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I share a lot on my Instagram stories about my love of thrifting. It is a passion of mine that has only grown through the years, though it definitely didn’t start that way!

My mom used to drag me to every Goodwill, St. Vincent dePaul, garage sale, and random antique store that she could find. And my mom was a very thorough shopper, often taking hours to look through each store. As you can imagine, thrifting was not an impatient five year-old’s favorite activity. But it turns out I could be easily persuaded into patience with a grape soda from the Lincoln Mall vending machine, or a trip to Taco Bell to get my favorite soft shell taco with a side of cinnamon twists. Clueless as I was at the time, I am so thankful for those countless trips.

I do want to take a moment and recognize the privilege I hold in being able to thrift because I want to and enjoy it. A lot of people thrift because they have to. They have no choice, their budget has left them with little other choice. I have a friend whose husband grew up poor and would no longer thrift because doing so reminded him of that time in his life he wanted to leave behind. Most of us here in this space are lucky enough to not be in that situation, and this is purely a post on how to find unique items at a nice price point. Thrifting to help us to stay within our budgets and create a look we love.

In the past decade or so thrifting has become much more popular, for good reason, but many people don’t know where to start! It can feel overwhelming. And how do you know if something is a good deal? How do you know if it would look good? How do you spot “the piece” and sort it out from “the junk”? 

Like most things, thrifting takes practice and experience. I’ve been doing this for almost three decades at this point, if you count my unwilling childhood years of thrifting. But there are some tips to make it easier, and I promise it doesn’t take actual decades to become “good” at thrifting. I hesitate to say it that way because “good” thrifting is so subjective and dependent on what you want out of it. Today I’m sharing my best, tried-and-true tips to help you feel confident in your thrifting experience. 

First, define your goal.

Some people thrift to look for buried treasures and resale value. Some people thrift because they love the thrill of it, chasing that unbelievable deal and adding to their “collections”. Some people want to find beautiful and unique items for their homes or closets that would normally be out of their reach within their set budget. I’m assuming most of us fall in that last category, though there is nothing wrong with the previous two either!

I am going to divide this post into three main sections— what to look for, the best local thrift stores, and some tips and tricks I’ve learned.

What to look for:

Brass—One of my favorite items to look for is brass- vases, figurines, candlesticks, and more. Make sure it is actual brass- it will be on the heavy side, and possibly tarnished. If you pick it up and it’s extremely light and thin, it’s likely not the real deal.  A lot of people like the aged and tarnished look but if that’s not for you, don’t be afraid of some tarnish! Bar Keepers Friend is a great way to easily clean up and polish any brass finds. Brass items have gotten a little harder to spot, so it’s a nice little treasure to find a piece that you love!

Ceramics—blue and white is *the* hot item, but I also love to look for other pretty ceramic pieces. Small trays or dishes that can be used as holders for a sundry of items, like jewelry, paper clips, or to gather coins in a laundry room. Other items I keep my eye out for—vases for flowers, platters for serving food (ironstone is safe, but not all antique dishware is, so it’s smart to check on this if you’re unsure), and other random trinkets. 

Glassware— I love finding unique and cheap glassware at antique stores. And I use it! What’s the point of having beautiful items, just to sit them in a cabinet or on a shelf unused? If one breaks, that’s part of life. An accidental break is also easier to swallow if you thrifted them at a good price. Items I almost always buy when I see them are etched glassware, cake stands, large bowls, and pitchers. I also love finding unique glass vases for my flowers.

Art—something I am always on the lookout for when thrifting is art, whether original pieces or nice prints. Art is expensive and for a good reason. A lot of time, talent, and supplies goes into creating beautiful art. But for many of us, spending thousands on art is not an option. So, thrifting is an awesome way to incorporate more original and unique art (and frames!) into our homes. I look for both traditional and modern art— my favorites are landscapes and portraits. If the frame isn’t in good shape, that’s easily changeable. I do make sure I look for colors that aren’t too yellow/warm which is something you see in a lot of reproductions from the 60s/70s/80s. If it’s an original and reading yellow, this may be due to age or smoke exposure and can always be cleaned. Studio 105 offers these services in addition to their framing and art gallery.

