Lantern Wall Sconce

Vanessa Weber Interior Design Expert

Vanessa is a New York-based designer specializing in architectural lighting. Whether you are planning an event, want to illuminate your backyard retreat or simply need advice on what lamp to purchase for your bedroom, Vanessa will be more than happy to share her knowledge and expertise.

Updated 17/05/2021

For a wall sconce that will accent your home in a classical sense, perhaps a lantern wall sconce is the way to go. These come in many styles, every one is made of the finest materials, and we think we might just have the wall sconce for you in this lovely collection. Take a look and tell us what you think. You may have trouble picking out just one.

Buying Guide

Lantern wall sconces were a practical way to put a candle lantern or oil lantern above room activity where it cast the best light and was less likely to be jostled or knocked over. The arrangement continued to be a practical lighting solution with the advent of piped-in gas lighting. Even electrical lighting works well positioned above and to the side of interior room activity. With so much history behind them, lantern wall sconces have had time to evolve into designs that are both beautiful and practical.

What are the most popular designs of lantern wall sconces?

Candle Lantern Wall Sconce

A candle lantern is a practical solution to emergency lighting and for camping. Candles are easy to operate, being simply a fuel source and a wick. They do have some drawbacks, however. They are an open flame, which makes it easy to set things on fire and they can be blown out by a strong wind. Placing the candle inside a protective glass case keeps it from flickering with every passing breeze. Hanging the candle lantern in a matching wall sconce makes it a reasonably safe light source for a family or a scout troop since that makes a protected place for the light source. More than that, candle lanterns that have a matching wall sconce, such as the Mariana Lantern Wall Sconce are a beautiful addition to your interior decorating scheme. You don’t need to wait for an emergency to use them; they can be part of the ambiance for a romantic evening.

Gate Post Lantern Wall Sconces

A lantern wall sconce has long been a traditional staple for gated entries or porticos. They can easily fit on a mortared rock gate post and provide a shining beacon into the night. Their only drawback is that candle lanterns or even oil lanterns eventually need refueling. Photovoltaic solar lanterns are the perfect solution. They can run on batteries that are powered up during the day and that respond to a timer that will turn them on at dusk. The electric candles inside traditional coach-house lamp frames create a beacon that can easily guide the wayward traveler home.

Reflective Candelabra Socket

Reflective wall sockets were designed to cast the light from a candle or oil lamp back into the room. The principle works just as well with an electric bulb. When the socket is fitted with a faux candle flame bulb, especially the ones that flicker to simulate a natural flame, the polished panel behind the bulb serves the same purpose today as it might have done in an ancient keep.

What are some examples of quality lantern wall sconces available on the market?

The Kichler 1 Light Outdoor Sconce

The Kichler 1 Light Outdoor Sconce is unabashedly modern. With no nod at all to historical shapes, the frosted cylinder provides protection for an electric light bulb. Its soft light is perfect for that dark space just outside a back door, or it could even be paired to flank a front door.

The Forsyth

One of the difficult parts of dealing with modern lighting is glare. The Forsyth extra large wall sconce takes care of this problem. The dark curve of the sconce hides the bulb behind it, but the illumination floods out over the top of the sconce.