dictate where you place your fixtures and which bulbs you choose to use.

Perhaps you’re looking specifically for task lighting, in which case you might want to opt for brighter wall-mounted bulbs. Or you may instead be searching for accent lights with which to accentuate particular design features, calling for directional and focused beams of light.

There are a wide variety of wall lighting choices on the market, each able to perform an extensive range of different functions. By deciding beforehand where, and most importantly why, you want to add lights to your space, you’ll be able to ensure that your lighting arrangement both looks impressive and fulfils your needs.

In any case, wall lights are a great option when it comes to brightening up a living space. They add an extra layer of illumination, reaching difficult areas to supplement general ambient lighting.

Experiment by using wall lighting fixtures in areas like hallways and entrances to provide visitors with a subtle, ambient and warm welcome. As soon as they enter, they’ll be met with attractive lighting designed to make a statement, leaving a great first impression on your guests.

Dispelling the Myth: Are Wall Lights Old-Fashioned?

Some people may argue that wall lighting is an old-fashioned trend that doesn’t belong in the modern world of interior design – but we beg to differ.

Whether in the form of sleek, classic wall sconces, art lights or pendants, wall lighting is a subtle and attractive way to add an extra layer to your lighting arrangements. It can be used to complement any home – whether contemporary or traditional.

And though many trends come and go, wall lights are timeless. Their style has withstood the test of time and fixtures continue to populate chic cafes, modern homes, and boutique hotels today.

Just because wall lights have been around for a while, that doesn’t make them old-fashioned. They have and always will be a great option for lighting any room whilst adding style and creative distinction.

Summary

At first, the wide range of wall lighting ideas and fixtures available on the market can seem overwhelming. With so many lights to choose from, it’s difficult to know where to begin.

By taking the time to carefully consider where and why you’d like to place your fixtures, you’ll be better equipped to incorporate lighting styles that suit your preferences.

From wall lights to tiffany lights, recessed up-lights to outdoor fixtures, wall lights are a sleek, stylistic option that can be used to compliment any room. Warmer tones can serve to combat seasonal blues, whilst cooler hues can provide illumination for task lighting.

By layering your lights and taking care when mixing and matching varied styles, being sure to incorporate fixtures that blend well with one another, you’ll be able to brighten up your home whilst ensuring that all bases, from mood lighting to general ambience and functional illumination, are covered.

Fixed lights are a reliable option that can improve indoor and outdoor security whilst adding style. With the inclusion of wall lights, you’ll be able to create a diverse lighting plan designed to enhance and beautify your 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.

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