Lamps—not that inflation has left much untouched, but I’ve really noticed the price of lamps increasing. And recently I’ve found new ones in box stores like Target to be slightly uninspiring. I love making a statement with a good lamp and lampshade, and finding unique lamps and shades are relatively common at thrift stores these days. Just be aware some more vintage pieces may need to be re-wired for safety (often a quite easily done, 10 minute project). As with art and frames, if the lampshade is not your favorite, that’s an easy change. I also keep my eye out for unique lampshades to keep on hand. 

Books— Books are such good props for staging and styling shelves, entryways, and coffee tables. They can also be expensive when purchased new, especially when you need a lot of them. I actually really love thrifting books because you can find some really cool, unique titles and subjects that make for pretty interesting perusal by guests browsing your shelves or coffee table. Don’t forget to look under the dust over—fabric and linen bound books are way more common than one would think and throwing away the cheap dust cover can instantly elevate a previously generic-looking book.

Thrifted items to be careful with—

Plastics. These can absorb unknown chemicals and previously stored items (unlike glass and sealed ceramic products).

Bed frames. Thoroughly inspect and be sure that all screws, posts, and slats are accounted for. If they are not, can you easily source those parts? Really this goes for all furniture, but I notice these issues more commonly with bed frames.

Light fixtures. I guess being married to an electrician has given me some caution one this one—unless you are very familiar with lighting, it is sometimes hard to know that all of the parts are there. Wires should be in good shape, mounting brackets are there, as well as all screws and bolts. If not, they can sometimes be hard to source or fix.

My favorite local thrift stores:

My favorite quick stops are both Goodwills and St. Vincent dePaul. St. Vincent dePaul, in my opinion, is highly superior in the home decor/items game. They have more and better furniture, and their glassware selection tends to be better as well. While these stores can be very hit and miss, if you’re on a time constraint, they are easy to stop in and quickly spot any true treasures.

The Unique Nest rarely disappoints. I love their store and almost always leave with something, as long as I have time to really look. And their indoor plant selection and cute little planters they all come in is something to truly admire!

Owensboro Trading Post is also great and always fun. This store is pretty much your quintessential, chock full of all the things you never knew existed, thrift store. Though they do lean a little more rustic, they have a lot of cool things to discover. 

Also, don’t forget about estate sales and auctions! The owners of Black Sheep Antiques and Owensboro Antiques & More (opening up again in the fall at 2119 Frederica Street!) run amazing estate sales. Kurtz Auction & Realty also does a lot of really interesting auctions, but I will be honest that auctions can make for a long, sometimes anxious day!

And now for the thing that has blown up in recent years: Facebook Marketplace. I feel like this deserves a post all on its own, but I will share a few of the high points. First,  make sure you have it set to local and within the distance you are willing to drive. Save pieces you love even if you don’t get them—it will help the algorithm to show you similar items in the future. Make sure to look really closely at pictures. If you can’t be sure of the quality or condition, don’t be afraid to ask for additional pictures/dimensions. Last, if you love the piece, be sure to check out the seller’s profile where their other pieces will be listed. Chances are if you love that one, they will have more items that you will love as well.

Tips and Tricks:

Keep a list on your phone of specific things you are looking for and quickly glance over it before going in. This can be especially helpful if you are easily overwhelmed in thrift stores.

In the same token, keep your mind open and be prepared to find something you absolutely were not looking for. You almost always see something when thrifting that you had no idea existed! That’s one of the beautiful parts of thrifting. 

Take a second turn around the store, in the opposite direction. If I have time, especially in particularly full stores, I like to retrace my steps in the opposite direction I took. It is amazing what you missed the first time, only seeing it when walking in a different direction and new angle. 

Beware of projects. Unless you have the time, or you really need that item because it would otherwise be out of your budget, beware of the project pieces. I used to struggle with this a lot. I loved the piece, could see the potential, but I just did not have the time, nor was it something I really needed, putting it low on the priority list to complete—enter the thrifted piece that sits in your garage or basement for months/years. 

