Nursery Wall Sconces

Nursery wall sconces answer a problem specific to the room: enough light to see by during a night feed, and not so much that the whole room comes on. A wall fixture also keeps a cord and a lamp base off the changing table, which a table lamp cannot do. Height and output are what to set correctly.

How to choose nursery wall sconces

Start with the output and the shade. A diffused shade or an opal glass body spreads a low even light and keeps the source out of direct view from below, which is the view from a crib. Something in the range of 200 to 400 lumens at 2700K covers a night feed without lighting the room like an afternoon.

Then look at how the fixture is powered and switched. A hardwired body on a dimmer gives the closest control and leaves nothing loose on the wall. A plug in model needs an outlet behind furniture and the cord routed tight against the baseboard. A rechargeable body avoids wiring altogether and lifts off its bracket, which suits a rented room.

Mounting height and placement for nursery wall sconces

Placement here is set by two pieces of furniture rather than by the wall: the crib and the changing table.

Mount the fixture to one side of the crib rather than over it, so nothing hangs within the crib's footprint. Over a changing table, 20 to 24 inches above the surface puts light on the work without putting it in a face. On an open wall, 60 to 66 inches to the center of the body is the usual range, and this room sits at the upper end so the fixture clears the furniture below.

How much light does a night feed need?

Less than a bedside lamp, somewhere around 200 to 400 lumens at 2700K. That is enough to see a bottle and a face without bringing the room up to daytime level. A dimmer or a two level switch is worth adding, since the same fixture then handles changing during the day.

Where should the fixture sit relative to the crib?

To one side, never above it. Keep the body and any cord outside the crib's footprint, and mount high enough that the shade clears the rail with room to spare. Beside a glider or over the changing table is the more useful position anyway.

Also worth a look: Wall Sconces for Bedroom, Wall Sconces for Living Room, Bathroom Wall Sconces and Nursery Ceiling Lights. Everything in this category sits under Wall Lamps.