Fabric wall sconce
A fabric shade turns a bare bulb into a soft source, with no harsh reflection and no sharp outline. This selection gathers the sconces whose diffuser is textile: linen, cotton, velvet or technical cloth stretched over a frame. It offers a more muted alternative to the rest of our wall sconces.
Textiles and colours
Every fabric filters light in its own way. Linen, slightly irregular, lets a visible grain and a warm halo through. Thick cotton holds back more of the flow and concentrates the brightness upwards and downwards. Velvet absorbs a great deal: it gives a very low ambience, meant for the evening rather than for a work room.
The shade of the textile counts as much as its density. An ecru shade warms the light, a pearl grey neutralises it, and a lining in matt white sends a larger share of it back. Dark tones reduce sideways diffusion and create two marked beams. Dusting with a soft brush, along the weave, is enough for everyday care.
The light obtained and suitable sources
Fabric softens cast shadows, which makes these sconces pleasant near a face or a mirror. To avoid seeing the bulb through the shade, a model with an exposed filament calls for an opaque or lined shade. A frosted source remains the most consistent choice.
As for power, a moderate output suits this type of diffuser better: the textile already dims the flow, and lighting that is too strong would make it look washed out. A warm white between 2,400 and 2,700 K prolongs the sense of fabric, as our bedroom wall sconces intended for night-time rooms show clearly.
Locations and uses
Either side of a bed, two textile sconces replace bedside lamps and free up the surface of the tables. A height of about 1.20 m above the bed base, slightly in front of the pillow, puts the light in the right place for reading; that is the principle behind our bedside wall sconces.
In a living room, a line of two or three shades above a sofa creates an even wash of light, useful alongside a ceiling light. A hallway takes these diffusers too, provided the projection stays shallow so as not to obstruct the way through. A kitchen or a shower room, on the other hand, suits them poorly, since steam and splashes mark the textile.
Variations within the collection
Natural linen
Wall sconce with a linen shade
Visible weave, sand or greige tones, often a cylindrical shape: linen goes with bright interiors and pale woods. It takes on a light patina over time and works well against a wall painted in a similar shade.
Classic shapes
Wall sconce with a conical shade
The cone opening downwards concentrates the light on a precise area, a table or an armchair. Mounted on a metal bracket, it holds a dressier register, close to our living room wall sconces.
Dark tones
Wall sconce with a black fabric shade
A dark textile closes the beam in and cuts two crisp zones on the wall. The effect works in a room already lit from elsewhere, as an accent rather than as the main source.
The dimensions of the shade and the total projection are given on each product page.