Be okay with some blemishes. Especially if it is vintage/antique, chances are it will have some kind of small blemish. That’s usually just part of it. As long as it’s nothing major, especially structural like with furniture, it can be polished up or cleaned. And sometimes, it’s best to just chalk it up to character and appreciate the charm!

I hope that there was something useful in this post, and that if you’re not already a thrifter, that you may feel a little more comfortable trying it out. It really is a rewarding process, and it can be a fun day out with friends or family!

I can’t believe I am finally writing a blog post for my son’s room. When I started his room, I had no idea it would be well over a year before I would officially call it “done”. But here we are, at last!

If you’ve ever been in my home, or follow my social media, you know that my personal preference in colors for my home leans towards neutrals. It helps me feel relaxed, brings peace to my busy mind, and feels open and airy. However, I love to have fun with design and what better space for that than a kid’s room?

Liam’s favorite color is blue. Of course, he’d prefer a bright Crayola blue, but I do like to set some kind of parameters. So I went with Van Deusen Blue by Benjamin Moore. On a whim, I ended up lightening it ever so slightly with some leftover Chantilly Lace paint we had in the garage from our recent home addition. Early on, I decided I wanted to saturate this room in blue, painting the walls, trim, and ceiling. I painted the walls in a satin finish and the trim in semi-gloss to still give it a little pop from its surroundings. 

It was quite the drastic difference from his previously all white room and it took us a while to adjust, but now we love it. I always advise living with a new color for a bit before making any rash decisions, especially if it is a bold color. Your mind and eyes can go into a sort of shock from the change, causing you to doubt your decision. 

I kept the tone-on-tone feel in the room by going with a navy velvet daybed. Again, similar color but different texture to help it stand out ever so slightly. His sheets are white with blue ticks from Target’s Opalhouse line, and I decided to do a gray stripe duvet cover from Ikea. I love a subtle pattern mix, especially with a tone-on-tone space. The pillows I selected are varying shades of blue, white, and gray as well with even more pattern and texture added in. 

Above his bed, I chose to hang 27 (!) pieces of art that we created together in our front yard using watercolors. I spray painted some cheap plastic frames from Walmart a soft yellow to add some pop against the blue. They even came with the mats. I really needed to watch the budget on those frames, because anything multiplied by 27 adds up rather quickly. But I wanted something unique here and that made a big impact. Bonus points because it’s his art, which he was so proud of.

The other furniture in his room (dresser, mirror, nightstand) is a Swedish mid century modern set I inherited from my mom, who inherited it from her mom. I originally wanted a set from Anthropologie, but I already had this set in storage that I could make work and I think I might like it even better! 

I chose a blue rug, but a very light blue to have more contrast with the walls, and an off white plaid pattern to keep with the more geometric lines of the room. For the windows, I chose a mid-tone blue. My original gut reaction was to go with an off-white. However, I felt that going with white in a room saturated with color would draw your eye straight there, rather than all of the other amazing finishes in the room. I kind of think of it as creating the opposite of a black hole. So, once again I went with the blue to keep up with the tone-on-tone, but in a lighter shade.

I styled the dresser using a thrifted lamp and lampshade, a wooden truck his dad brought back for him from Mexico, some books, his soccer trophies that he prizes, and a plant. For the nightstand, I used a budget friendly mini lamp from Target, a vintage dog plush from my great grandparents, a piggy bank he got for his first birthday from a dear family friend, and a brass airplane I found at an estate sale. I really tried my best to use what he already had–I only bought the lamp and plane. He also has a slightly ridiculous amount of books stored in three baskets from Target. The nightstand is where I shove all of the random things I find that he brings into his room, and of course, more books!

In the corner close to the closets, there is a steam trunk that I found on Facebook marketplace that I absolutely love. The green goes perfectly with the walls, and I love the bright pop of orange and yellow flower lining. It’s so fun. I paired it with an acrylic floating frame from West Elm that houses some more of his art, as well as an art gallery print from “Les Lalanne”. A friend shared a British living room with this print and I searched for hours trying to not “copy” the look, but I absolutely love that ridiculously simple bird. I purchased a poster frame from Walmart and painted it a mat rusted red color and took out the glass so there wouldn’t be a glare. That may bother some people, but I love it!

