Vintage metal wall sconces

To dress a wall without touching the ceiling, count on two wall lights on either side of a sofa or bed, and one every two metres in a hallway or along a staircase. The collection brings together metal structures, mostly gold, and glass diffusers, with E14, G9 and E27 sockets and an IP44 outdoor lantern.

• What light does a vintage metal wall light give
• Where to install it, room by room
• E14, G9 or E27: which socket
• Art deco and the 1970s
• IP20 or IP44
• Matching the finishes
• Is it out of date
• Installation and care

What is a vintage metal wall light and what light does it give?

A vintage metal wall light brings together a metal structure, most often gold, and a glass diffuser that softens the light without dazzling. Ribbed tubes, curved arms and opal globes direct the flow upwards or downwards and light a living room, bedroom or hallway wall.

What the glass diffuser changes

Ribbed or fluted glass breaks the flow of the bulb and spreads it into fine luminous lines across the surface. The opal globe, as on Lumena, makes the source almost invisible and gives a wrapping light. Clear glass leaves the bulb visible: when switched off, the filament becomes a pattern on the wall.

Directed light or ambient light

A tube facing up or down lights a precise area, a painting, a step, a worktop. A curved arm throws a wider halo. This vintage wall light does not replace a ceiling light: it draws a halo and leaves the rest of the room in a soft half-light. Vintage glass wall lights all work on this principle, and our lighting catalogue lets you compare the families.

Where to install a vintage wall light in the home?

In a living room, two wall lights frame the sofa or a wall arrangement; in an adult bedroom, they replace bedside lamps and free up the nightstand. In a hallway or on a staircase, space them evenly and keep the same fixing height to avoid shadow zones.

Living room and bedroom: two points at seating height

Fix the first at around 1.10 m from the floor, then the second at the same height on the other side of the seat. Models with a curved arm and ribbed glass shade, such as the Curva wall light, project 26.5 cm and throw the light upwards. In a bedroom, a shorter format with 18 cm depth is enough. Living room lighting with wall lights usefully complements a ceiling light, and LED wall lights for the bedroom meet the same need in a fixed version.

Hallway, staircase and wet rooms

In a hallway, one wall light every two metres or so is enough to guide your step. For a staircase, lower the fixing line step by step rather than keeping a constant height, the only way to avoid a dark zone at the top. Modern hallway wall lights and staircase wall lights follow this principle. A vintage bathroom wall light goes on either side of a mirror, and a kitchen wall light above the worktop.

Which socket to choose between E14, G9 and E27?

The socket determines the bulb and the wattage. This collection mainly offers E14, intended for 40 W, on the tube and curved arm models; G9, for 28 W, equips the most compact wall lights; E27, for 60 W, applies to the outdoor model. Check the socket before buying your bulbs.

E14 socket: the small screw bulb

E14 is the most widespread format here. It covers Calvesano, Nivia, Bivora, Calvesisto, Lumena and Adara, all rated for 40 W. A small screw bulb is easy to find in a filament version, warm or neutral, which leaves the rendering in your hands. For an ambient wall, aim for 2700 K; to read or work, go up to around 3000 to 4000 K. Bear in mind that an E14 wall light generally carries a single light point.

G9 and E27 sockets: the other two cases

The pin-based G9, 28 W, equips the short formats with 12.5 cm depth: Mavello, Revera and Luminae. The bulb is smaller and the design sharper. The wide screw E27, 60 W, is reserved for the outdoor lantern, which accepts a larger bulb diameter. If you are looking for this format for indoors, go to E27 wall lights.

Art deco and 1970s vintage wall lights: how do you recognise the style?

Art deco favours geometric lines, leaf ornaments and ribbed glass, as on the Adara wall light. The 1970s play more on spheres and glass volumes, like Revera, Bivora or Mavello. In both cases, it is the gold metal finish that ties them together.

