Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans - Anyone use wall sconces?

How well do these light up a room compared to ceiling lights? I really like the look of wall sconces, but wondering if they do a very good job with even light distribution.



John

Sconces don't throw much light outward,just side/side & up/down.They're primarily for accent & path lighting {like in a movie theater,or a media room in a house}

We have four sconces in our living/HT room, two on each side of the room, usin 40w bulbs. They are used 98% of the time and provide enough light for reading, watching TV and general living. They provide a diffuse, even light throughout the room with no harsh shadows. The other 2% of the time we use the overhead lights which are rather harsh compared to the sconces but do help increase the light levels.

As a side note; during construction on our home I used 100w bulbs in the sconces and as you would expect, they put out a lot more light. I think the amount of light you get has more to do with the power of the bulbs, and less on the fixture itself.

Most sconces and ceiling fixtures are not rated for 100-watt bulbs. A significant fire hazard exists if you use 100-watt bulbs in a fixture not designed for them. Homes do burn down for no greater sin. Always check the fixture for wattage limits before increasing the wattage of the bulbs.

Enclosed fixtures and ones that are closed on the top/open on the bottom seem to have a lower wattage capacity than those that are open on the top which seem to have a higher rating.