Liam has two closets but he barely needs even one. So I turned the larger one into a “clubhouse”. I painted it with stripes, to tie into the room but add a little bit of pattern. I also had my husband hang a sconce, and I added a small rug and some pillows. The sconce isn’t even wired–I really didn’t want that mess, even with a husband who used to do electrical for a living! They have awesome puck lights now that screw into a lamp base, but come with a remote on a timer. I used a velcro command strip to mount it to the inside trim of his closet and we use that as the “switch”. It’s perfectly sufficient since we don’t use the sconce that much. To keep with the art theme, I had him and his dad paint the white shade it came with to spice it up a bit.

Lastly, I changed out the door hardware to brass. I love the way it pops against the blue, I love the egg shape, and I love the beveled rosette. The previous bronze-black knobs were just too dark with the new wall color. 

I love his room and I see the foundation of it–the color, bed, furniture, rug carrying him through to his teenage room (or one can hope). It can easily be updated as he grows with new art, new dresser styling, and new bedding. 

I had so much fun with Liam’s room, but I am determined to finish my daughter’s room much more quickly! I do try to adhere to the rule of finishing a room before starting another. I work on plans and have ideas, so that I can keep my eye open for the pieces I need, but I don’t start actively working on one room until I am finished with the current one. This helps push to get a room done, and I mean completely done, and helps create more cohesive spaces that adhere to a vision rather than flying off in different directions.

I hope you all enjoyed this peak into his room, and a little bit of the process and thought behind the design. I can’t wait to share my next blog post with you all, so stay tuned!

Last year, I chose my word of the year to be uncomfortable. I am proud of that word and of the work that I put into it, and how it shaped me. I started a business, and left a job that while I loved it, while I was comfortable in it, it was not my calling. It was not who I knew I was meant to be, nor was it leading me down the path I knew I was supposed to be on. I think I kind of always knew that, but that discussion is a post for another day. But always knowing that, and not acting on it, was in direct relationship with my fondness for comfort—for security and stability. I didn’t always have that, and I spent most of my life in the pursuit of it, not realizing the ways in which it was crippling me.

Fast-forward to December 2022, and I am reflecting back on the year as most of us do. I start thinking of my word of the year for 2023, acknowledging how effective and life-changing it had been in 2022. But I was in my busiest season of life yet, and I just did not feel like I had the time to devote to it. And maybe uncomfortable would just be my life motto, and any more words of the year, at least for the time being, were unnecessary. Making yourself uncomfortable, within reason, leads you to growth. Who doesn’t want to spend their life growing and learning and thriving?

Then, the first week of January, I was scrolling Instagram as many of us do. No word of the year, and not really thinking of it anyway. But I stopped when I saw the new episode of the podcast Bloom with Bridget, who had guest speaker Caroline Clark on that week. Caroline had picked “discomfort” for her word of the year. Interesting, I thought, and I immediately wanted to hear more. I listened to the podcast that afternoon and was immediately inspired. At one point they started talking about plants, and seeds, and blooming. “Maybe blooming!” I thought.

In a way, I feel like I’m blooming—my business is growing, I’m more myself than I ever have been, I have all of these ideas and dreams, plans, goals, etc. I feel amazing. Isn’t that blooming? But something Bridget said made me rethink—am I really blooming? I have all of these ideas and dreams—when I reach those, that is when I will feel like I’m blooming, showing the world everything I have, and everything that I am capable of. And, I’m not there. Not yet. So where am I?

I feel like last year, planting the seed of my business, which quitting my job was a necessary part of, was the discomfort for me. The step I never wanted to take, that I felt I couldn’t take, was to just plant the seed and see what happened. What if it was a complete and utter dud? What if I just didn’t have the right amount of water, sun, or soil quality to make this thing happen? But I pushed myself towards my discomfort and planted the seed.

