Wall Sconces for the Kitchen
Behold these beautiful lights. I recently decided I wanted wall sconces on either side of my kitchen window, recessed into the subway-tiled walls surrounding the window. Luckily, we are still waiting to have our kitchen fully reassembled, so it wasn’t too late to run wiring and make room for the new fixtures.
It only took a few minutes to find these ideal sconces online at Restoration Hardware and fall in love. I had been looking at many options, and some fixtures were priced between $300 and $800 each. That felt excessive, so I was relieved to find these that felt right for the room without breaking the bank.
They aren’t bargain-basement lighting, but given the style and the personality they add, they represent good value. When renovating, it’s often more useful to consider the overall budget and the cumulative effect of choices rather than fixating on each item’s price. That approach lets you prioritize what will matter most in the finished space.
Evoking early-20th-century industrial lighting, our reproductions of vintage fixtures retain the classic lines and exposed hardware of the originals. Designed to showcase the warmth of Edison-style filament bulbs. –Restoration Hardware
I love the mixed metals and the character of the vintage-style filament bulbs. These sconces echo the style of the new fixtures on my stair wall (which I’ll share in a separate post), yet they’re distinct and will make a strong statement in the kitchen.
Replacing builder-grade fixtures with quality lighting is one of my favorite updates. Early 20th-century reproduction pieces add timeless character and personality to a home. Because I’m working within a budget, updates happen gradually, but each improvement feels worthwhile.
One complication: adding the sconces affects the plan I had for the wall above the cabinet to the right of the sink. I originally planned two open shelves there, and I still hope to install shelving, but I’ll need to adjust the layout to accommodate the lights — or possibly use a single sconce on the left. New ideas often force revisions to earlier plans, and that’s part of the design process.
Renovation rarely goes in a straight line, but that’s part of the fun. Right now we’re waiting on a few items before work can continue, so the house remains in a temporary state of disarray. Living with things partially undone has helped me see the possibilities in the space instead of feeling stuck by what already existed.
Do you ever fall in love with something for your home and have to change your original plans because of it?