Try walking into a buzzy New York spot right now – hotel, restaurant, boutique, doesn’t matter – without running into a candle sconce. Good luck. At Café Zaffri, where I find myself more than I should, lantern-like versions flank mirror-framed artworks above the booths. Like so many interior design trends, sconces arrived as a trickle, then suddenly all at once.
Not long ago, they were the kind of lighting idea you’d only score on 1stDibs or Facebook Marketplace. I loved them back then – they felt so dramatic, a nod to a bygone era when candles weren’t a choice but the only option. Now, with LEDs blazing and the blue glow of a phone on every table, I’m nostalgic for a glow from a world I never actually lived in, which is why I am loving this lighting trend.
‘It’s definitely more of an aesthetic choice than a necessity (especially because even if you want sconces, there are so many non-wired options now),’ says Alex, founder, interior designer, and art curator at Salon 21. ‘But we all want to romanticize our homes a bit, and adding natural candlelight is the easiest classic way to do so.’
Candlelight, she explains, creates an enviable atmosphere. ‘It adds a warm, soft glow that instantly makes a space more intimate,’ Alex continues. ‘Unlike harsh lighting, it flickers, it casts shadows, it creates depth. It encourages calm, enhances mood, and adds that touch of romance or coziness we’re all chasing.’ In other words, candle sconces offer yet another reason to avoid the dreaded big light.
And everyone – truly everyone – is catching on. Zara, H&M Home, Magnolia, and Lulu and Georgia (just to name a few) have their own versions, while at the high end, this lighting trend has migrated into bona fide art galleries. In one dining room project, Alex even used paintings by Casper White that incorporate candle holders directly. ‘I love when a piece of art becomes a literal conversation piece, straddling art and design,’ she tells me.
As for styling, Alex admits real, lit candles are the chicest option – whether your sconces are modern, antique, or somewhere in between. But flameless is fair game, too. We love the ribbed LED tapers Joanna Gaines created for Target, which look impressively real.
Regarding where to put them, ‘next to a mantle would be a good idea and evoke the sense of a real wood-burning fireplace,’ suggests Alex. Birmingham-based designer Lauren Conner of Lauren Conner Interiors agrees, though she urges experimentation. Dining rooms are an obvious choice, but sconces can feel equally chic framing a kitchen bar or as a statement feature on a bare wall. ‘Whether framing a mirror or sparkling on a bare wall, candle sconces can elevate any space with romance and old-world glow,’ Lauren notes.
I am sold, and sharing my favorite picks from a late-night, candlelit deep dive into all the best candle sconces available right now.
Inspired by the double wall sconce in Joanna Gaines’ own home, this design feels like a modern echo of the ornate antiques it nods to. A stately accent for flanking prized possessions, such as artwork or mirrors.
Form meets flame in this clean-lined, paper-inspired piece crafted from sturdy ceramic stoneware. Mount it facing up or down to play with the sculptural swoop and the shadows it casts – a simple shift that changes the entire mood of a room.
This barely-there bow is unexpectedly sophisticated, rendered all laissez-faire in a patinated metal finish that strikes the balance between edgy and sweet. It carries enough gravitas to hang solo – or, naturally, doubled-up as living room wall lighting to make the grand even grander.
The trouble with buying new over antique is that fresh pieces might not age as well. Brett Beldock’s Brutalist sconce stands as an exception, featuring a brassy patina that will only deepen and grow more beautiful with time. Pair with slim tapers – the leaner, the better.
Amplify your flame with this modernist sconce from Audo Copenhagen, where the drama isn’t just in the glow. Its mirrored backplate echoes the very shape of the flame it reflects – a clever detail that doubles the impact.
Few pieces deliver more bang for your buck than Anthropologie’s scalloped-edge candle sconce. Whether used as a bedroom lighting idea, or in a dining room, or hallway, it instantly punches up a space's energy with its playful presence.
Candle sconces are the fall decor idea everyone can add to their home to instantly make it feel more cozy and elegant. I am all for romanticizing my home, especially during cozy season, and spending a few minutes walking around my apartment, lighting my sconces, is exactly the vibe I am after going into autumn.
