Sconces are supposed to be 30" - 40" apart for best lighting of your face. Is it a free-standing vanity where you can place them 30" apart?

We have 36-37 inches vanity in our guest bath, and I decided to go with sconces..had to rethink it all when I saw it just doesn't work. Looked like hell.

We have a wall from one side of the vanity though..so even less choice with distance between sconces. Too narrow. All the benefit from the lights coming from the sides disappears. And just: awkward design.

I had to change the whole concept: the lights I already had and loved, the mirror that was bought to go between the lights, everything.

If you have a vanity that has lots of a wall space around it-then you might have a much better chance at spacing the sconces correctly.

Thanks to everyone for your input. Our 30" vanity is going into a corner so one end will be against the wall. Aprilneverends, I'm afraid if we go with sconces we will end up with a similar experience! Thank you.

I think it depends on the size of the sconce. A lot of sconces today are huge and wouldn't work in smaller spaces. Be careful with extension too. Some of them stick out quite a bit. I think they are sizing things for the more expansive new construction of today.

There are lots of pictures of sconces placed in close quarters.

It depends also on the size of the electrical box..nowadays they install something huge..no canopy/back plate that's less than 5 inches or so in diameter will work..it won't cover the new box. So add these 10 inches when you're counting how much space you've got for the spacing..

It it's not a new hard wire job-then it might fly maybe, if the sconces themselves are "skinny" and subtle...

I would think there are a variety of box sizes available (or other method) depending on the application. As long as the boxes aren't already installed with the drywall cut.

We have a powder room with a 32" wide vanity set between two walls. We have a pair of skinny, cylindrical sconces on the walls. They project only about 3" from the wall surfaces. The light is good, the space doesn't feel tight, and they look fine. Sconces can work in tight spaces if you choose the right ones.

snookums2, I would also think so..I just know that all our boxes had to be big in order to pass the electrical inspection, and yes, we had to put all the drywall too,..everything had to be done in accordance with the current code. Which might be stricter here where we live, I don't know. But wouldn't be surprised.

If it's a different state(I'm in CA) and not a new build-yes I'd like to believe you have other opportunities too when exploring your home's lighting potential)) Because we didn't have much freedom, not at all.

I also understand(in a very minimal way, to be sincere)) that the boxes need to be attached to two by fours..you can't just point your finger and say "here"..it can be approximately there of course, but sometimes you'll have to deviate couple of inches from your preferred spot. And couple of inches might be a lot when you have a limited space,

As for when the vanity is between two walls..well then it's easier of course. Because you have your symmetry and spacing right there, given there is enough space on the walls..You still need to calculate everything of course-scale, projection, etc.

In short-I tried real hard to go with my beloved vintage sconces, and I surrendered only when I realized this battle was lost on me. I could force them into the room-but it'd be a mistake.

So I asked to cancel the two boxes, and make a new one for an overhead light.

And I have an amazing quality mirror to sell now too:)

But every room is different..and not every remodel is done under the city's microscope.

It is definitely difficult, april.

I was very sincere when I confided in my minimal knowledge in the subject:) I didn't measure them-I just know that all my vintage lights that had more dainty canopies/back plates were a problem, since the plates didn't cover the box. I could measure them I guess but they all are covered now. I know though the 5 inch plate does cover a box. Because we had to get several new plates.

Maybe what seems like huge to me-IS normal. I just know I've encountered problems with these.

As for the code requirement. As the city told us to drill two holes in the kitchen countertops for the special outlet pop-ups, because you have to have an outlet every X inches, and we, alas, have two big windows going down to the countertop, thus not enough space on the walls-we naturally were upset. They wouldn't budge, even thought the is kitchen is small, and there is no real necessity in so many outlets. So my husband printed out 900 pages of electrical code of California, because he's very detail-oriented:) He should remember the code, or at least he knows where this 900 page monstrosity is right now..I, right this moment, don't.

I don't think the problem is the diameter of current electrical boxes ... but the fact that she has vintage sconces which must have a smaller backplate than current lighting.

My slim sconces have a 4-1/2" backplate which are plenty wide to cover the electrical boxes, which are also in CA.

Of course some of my lights created a problem in our case, but it's not what I'm trying to say.. The suggestion was made that there is a variety of boxes available. No, in our case, no variety was available to us. It was one size box, and the remodel is ongoing and recent.

I also know that the code tends to change pretty frequently (I won't bore you with another story about our gas meter, but the gas company installed new meter-and then the even newer one)) And it happened pretty fast..))

So what do I know, maybe 2 years ago whoever remodeled/installed a new box had the said variety.

Or had the variety we didn't but also didn't have to pass an electrical inspection.

Again, if you gather people on Earth and ask them about electrical anything -I really don't want you to notice me in the crowd)) Just sharing the story of how I decided to go for the overhead light in my guest bathroom

(I could get different sconces, right? Bigger plates and all. Even if the plate is 4,5-and you have a wall from one side..and you have to be a few inches away from the very corner, right? So to those several inches, add 9 inches when you calculate spacing, instead of ten. Wouldn't look good anyway. Not in my space. The electricians didn't try to accommodate my specific sconces. They also didn't know which sconces I had in mind. They are electricians..they were asked to put boxes on the sides. And then they did. And then I saw it. And then I looked at it more..and more..and more..)))

chispa-

I think you're right. I couldn't understand how a larger volume box, which would simply be deeper, would affect placement of sconces on a wall. However, if the wall mounting plate of the sconce was indeed smaller in diameter than any standard box, it would be impossible to mount. I guess I needed to think outside the box on this one :-)

But there is always a way ... it just takes time, money and some out of the box thinking ... it seems the contractor in this case wasn't willing to present the homeowner with any other alternatives.

I'm not sure it depended so much on my GC. He did try to accommodate us in other instances. I could have 20 inch width mirror in there, of course. Or a bit less. And I could have these sconces. Or other sconces. The electricity was there))

I just saw that overall look will suffer because of it.

But again..every space is different.

Why do all the commenters sound drunk in this thread?

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