Wall Sconce Height & Placement Guide

Hang most wall sconces so the center of the fixture sits about 60 to 66 inches above the floor — roughly eye level for a standing adult. That keeps the bulb out of your line of sight and spreads the light where you need it. The exceptions are bathrooms, bedsides and stairs, where the fixture follows the mirror, the bed or the steps instead of the floor.

Here are the numbers for each spot.

The general rule: eye level

• 60 to 66 inches from the floor to the fixture's center works for living rooms, dining rooms and most walls.
• Ceilings above 8 feet can take sconces a few inches higher, so they don't look low on a tall wall.
• Pairs should match exactly. Mount matching sconces at the same height, measured from the floor, not from furniture that may move.

Where	Height to the fixture's center	Spacing
Living or dining room wall	60–66 in. from the floor	balance with art, windows or a fireplace
Hallway	60–66 in. from the floor	about every 8–10 ft
Bathroom vanity (either side of the mirror)	about 60–70 in., near face height	about 36–40 in. apart
Above a vanity mirror	about 75–80 in. from the floor	centered on the mirror
Bedside / reading	about 20–30 in. above the top of the mattress	centered over each nightstand
Stairway	about 66–72 in. above the stair treads	about every 8–10 ft along the run

Hallways and stairs

In a hallway, space sconces about 8 to 10 feet apart and start one a few feet from each end, so the light reaches the corners. Keep them slim: a sconce that sticks far out from the wall is easy to bump in a narrow hall. A useful guideline, borrowed from accessibility standards, is to keep fixtures on a walking path to a projection of about 4 inches.

On stairs, follow the slope: measure each sconce about 66 to 72 inches up from the tread below it, so the line of fixtures rises with the stairs.

Bathroom vanity

Side lighting is the most flattering at a mirror, because it lights the face evenly without shadows under the eyes.

• Flank the mirror with a sconce on each side, at about face height (around 60 to 70 inches), roughly 36 to 40 inches apart.
• One fixture above the mirror works when the wall is too narrow for a pair; mount it about 75 to 80 inches from the floor.
• Check the rating. Near a shower or tub, use fixtures rated for damp or wet locations.

For how big the mirror between them should be, see our mirror size guide.

Bedside sconces

A bedside sconce frees up the nightstand. Mount it about 20 to 30 inches above the top of the mattress, so the shade sits around shoulder height when you're sitting up to read. Center one over each nightstand, and choose a swing-arm or adjustable style if you read in bed a lot.

Sizing a sconce

• Large walls and tall ceilings can carry taller sconces, around 12 to 18 inches.
• Narrow halls and small bathrooms suit compact, flush-mounted fixtures.
• Beside a mirror, a sconce around a quarter to a third of the mirror's height looks proportional.

Sconces are one layer of a room's light. For how they work with ceiling fixtures and lamps, read layered lighting 101, and for the most common placement slips, see lighting mistakes.

Shop this guide

• One Light Matte Black Wall Sconce
• One Light Bronze White Glass Wall Sconce
• Silver Metal and Wood Wall Sconce

The short version

Hang most sconces with the center of the fixture 60 to 66 inches from the floor. Flank a vanity mirror at face height, 36 to 40 inches apart. Mount reading sconces 20 to 30 inches above the mattress, space hallway and stair sconces 8 to 10 feet apart, and keep fixtures slim on narrow walkways.

Ready to light a wall? Shop Wall Lighting and measure the height before you choose.