Wall Sconces for the Kitchen
Behold these beautiful lights. I recently had an idea to install wall sconces on either side of my kitchen window, recessed into the subway tile surrounding the window. Luckily, our kitchen is still being reassembled, so it was the perfect time to prepare the wiring for new fixtures.
It only took a few minutes to find the right sconces online at Restoration Hardware and immediately fall in love. I had been browsing many options, and some were priced between $300 and $800 each — far beyond what I wanted to spend. When I discovered these fixtures, I felt relieved: they deliver strong style and personality without an overwhelming price tag.
These sconces aren’t inexpensive, but they are reasonably priced for the character and quality they bring. When updating a home, it helps to view costs within the context of the whole project rather than evaluating every piece individually. That approach lets you prioritize where to invest for the biggest visual impact.
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 mix of metals and the charm of Edison-style filament bulbs. These sconces share a similar aesthetic with the new fixtures I added to my stair wall (I’ll share those in another post), but they’re distinct enough to feel special in the kitchen. Choosing early 20th-century reproduction lighting is one of my favorite ways to replace builder-grade fixtures—these pieces introduce timeless character and personality.
Because of budget constraints, I’m making changes gradually, but the investment is worth waiting for. High-impact fixtures can transform a room, even if the rest of the renovation takes time to catch up.
Adding the sconces does complicate one part of my original plan: I intended to install two open shelves on the wall above the new cabinet to the right of the sink. I still want the shelves, but I’ll need to adjust their placement to accommodate the lighting, or possibly use only a single sconce on one side. New decisions are part of the renovation process; sometimes a new favorite item forces you to adapt prior plans.
Renovation rarely follows a straight line, but that’s part of the fun. At the moment, progress is paused while I wait for a few remaining details and materials to arrive, so the house is still in a bit of disarray. I’m okay with that. Living with the in-progress state helped me see the potential of the space, rather than being limited by what was already there.
Do you ever fall in love with a piece for your home and need to change your original plans because of it?