It sounds like they intended to put Wall Lights on each side.

Depending on the fixture, the connections might be able to be made inside the fixture without a junction box. Please read the fixture's installation instructions to see if this is permissible. Whether or not a junction box is required, heavy fixtures frequently need support in addition to any support a junction box might provide. The best solution is to mount any fixture directly into wall studs whenever possible. If studs are not in the right place, most vanity fixtures can be mounted using hardware like toggle bolts or mollies. You should find a stud every 16" if the house was built using standard platform framing methods. But if you live in an older house, you might encounter balloon framing or perhaps post-and-beam framing where the dimensions are not at all standard. For holes larger than the cover plate, you need to patch the wall. Depending on the construction of the house, this could as simple as securing a piece of drywall (and a little "mud" and tape), or a much more complex process using lath and plaster.

The wire nut connections have to be within an approved enclosure, and accessible for maintenance. Many lights have housings that meet these requirements (for example, flush mount fluorescent lights), so you can route the Romex right into the housing behind the light, and then wire nut the connections before you put the housing on. However, without seeing your actual light, or its directions, its hard to know if you can do it that way. If you can make all the connections within the existing box, you may be able to use the light housing as a "cover" for the box. Did the original fixture just sit on top of the box and serve as its cover/enclosure? Bruce

Hello! Have you considered a West Ninth Vintage fixtures. We create a variety of farmhouse fixtures. Let us know if we could be any help at all! West Ninth Vintage