The ground was dug, the seed was planted. The earth was put back in its place, a dabbling of water applied. The “equation” for proper seed planting was followed and implemented, albeit shakily. That’s what I spent 2022 doing. But what do I plan on spending 2023 doing? It came to me, as I was listening to Bridget and Caroline talk, that my word would be “germination”.

I know, weird. That is not on any word of the year lists I’ve ever come across. Blooming is a beautiful word, a positive word that we all love. It brings the return of spring, of all things beautiful and colorful, topped off with sunshine and blue skies. But there is also delight before the bloom. The intricate processes that go on in the dirt, that germinate the plant, before we even start to see green. Watching a seed crack through its shell, shoot out roots as its foundation, and green sprouts as its roof, is just as wondrous as the bloom. And it may not be as obviously beautiful or astounding as the bloom it will one day produce, but it is a miracle in and of itself.

So as much as I want to race to the bloom, I am forcing myself to pull back and to appreciate and focus on the process of germination. I want to make sure I germinate my seed in all of the correct ways, so that the plant and blooms it will one day produce, are as strong as they can and deserve to be. I still have a lot of the dirty work to do, the work that no one really wants to do, the work that is not glorified as the bloom is glorified. And trying to get through that as quickly as possible ties back into returning to my comfort as quickly as possible.

So I want to continue making myself uncomfortable, to sit in my discomfort, to continue germination. For my comfort, I hope that it comes sooner rather than later. But, I am challenging myself to sit with the process of germination as long and uncomfortable as it may be, in order to grow the strong stems that will support unequivocally the flowers that will one day bloom.

And who knows what will bloom exactly? We put in all of the work, we plant the seed, do all of the things to help the plant properly germinate and then sprout. We have this idea of what we want to see, whether through a pin on Pinterest or a picture on the seed packet, but sometimes plants surprise us. The colors may be different, they may grow curvy or straight, in close, small bunches or spread out in large independent blooms. I know that I am ready for whatever it may be.

Still have a few people left to buy for on your list this year? Chances are they may be the ones that are hard to shop for—either they have almost everything they could need or want, or they are on a journey to bring less into their homes and lives. Below is a list of ideas for that person, and maybe you can even find something to gift yourself this holiday season!

Blue Bridge Homes– I love to suggest this gift idea, especially for new and veteran parents alike. This stay-cation is basically a date night that lasts all weekend. Reserve a night or two with Shanna in one of her two local homes and enjoy the company of your significant other for the weekend. This is great for new parents that are hesitant to leave their new baby, but would love a couple of days just to themselves. Shanna also owns two homes in Jeffersonville, IN if you would like to get outside of Owensboro for a bit. Jeffersonville is a nice community right outside of Louisville so you have plenty of entertainment options to choose from. Shanna is such a sweet person, and is more than glad to provide any activity ideas or recommendations you may need.

Raise The Barr– Know someone who has a small business or is looking to trying out the world of social media as an influencer or blogger? Get them a package from Carli at Raise the Barr! She offers three levels of packages starting at 20/mo to 100/week. As someone running a small business myself, I can tell you social media and content creation is a huge time sucker and can be really challenging if you’re not familiar with how everything works. Consider gifting one of her packages to help out your loved one!

The Owensboro Times– Know someone who likes to keep up with the local news? Get them an online subscription to The Owensboro Times! A yearly subscription is only $49.99 for limitless access to their articles on local news, businesses, and events. I think we all have that one person in our lives who is always saying “Ugh, I can’t see (insert interesting article you sent them) because I already used my 3 free articles for the month!”

Melanie Hodskins Photography– Does your spouse always complain about not having enough pictures together as a family? Or maybe your parent/daughter/grandparent? While family photos can be a bit on the pricier side for a Christmas gift, group together and give the gift of memories through photography- you won’t regret it! Help to relieve some of the stress and offer to come up with outfits. Melanie also has a great collection of clothing options in her studio. And don’t forget—have everyone try their best to show up with smiles on their faces!!

