Sconce vs Lamp – Which Is Right for Your Nightstand?

Last Updated on September 3, 2024

Discover the pros and cons of sconces vs lamps for your nightstand to see which one is perfect for your bedroom.

I bought my nightstands in 2017 when I was still on a dark brown furniture kick. Not that there’s anything wrong with dark brown furniture, but there has certainly been a shift towards lighter wood tones in furniture and flooring – especially for coastal style (which I adore!). 

That being said, I do think dark wood has its place, especially if you are going for a more traditional look and feel. About 3 years ago, I was on the hunt for new nightstands. The problem was – I loved these nightstands! Quality wise – they’re great. They’re solid wood, which can be hard to find in a sea of MDF and laminate furniture options. They’re also a great size – not too big and not too small and they have a perfectly-sized drawer to fit all your nightly necessities (lotion, journal, etc.). So, I decided to paint them. I plan to do an entire post about the DIY soon!

Once I had painted them, they looked like new. I chose Benjamin Moore Hale Navy – the same color I painted our closet dresser and our basement cabinets. I guess you could say I’m a fan! When I find something I like, I really don’t switch it up too much. Being a creature of habit might be dull or repetitive for some, but I always design what I like without following strict rules. 

Sconce vs Lamp for Nightstands

Almost every single lamp we brought from our last house was broken in the move to this house (don’t get me started on the joys of moving!). Miraculously, our bedroom lamps survived. But truth be told, I was over our old nightstand table lamps. The base was white ceramic with navy blue shades, and I bought them at At Home years ago. I definitely wanted to take the design in a new direction, especially with my newly painted nightstands!I was trying to decide between table lamps and sconces.

My husband is an excellent painter but an electrician he is not. Lamps seemed like the easier route, but I was really loving the elegance of sconces above the nightstand. They just look so polished and pretty. But hiring an electrician to hardwire them felt really permanent and possibly expensive. So I started to research other options.

Plug in Wall Sconce for Nighstand

Traditionally, sconces needed to be measured, mounted, and hardwired by a licensed electrician. But they also have sconce options that don’t have be hardwired.  I literally did not know this was even a thing. You can actually have sconces above your nightstand without hard wiring them!  

The benefits of hardwiring your sconces is similar to why you’d want to drill holes behind your wall-mounted tv and drop the cords behind the wall. Cords are ugly and no one wants to look at them! However, if you ever decided you wanted to revert back to table lamps, you’d have to repair the wall (and make sure the electrical cords aren’t causing any hazard). I didn’t want to mess with any of that.

So, I went on a hunt for sconces with cords, and I’d figure out how to make them look better later. There are SO many cool options available for sconces for pretty much any design style. Because our primary bathroom has polished nickel finishes, I was looking for the same in my sconces. I also considered doing an organic material like rattan or wicker, but I already have so much of that in the bedroom, I thought it might be overkill. 

I ended up choosing the Oray Brushed Nickel Swing Arm Lamp Sconces from Lamps Plus. They were a classic design that would complement my costal style perfectly. 

How to Mount Plug in Wall Sconce

I am not super handy, and these were super easy to mount. All of the hardware comes in the package and the directions were pretty straight forward. Admittedly, I am a measuring queen. I can measure like nobody’s business. I researched and determined that sconces should be placed about 30-36″ above your mattress and centered above your nightstand. But feel free to play around with that. At the end of the day, they need to be right, most convenient position for you!

Once I measured where they needed to go, I used a pencil to mark where the screws needed to go. I mounted the sconces, and they were just perfect!

How to Hide Sconce Cords

The only electrical thing we had hanging on the wall in our last house was our living room TV, which I hired a licensed electrician to handle by drilling a hole in the wall and running cords behind it. However, I have become the cord cover queen in this house – no electrician needed! 

My sconces had cord covers recommended in the suggested add-on products, and I bought them. It’s wild what a difference it makes. I wasn’t sure if I would still be bothered by the cord covers, but I totally wasn’t! Actually, I think the cord covers added a nice decorative touch and blended into the design perfectly. 

I took a very similar approach in our family room with a larger cord cover that came off the tv to hide about 5 different cords going down the wall. 

Choosing Sconces for Your Nightstand

Sconces | Headboard | Nightstand | Lumbar Pillowcase | Wicker Tray | Dried Pampas Grass | Vase

Whether you choose the traditional hardwired route or go the plug in road like I did, there are so many options when it comes to choosing sconces for your nightstands. Every material, finish, color, etc. can be customized. 

Always build a mood board when choosing sconces for your nightstand. Things can look very different once you see it all together. Also, make sure you pay attention the dimensions of your sconces. They are not a one-size-fits-all. 

Pros of Sconces for Nightstand

1. Sconces free up a lot of space on your nightstand.

This is a huge benefit! Table lamps can take up a good amount of space, leaving little room for other decor items (especially on smaller nightstands). Opting for sconces allows you to layer in more decorative items, like large vases or candles. 

2. You can choose adjustable sconces to maximize lighting.

Our sconces are adjustable, so you can move them around to bring light closer or further away. This is great for when you need more light during reading.

3. Sconces create a beautiful design for your bedroom.

Sconces frame your bed in the most elegant way. I absolutely love the look of sconces next to a bed! It makes your room feel like it was professionally designed. 

Cons of Sconces for Nightstands

1. Sconces are more of a design commitment than table lamps.

Sconces are definitely more permanent than table lamps, especially if you hardwire them. If you were to ever upsize or downsize to a bigger or smaller bed, your sconces would have to be moved. If you change your style, it’s a lot more work than just switching out a lamp.

2. Sconces could require an electrician to install.

If you decide to hardwire your sconces, you’ll need to hire a licensed electrician (or trust someone else to properly install them). That was a huge con for me and why I decided to go the plug in route.

3. Sconces can be expensive.

The same goes for any lighting, but sconces can be pricey. Mine were more affordable (less than $200 for the set), so there are certainly budget-friendly options out there.

Pros of Lamps for Nightstands

1. Lamps can still add a really bold look to your nightstands.

A table lamp is an easy and functional way to complement your interior design. There are so many materials, colors, and styles that can sweeten your bedroom decor. 

2. Lamps can be easily swapped out.

If you get bored with your table lamps, it’s super simple to unplug and either move them to another place, donate them, or chunk them. 

3. There are very inexpensive table lamp options.

Sure, lamps can get pricey (like anything these days!), but you can also find amazing deals on them. If you’re on a tight budget, I would recommend decorating with table lamps.

Cons of Lamps for Nightstands

1. Lamps can take up a lot of space. 

If your nightstands are small and you still want to decorate them, sconces might be the better option.

2. Lamps don’t look quite as upscale as sconces.

Table lamps can certainly add beautiful style to your space, but the polished look of sconces is unmatched!

3. Table lamps are easier to break.

It’s not likely that your nightstand lamps are going to break, but if you have kids or giant dogs (like we do!), nothing is safe. Since sconces are mounted, they can’t really get knocked down, but a table lamp can.

I hope this post helped you weigh the pros and cons of sconces vs table lamps for your nightstands. I absolutely love our sconces but there are pros and cons for both options. Happy decorating!

This post is about pros and cons of sconces vs table lamps for nightstands.