The Art deco codes to recognise

Look for symmetry, a fan or leaf motif, frosted glass with regular ribs and an often articulated arm. A retro wall light takes these codes with more simplicity. In the selection, Adara carries an articulated arm and a leaf ornament that recall this period directly, without pastiche.

Capturing the spirit of the 1970s

The decade is recognisable by its glass spheres and clusters of volumes. Bivora and Mavello combine two ribbed glass tubes with spheres, Revera adds a central sphere. Gold metal remains the common support. The match works because the glass repeats from one model to another in the same room.

IP20 or IP44 wall light: indoor or outdoor?

The protection rating indicates where to place the wall light. IP20 covers dry rooms: living room, bedroom, hallway, staircase. IP44 adds resistance to water splashes and equips the outdoor model in the collection, a cylindrical aluminium and glass lantern, with an E27 socket, intended for a terrace.

IP20: living room, bedroom, hallway, staircase

IP20 corresponds to dry air and a wall not exposed to splashes. All the indoor wall lights in the selection fall into this category. A bathroom requires a water point away from the shower or a higher protection: in that case, better to look at suitable models than to force an IP20 above a washbasin.

IP44: the outdoor lantern in the collection

The Lantia outdoor lantern, in aluminium, metal and glass, measures 17.7 cm wide by 31.5 cm high and 24.4 cm deep. Its E27 socket accepts 60 W. To complete a facade or a porch, compare with vintage outdoor wall lights and waterproof models.

How do you match gold wall lights with a vintage decor?

To match, align the finishes before the shapes. Gold pairs with dark woods and bronze tones; the brown and aluminium of the outdoor model stay on the terrace. Keep the same family of glass, ribbed or fluted, so that the wall lights in the same room answer each other.

Gold finish, dark wood and bronze tones

A wall painted in off-white or deep green brings out the gold without making it flashy. If you mix several sources, keep the same metal tone and vary the shape: a tube above the sofa, a globe near the armchair. Gold design models follow this logic, and wood and metal wall lights open up a more matte alternative.

When black takes over

On a light wall, a dark version draws a sharp contrast and suits industrial interiors. Black metal versions pair with dark worktops and anthracite splashbacks. Mixing gold and black in the same room can be tried provided you space the two finishes on different walls.

Are wall lights out of date?

No. A wall light goes out of fashion less through its shape than through its match with the wall that receives it. Gold metal, ribbed glass and the visible bulb cross the decades and live alongside an old interior as well as a recently repainted room.

What makes a wall light timeless

Three things age quickly: a saturated colour specific to a decade, an overly dated shade, a proportion that crushes the wall. Conversely, a patinated gold metal, worked glass and a measured projection stay readable for a long time. A wall light is also judged by the number of light points it carries and the possibility of changing the bulb.

What the selection shows

The direction is clear: metal and glass, ribbed tubes, curved arms, opal globes, gold finishes with a touch of bronze. E14 and G9 sockets cover indoors, E27 outdoors. To widen the comparison, browse the whole lighting range and its variations by room.

How do you install and care for a vintage metal wall light?

Switch off the power at the breaker, locate the incoming wires, fix the bracket to the wall before connecting the earth and the wires. Metal is cleaned with a soft, dry cloth, glass with a non-abrasive product. The 5-year warranty covers the whole selection.

Installing a metal wall light: the steps

Switch off the breaker for the lighting circuit. Locate the wires and mark the fixing height in pencil, keeping the same level for all the wall lights in a room. Screw on the supplied bracket, connect the earth then the neutral and live, refit the diffuser and restore the power. For a wet room, check the protection rating first. A dimmable wall light is wired the same way if the circuit allows.

Cleaning metal and glass

Dust dry and at mid-height of the light, never while powered. Avoid abrasive sponges on gold finishes and ammonia-based products on screen-printed glass. Cut the power before handling the bulb.

When ordering, payment is secure, delivery is tracked, returns are possible and Designix customer service answers if you are unsure about a format. The 5-year warranty applies to the whole selection. Choose the room first, then the socket: that pairing decides the rest.

Frequently asked questions