Western Kentucky Botanical Garden– I am convinced the botanical garden is one of our best “hidden gems” and deserves way more support than it has gotten from our community! Gift a loved one access to the garden and help support a beautiful organization. Offer some ideas—older gift recipients can go to journal, read, or meditate. The younger crowd can explore, run, discover flowers and plants, practice photography skills, or put their passion for drawing to good use by using the beautiful scenery as inspiration. Get your family outside and exploring! Individual memberships start at $25 and family memberships start at $50.

The Skin Therapist– This relatively new business is quickly growing. They offer many services that you could gift a little one to encourage some self-care that sometimes we are hesitant to spend on ourselves. These include skin consults, chemical peels, Botox, micro needling, several different types of facials, and more.

Simple Fit Owensboro– This is a health food service started by Lacy, a certified nutritionist, to provide health + ready to eat meals. Know someone that is trying to eat healthier, but their busy schedules are an obstacle to that goal? Or a mom that would love a break here and there with meal planning + prep? Gift them a gift card to Simple Fit Owensboro! Lacy offers gluten and dairy free options as well, an important and sometimes difficult thing to find in Owensboro.

Kate & Waverly Interiors– when asking friends for ideas in putting this gift guide together, they immediately asked why I wasn’t on my own gift guide about clutter-free Christmas! Good point. This is why we all need friends in our corner, supporting us and helping us thrive! I mostly do interior design these days, but I also offer organization services starting at $40 an hour. Have someone in your life that wants to cut down on the clutter and get organized? Gift them a few hours of organization services for Christmas!

Spirit Spa– Spirit Spa offers a multitude of services for pampering a loved one (or yourself!). They offer sports, prenatal, deep tissue, Swedish, heated stone, and couples massages. There are several available add-ons to their massage services, as well as waxing, facials, body treatments, and more.

Mom’s Cleaning Services– The business name really says it all— mom’s love the gift of a clean home! But not only moms-I also know several young people that do not yet have families but that have very busy professional and social calendars that would also love to not have to think about cleaning their homes, especially those time-consuming deep cleans.

Project YOU 2023 Conference Tickets– Project YOU by Red Bird Press is coming up quickly! Taking place on January 7th, 2023 at White Chateau, Project YOU is all about “…clarity and focus on aspects that are proven to recalibrate and create a broader mental bandwidth, allowing women of all walks creating space to become their best yet.”

Electric Aura Nails– Hattie at Electric Aura nails is one of those truly artistically talented individuals! She offers cruelty-free, vegan, and non-toxic nail care, specializing in nail art and gel nails. Check out her instagram (@electricauranails) to see how talented she really is! This is perfect for someone in your life that loves getting their nails done, but who also appreciates a more natural approach to an industry known for endless chemicals and toxins.

Escape Today– Escape Today offers escape rooms, axe throwing, and an arcade. Perfect to gift to a family as a family outing (those can get expensive!), as a date night, or just with a friend. If we would like local businesses like Escape room to grow, we need to support them and all that they have to offer!

Kaleidoscope Kids Physical Therapy– Perfect gift for new moms or moms-to-be, Sarah at Kaleidoscope Kids Physical Therapy offers a variety of services and classes. One service that is perfect for moms-to-be is called “Baby Ready”, a class that offers insight, tips, and invaluable knowledge about reaching milestones and ideal ways to set up your nursery for baby’s safety and development. And right now, Sarah is running a special on her baby ready program—normally offered at $125, you are able to reserve this experience for your loved one for only $50. If your loved one(s) are expecting a baby soon, this would be an excellent and very useful gift idea!

I hope you found this list useful, and at the very least learned about some amazing opportunities we have right here in Owensboro! Are there any you see yourself using or gifting this year? Leave a comment below!

Merry Christmas!

I’m so excited to finally write this post! The past couple of weeks, I have been talking with local shop owners and creators to put together a collection of gifts that you can shop from locally this holiday season! I met so many people, discovered many new-to-me local creators, and just had a great experience reaching out to the community. We have so many kind, talented people in Owensboro that are worthy of the extra time and energy it may take to buy local. I tried to include many price points and gifts for different ages and interests.

