Are Traditional Wall Sconces Outdated? A Comparison with Modern Wall Sconces

Traditional wall sconces have a bad reputation. They can usually be found painted stuck to the walls of our preowned homes and apartments in styles we would have never chosen ourselves. If you can get them off the wall, you'll usually find they are attached to an intimidating nest of preset electrical wiring. Not exactly the weekend project you had in mind. Traditional wall sconces are often also clunky, protruding as much as ten inches into your space – a constant nuisance. So, are traditional wall sconces outdated? Yes. You may be tempted to take this one step further and think that wall sconces themselves are outdated.

But here's the thing, Wall Lights can be great. Unlike Table Lights or Floor Lights, they float above your space, taking up less room on those much needed productive surfaces. They can add dimension, style and mood to a room. Enter modern wall sconces from Gantri. Free from preset wiring and complete with sleek plugs that won't obstruct your furniture placement or invade your hallway space,  they are wall lights without wiring inside your wall. Modern and unique wall sconces like Gantri’s Signal Wall Light, Gio Wall Light and Carve Wall Light can be plugged into an outlet and mounted wherever you desire.

Are traditional wall sconces outdated?

Traditional wall sconces are time-consuming to replace

Most traditional wall sconces are mounted in place and are wired through the wall, making it difficult to switch things up when styles change. Many homeowners avoid updating or replacing old-fashioned Wall Lights because they are hardwired, painted in place, and controlled by pre-installed light switches. Replacing a Wall Light can be draining, requiring a dozen or more steps including testing the existing wiring with a voltage meter and handling tediously small parts (nuts, bolts, screws, etc.). With all of these steps, replacing a traditional Wall Light could take the average person over 3 hours time. That's not exactly how we like to spend our afternoons.

Bulky and difficult to move

Traditional Wall Lights extend past the wall in a way that limits where they can be placed within a home. For instance, a protruding Wall Light can be incompatible with foot traffic or entertaining because it can easily be caught on a backpack, purse or clothes. Traditional Wall Lights are also immobile. If you want to change the location of your Wall Light to match the new orientation of your couch, entertainment area or dining table, you must run a long cable from the existing wiring or call an electrician to help you establish the Wall Light’s new placement.

As if that wasn't stressful enough, you will also be left with a gaping hole and hanging wires from where you removed the light. Because of the difficulty in replacing or exchanging traditional wall sconces, you might feel that your options are severely limited. As a homeowner, you may choose to live with outdated, unattractive Wall Lights you dislike. As a renter, you may feel unable to update or add Wall Lights to your poorly lit space. They aren't exactly renter-friendly sconces.

Traditional wall sconces use outdated technology

Traditional Wall Lights often suffer from electrical problems more often than contemporary Wall Lights because of the way they are wired into the wall. Bulbs that flicker or quickly burn out can be due to the main service wire or main neutral issues. Lights that are hooked up to wiring that runs throughout the walls in your house can react dangerously to a bad connection.

Whether you try to troubleshoot this problem yourself or choose to call an electrician, fighting common electrical issues can be even more time consuming and frustrating than installing the light itself. Enough homeowners have struggled with this issue that converting a hardwired light fixture to one compatible with an outlet has become an increasingly popular DIY project. Instead of hours, converting the wiring can take as few as five minutes once you get the hang of it.

Fitted with the wrong bulbs

Traditional wall sconces are often fitted with the wrong bulbs. Many homeowners will stick with the original bulb used in their outdated Wall Lights even if they aren't right for the setting or the effect they are trying to achieve through interior lighting. Choosing the wrong kind can cause bulbs to burn out quickly, resulting in wasted time and money replacing them. Using outdated bulbs can also improperly light a space, causing hotspots and other damage to illuminated artwork and emitting harsh or inaccurate light across a room (and the faces of your guests).

