Wall lights are still used in many homes although some of the newer houses do not have the appropriate wiring in place as house builders have taken the easy route and installed single pendants in the middle of the ceiling.
If you have wiring in place, or wish to undertake the work, Lighting Styles has a wide range of wall lights ranging from picture lights, decorative and functional wall lights, wall lights that create lighting effects, plaster wall lights, porcelain wall lights, wall sconces, wall torches, wall uplights, wall downlights, wall up and down lights, reading lights, wall lights with integral switches, ultra modern wall lights, traditional brass wall lights, crystal wall lights and wall lights from leading lighting designers - to name a few! Tips and guides for wall lights can be found on each page.
Wall lights offer an inconspicuous and tidy way of providing light. Unlike say floor lamps which are be tall and big with trailing leads, or centre lights which can dominate a room.
You need to work out what purpose your wall lights will serve before considering what position they are to be installed at on the wall. If you intend to use the wall light as reading light in a bedroom then the lights will need to be positioned at a height that enables you to carry out the required task. Perhaps you were considering having the light “bounce” off the ceiling in which case you will need install them at a high enough height near the ceiling to achieve this effect.
As wall lights are fixed to the wall it is worth bearing in mind the sort of beam and light pattern the fitting will throw onto the wall. The light pattern can vary greatly because of the large range of designs and styles of wall lights available. From Art Deco period style wall lights with acid etched glass which will provide a diffused soft ambient light, to the more sleek and contemporary chrome up/down wall light which will light the wall up and down more directionally.
Also, if you have a translucent shade on the fitting, this will act as a diffuser for the light emanating from the light source. Wall fittings that have the shade placed very close to the wall will mix direct, indirect and diffused light in such a way that the direct light will give a wall washing effect below whilst the ceiling above and the area of the wall behind the light will reflect light back into the room.
All of these factors should to be considered if you want to make the maximise the light capabilities of your wall lights - assuming that you are not purely installing them for decorative purposes.
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