A Sconce is a Sconce is a Sconce... or not!

I've been searching for interior wall sconces for the bathrooms of a current project.

My client wanted to see them all in person, which I highly recommend. Many times the fixtures turn out to look nothing like what you may have expected, especially when it comes to the finish. And if it's something custom, you're stuck with it. You can imagine the disappointment!

One of the pet peeves of both myself and this client is when we walk into a home and it looks as though they've bought an entire stock of one or two fixtures for the entire home. Or just the opposite, when it looks like they've bought one of everything in every finish! Neither is exactly pleasing to the eye.

To avoid these scenarios I turned to a designer's favorite, Circa Lighting. My client could see these fixtures while in Atlanta (Circa is also in Houston, Savannah, and Charleston). I fully realize that the term "designer's favorite" is a dangerous one and people's wallets instantly lock up upon hearing it. Surprisingly that is not so with Circa- their fixtures are as fair and reasonable in price as the are exquisite in design. One could very easily spend more at Home Depot or other mass-producer retailers. Surprising, but true.

Unintentionally, we've ended up with almost every interior wall sconce coming from this treasure trove of a lighting shop. The look we're going for is traditional, but unexpected traditional, so of course we only had hundreds to narrow it down from! Here's what we've ended up with...

We're going with the Reed for the Master Bathroom, although just the Single (the Double is shown here). Love the curved arm and the round ring drop....

The TT Single was the runner up for the Master Bath. It's a little too plain-jane for this space, but I see it working perfectly in my future dream bathroom. One of the many benefits of shopping for clients... finding things for myself along the way. And with Circa's swallowable prices, its even better!





The Boston Head Wall Sconce. How funky is this little guy? I mean really, its totally unique. Definitely on my list of new favorites. We're using these on either side of a smaller bathroom vanity in the Polished Nickel finish.

The Simple Scallop Sconce. One of these will be used on either side of a bathroom mirror. Very elegant, and the silver piping on the shade is icing on the cake.

The Longacre Sconce. The simple fluting on this sconce is an example of the attention to detail you will find on Circa's fixtures. Two of these will be going into the most contemporary of the Guest Bathrooms- they will flank a custom 8" thick concrete trough sink. The Longacre's stouter, bolder shape will compliment this well.

I found it really hard to turn this one down... it was the runner up for the concrete trough bathroom. The sconce is actually a ship light, not just a look alike, but from a real ship light manufacturing company, hence the website www.shiplights.com. Despite my affection for this chrome beauty, I do think the Longacre above is the better way to go- it's slightly more sophisticated for a Guest Bathroom. I will absolutely use this one here in a more utilitarian setting in another project, like my dream Laundry Room! Realistically, it might be more economical than recessed can lighting!

As long as I'm diverging from my Circa finds, I might as well share this one... definitely going somewhere in my dream home, even if I have a light on every wall! It is the Paris by Niermann Weeks, a modern deco style take on a traditional Venetian candle sconce... OOH LA LA!