Below is the gift guide and links to all products available online to make it as easy as possible. If there is no link, they are easily discoverable on Facebook & Instagram. Also, I will be featuring each one of these businesses on my Instagram stories over the next month, their lovely shops, and other popular gifts available. If one thing was apparent when I was putting this guide together, it is that there is an abundance of local goods out there-it was so hard to pick just one! I ended up making one geared towards women, and one towards men.

And now for the men, though I know quite a few women that would enjoy some of these! A few items on this guide are not necessarily Owensboro-made, but all are Kentucky made.

I hope you found this helpful and I hope you shop small for some of your Christmas gifts this year! Come back in a couple of weeks when I have the local host gift guide up—let hosts know you appreciate them! Thanks for reading!

Sconces are becoming more and more popular these days as people realize the way sconces can add warmth and interest to a space. Sconces can be used in bathrooms, hallways, bedrooms, staircases, reading nooks, and entryways. There are also a few guidelines, tips, and tricks that can be useful when thinking of adding sconces to an existing space or to a remodel/new build.

Bathrooms

We’ll start with the more obvious location: the bathroom. Understandably, sconces are not always a possibility in smaller bathrooms. But if you are able, sconces are wonderful additions to bathrooms, adding a custom look with a more unique style. From a more practical standpoint, sconces provide a better light source when you will be putting on makeup in your bathroom. Lighting coming in at eye level is ideal when applying makeup, as lighting from above (ie traditional bathroom lighting) can create shadows on your face.

If you have a larger bathroom, they can even be added in other ways to create a soft light that adds warmth to your bathroom, especially at night. There are so many lighting options in a bathroom, but that’s another post for another day!

Bedrooms

I love adding sconces to bedrooms. You can use them in place of traditional bedside lamps, to light up a reading space, or even on either side of a TV if you have a large bedroom. As your room size allows, you want to add as many different sources of light as possible to create a more welcoming and relaxing ambiance. Nowhere to access electrical or too cost prohibitive? See the bottom of this post for ideas on how to work around those issues!

Stairwells & Hallways

Hallways and stairways are a great place to place sconces; it provides additional soft lighting and adds interest to a space without being overwhelming. Make sure your hallways and staircases are wide enough and that you select a sconce with a depth that is on the shallow side. This avoids hitting the sconce or having the sconce interrupt the line of sight. They are also great to bring a focal point to the end of a hallway.

Nooks

Nooks are such a fun space to begin with, hanging a sconce in the space just adds to the whimsy and interest. You can add them to bench nooks in mudrooms, reading nooks, bedroom nooks, and more.

Entryways

Entryways can be hard, especially with they are particularly large or small. Many entryways in older homes are not well light. A common placement in an entryway is a lamp, which I also love. However, mixing things up with sconces here instead is hardly ever a bad idea, whether it’s a single or pair.

Kitchens

Kitchens are one of the most common spaces to see sconces. But there are so many ways to use them besides just over the sink, which is a classic that I love. They can be used over open shelving, to highlight cookbooks or art (yes, art belongs in kitchens too), to frame out a stove, and to highlight seating.

Tips and Tricks

Always remember that sconces don’t have to be placed as they are shown on the website. Many sconces can be placed up or down, depending on the space you have or the look you want. The straight double light sconces can be hung vertically or horizontally to spotlight something overhead or to illuminate it from the side (think mirrors or art).

Don’t want to wire in a new light fixture because of time/money/both? There are a wide array of plug-in sconces available. If you would still need to run wiring for an outlet, there’s always the possibility of using battery operated pucks. Many even come with a remote that you could mount like a light switch or keep nearby on a countertop or nightstand. Just make sure to check that the size of the puck you choose is compatible with the sconce you would like to hang. Use some command strips or strong double sided tape to attach the puck. Most battery operated lightbulbs screw in just as a normal lightbulb would. This is also an option for lamps where accessing an outlet would be a hassle or impossible.

Below are two product boards with sconce options; the first board contains hardwired options while the second focuses on plug-in options. Keep in mind that many lights can be turned from hardwired to plug-in and vice versa by an electrician or someone with experience in lighting. There are even some DIY tutorials out there.