15 Beautiful Plug-In Sconces for under $100

Globe Electric Willow Sconce in sage green.

One of the most common design mistakes I see is people relying solely on overhead lighting to illuminate their living spaces. Floor and table lamps are a great way around this, but the underappreciated wall sconce is what we’re talking about today! Along with improving your lighting, sconces add sophistication and flare, making any room feel special. And thanks to a growing number of affordable plug-in options, sconces are more DIY- and renter-friendly than ever!

Why should I use wall sconces?

Here’s the elevator pitch: builder-grade ceiling lights are generally sad and inadequate, and even high-end recessed lights totally lack atmosphere. While bright, high-quality, high-Kelvin ceiling lights are useful during the day, overhead lighting is uncomfortable and unattractive to relax under at night.

And no — dimmers (though fabulous!) are not the answer here, because the real issue is the height and direction of the lighting. Darker evening hours call for soft, low-Kelvin, body-level lighting that creates ambience and glow, and this simply cannot be achieved with recessed lighting.

On another note, wall sconces are a great way to define zones in open spaces, and can be incorporated as functional styling in many different ways! They look amazing beside a fireplace, worked into a gallery wall, flanking a bed… the list goes on!

But how do I hide the cords?

No problem! These handy peel & stick cord covers can be attached directly to your wall, and then painted to blend in.

Cord covers are a great way to camouflage hanging cords.

Things to consider when browsing for plug-in sconces

Choose lights with shades

There are sooo many gorgeous exposed-bulb fixtures out there, but they’re generally impractical for two reasons:

1. DUST — Dust will find and cling to those glass fixtures, and it’s really obvious with all that light shinin’ through!

2. GLARE — Exposed bulbs are BRIGHT and will sear your poor little eyeballs, while also giving you a headache. Exposed bulbs MUST be on a dimmer and are only comfortable on VERY low settings. This can work in a dining room or bedroom, but they should never be used for primary illumination.

   NOTE: Even frosted exposed bulbs are uncomfortably bright, and should only be used on low/dim settings.

Light shades reduce glare and diffuse light more evenly, so you’ll notice that most of the fixtures below are shaded, with the shades ideally covering the entire light bulb.

Choose lights with dimmers (or get smart bulbs!)

ALL lighting should be adjustable and dimmable, so always look for this option when searching for fixtures.

It’s a surprisingly hard feature to find though, so another great option is to use smart bulbs. They’re an investment, but a worthwhile one! I love being able to control the brightness AND temperature (colour) of our lighting by using Philips WiZ smart bulbs.

And now, for the main event!

15 plug-in sconces for under $100 (each)

Dimmable and Traditional with Shades

Modern Industrial

Simple Scandanavian

Swing Arm Sconce with Shade

Mid-Century Glass Globes

Articulating Task Light

Articulating Industrial Sconce

Traditional Shaded Sconces

Black Swing-Arm Sconces

White & Gold Conical Sonce

Modern Black and Gold Sconce

Traditional Nickel Swing-Arm

Green and Gold Globe

Post-Modern Drop Sconce

Traditional Gold Swoop Arm

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