Traditional incandescent, halogen, and fluorescent bulbs all have drawbacks that modern LED bulbs do not. For instance, incandescent bulbs emit significantly higher amounts of carbon dioxide and are more harmful to the environment than LED bulbs. Halogen bulbs burn hotter than LED bulbs and can burn out too quickly or potentially cause a fire. Halogen bulbs are particularly disliked by art collectors and conservators because of the risk to art they pose. Fluorescent bulbs contain a small amount of mercury gas, making them difficult to dispose of safely and dangerous if broken. Additionally, as a whole, traditional bulbs do not offer accurate color temperature, coming off too cold or too warm.

Modern wall sconces vs traditional wall sconces

Modern wall sconces help you save space

Designed with you in mind, modern or contemporary corded wall sconces from Gantri can be placed virtually anywhere in your home or office, whether you own or rent your space. Gantri’s flat plugs are easy to insert behind furniture, preventing your couch, credenza, or nightstand from sticking out an inch or more from the wall. Gantri’s dimmable switch is also space-saving and more convenient, allowing you to change the intensity of your light without walking to the other side of the room.

Flush mount wall sconces offer new mounting options

Our Wall Lights offer an easy alternative to traditional clunky Table Lights. From a 400 square foot apartment to a multi-bedroom home, Gantri’s Wall Lights can serve as a replacement for bedside lamps, an alternative soft nightlight near your bathroom door or even improved kitchen task lighting. The Signal Wall Light by Ammunition, with its four-inch body depth and generous but soft outward facing light, is perfect for hallway lighting and can be placed in pairs on either side to illuminate your path without taking up too much space. The Gio Wall Light, with its downward facing light and sleek geometric body, offers a stylish replacement for nightstand lights but can also be mounted above artwork. The Carve Wall Light is slightly smaller and lighter than the Geo Wall Light, making it an excellent choice for small spaces like those skinny strips of wall within your bathroom or closet.

Install wall sconces without wiring inside the wall

Hung with a single screw, our minimalist Wall Lights are some of the simplest to install. Our Wall Lights are relatively lightweight and small, making them extremely easy to handle. Each Wall Light can be plugged into an outlet, eliminating all that complicated wiring. The thin one-screw wall mount allows the light to be mounted flush to the wall without damaging plaster or paint or showing the hardware used in hanging. Our minimalist dimmer switch and subtle cord are never distracting, allowing you to hang your Gantri Wall Light wherever you wish without compromise.

Modern wall light sconces are based on long-lasting components

From their cords and plugs to their bulbs and body, all elements of modern wall sconces from Gantri are durable. Each corded wall sconce is made from our Gantri Plant Polymers – the world's first plant-derived polylactic acid (PLA) blends engineered specifically for premium lighting products. Each Wall Light is also outfitted with a durable TPE cord, dimmer switch, and flat wall plug. Designed to resist damage and handle heat, our TPE cord can easily reach from your mounted Wall Light to outlets near the floor. Our plug’s sleek design makes it safer than other plugs as they are less likely to get caught on furniture, blankets, and other objects.

The Right Bulbs

Our ethically made eco-friendly Wall Lights are all fitted with industry-leading LEDs. They lack harmful chemicals, cost less over time, last longer and provide you with better color temperature accuracy. The LEDs we choose to install in each of our corded wall sconces also emit a gentler light that is cooler to the touch, making them safer for illuminating your art collection, family photos, or reading space. Not only will LEDs protect your books from fading, art from hotspots and eyes from damage, but they will also last longer than other bulbs.

Gantri's Wall Sconce Light Will Change Your Space!

Regardless of your home’s personal style, lighting needs, or size, modern wall sconces from Gantri offer everyone an easily installed, beautifully designed and durably created light that will be used and loved for years to come. You can be confident that with Gantri, you will not only receive a stylish, budget-friendly corded wall sconce upon purchase, but one that will also save you money in the long run with its energy efficient bulbs and no-mess installation. Whether you choose the Gio, Signal, or other modern and unique Wall Lights from Gantri, you will always receive a piece that is kind to your wallet, your eyes, and the walls of your home.