One of the most common issues I see in home design is inadequate lighting. Did you know you actually need 3 layers of lighting? Ambient lighting, accent lighting, and task lighting make a home feel balanced and comfortable at every time of day.
Ambient lighting is the primary source of light in a room. This is your general overhead lighting that is located centered in the room. This lights up the room so that you can safely and easily navigate it.
Accent lighting lights up all the shadows that ambient lighting can’t reach. These are places like fireplaces, corners, bookshelves, reading nooks, etc. This type of lighting also highlights a feature in your home like artwork, decor, or an architectural detail like a fireplace.
Task lighting is direct lighting for specific functions. This is illuminates a small area and makes a task easier to accomplish. A lamp near a couch for reading, under-cabinet lights in a kitchen for food prepping, a desk lamp for doing paperwork.
One of the most comment items I put in my custom design orders are wall sconces! These are easy ways to add accent or task lighting to a space, and they can make a fun statement in your home too.
A few of my favorite spots for wall sconces are over nightstands, around a fireplace, above or beside large art, above a sink, above open shelves, or nested above a hutch or cabinet.
Since I link wall sconces so often, I want to round up my fav options from Amazon for you! These are all all plug in sconces that don’t need to be hardwired in.
You can strategically hide the cords behind plants, art, or furniture. Or let it be part of a casual look!

- Modern Swing Arm, Set of 2 – $90
- Modern Globe Brass Finish with Opal White Glass – $99
- Shawnkey Modern Brushed Gold, Set of 2 – $149
- Black Swing Arm Wall Sconce – $86
- Gold MCM Adjustable Wall Lights, Set of 2 – $57
- Larkar Black Industrial Gooseneck, Set of 2 – $44
- Edison lamp in Frosted Blue, Set of 2 – $31
- Adcssynd Set of 2 in Gold – $87
- Globe Electric White and Brass Accents – $36
- Bamboo Wall Light Fixture – $39
- Danseer Exposed Bulb in Black – $64
- Nordic Dimmable White and Wood – $46