Bedroom Wall Lights
A wall light beside the bed does what a table lamp can't: it clears the nightstand and puts the light where you read. These bedroom sconces lean warm and low-glare — alabaster, fabric and opal glass rather than bare bulbs — so the last light of the day is a soft one. For the metal itself, gold bedside sconces run warm and silver-toned bedside lights run cooler, and soft grey bedside sconces sit between the two.
Planning the whole room? Our bedroom lighting guide has the mounting height beside the bed and what to pair it with. If the room leans Japandi, our Japandi sconce lights lean on wood, silk and stone, and green bedside wall lights add colour without shouting.
Bedside wall lights: what is in the range
There are 318 wall lights on this page. The names to know are Nordic (89 titles), travertine (45), glass (37) and minimalist (32), with marble, alabaster and wood making up most of the rest. About half have a colour or finish option, and around one in eight offers a size or height, so check the size line before you order instead of judging scale from the photo. Most are indoor fixtures; a few outdoor-rated lights appear in the list, so read the product description for what each one is rated for.
Bedside sconce: height, light and switch
A bedside sconce works best with the shade near eye level when you are sitting up to read: about 30 to 36 inches (75 to 90 cm) above the top of the mattress. Pick a shade that diffuses, in alabaster, fabric or opal glass, so the bulb is never in your eyeline, and keep the colour around 2700K. Put the lights on a dimmer if you can, because bedside is the one place in the house where dimming stops being a nicety. The bedroom lighting guide compares the options side by side.
For a stone shade in warm light, start with alabaster lighting or travertine lighting; for something paler and plainer, Nordic lighting leans on opal glass and white metal.
FAQ
How high should a bedside wall light be? About 30 to 36 inches (75 to 90 cm) above the top of the mattress, so the shade sits near eye level when you sit up to read.
What is the best bedside wall light for reading? One with a diffused shade, 30 to 36 inches (75 to 90 cm) above the mattress and just inside your shoulder line, on its own dimmer. It lights the page instead of the pillow and leaves the nightstand clear.
Should the bulb be warm or cool? Warm, around 2700K. A cool-white bulb keeps the room awake; the colour temperature guide explains why.
Do I need two? A pair, one each side of the bed, is the usual arrangement, and a single sconce suits a bed against a wall on one side. Check the size line on each product page so the two match.
