A pair of wall lights beside a mirror lights a face evenly from both sides, frames the mirror like a piece of furniture and adds a warm glow to a hallway, a bedroom or a living room. Getting it right comes down to three numbers: the height of the lights, the distance between them and how far they stand out from the wall. This guide gives common rules for each, the real sizes of the wall lights in our range that suit a mirror, and two worked examples, so you can check a layout before you drill.
Where mirror wall lights work best
- Hallway or entryway mirror. A last look before leaving: slim lights keep the passage clear.
- Mirror above a console or a chest of drawers. The lights frame the mirror and light the top of the furniture.
- Mirror above a fireplace. A pair either side of an overmantel mirror, as in the photo, is a classic living-room layout.
- Dressing-table mirror in a bedroom. Light from both sides avoids the shadows that a single ceiling light casts on a face.
None of the product pages below states a bathroom (IP) rating, so use these lights beside mirrors in dry rooms. For a bathroom, ask your electrician for fittings rated for that zone.
Height, spacing and depth: the common rules
- Height. A common guide is to place the centre of each light at about 150 to 170 cm (60 to 66 in) from the floor, roughly at eye level, so the light falls on the face rather than on the top of the head.
- Spacing. Lights about 90 to 100 cm (36 to 40 in) apart, centre to centre, light a face evenly. In practice, leave about 8 to 15 cm (3 to 6 in) between the edge of the mirror and the edge of each light.
- Depth. In a hallway, a light that stands out about 10 cm (4 in) or less stays out of the way; deeper arms suit a mirror above furniture, where nobody walks right against the wall.
- Light direction. A light that glows all around (a fabric shade, glass or crystal) is kinder to a face than a narrow downward beam.
Real sizes of our wall lights for a mirror
All figures come from our product pages; “Not stated” means the page does not give the figure.
| Wall light | Size | Depth from wall | Light | Lighting area |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Disc | Disc Ø 16 cm (6.3 in) | 7.3 cm (2.9 in) | Halo on the wall, 8 W LED, touch switch | 1–3 m² |
| Spanish Marble Alabaster | H 50 or 75 × W 20 cm (19.7 or 29.5 × 7.9 in) | 10 cm (3.9 in) | Whole stone glows, dimmable | 5–10 m² |
| Japanese Louvered Slat | W 18.5 × H 17 cm or W 20 × H 24 cm | 12.5 cm (4.9 in) | Glows through the slats, 5 W | 3–5 m² |
| Travertine Wood Cap | Shade Ø 11 × H 15 cm (4.3 × 5.9 in) | Not stated | Warm white, touch switch | 1–3 m² |
| Ribbed Tulip Glass | Shade 12 cm wide, total height 42 cm (4.7 × 16.5 in) | Not stated | Whole glass tulip glows | Not stated |
| Knitted Shade Wood | H 38 cm, 15 cm wide at the base (15 × 5.9 in) | Not stated | Fabric shade glows, touch switch | 3–5 m² |
| Mid Century Fabric Drum | Not stated | Not stated | Fabric drum glows, knob or touch switch | 3–5 m² |
| Classic Fabric | Shade Ø 17 cm, height 23 cm (6.7 × 9.1 in) | 25 cm (9.8 in) | Up and down through the shade | 3–5 m² |
The Crystal Disc and the Spanish Marble stay within the 10 cm benchmark, so they suit a hallway mirror. The Classic Fabric and the Mid Century Fabric Drum, both on curved arms, belong beside a mirror above a console, a chest of drawers or a fireplace.
Two worked examples
A 60 cm mirror above a 120 cm console. With a pair of Crystal Discs (16 cm across) and 10 cm between the mirror and each disc, the centres sit 60 + 2 × (10 + 8) = 96 cm apart, inside the 90 to 100 cm range. With the Classic Fabric (shade Ø 17 cm), the same 10 cm gap gives 60 + 2 × (10 + 8.5) = 97 cm. Both pairs fit within the 120 cm width of the console, so the furniture still frames the whole composition.
A tall hallway mirror with the Spanish Marble. Centred at 160 cm, the 50 cm version runs from 135 to 185 cm above the floor; the 75 cm version runs from 122.5 to 197.5 cm, which follows a tall, full-length mirror. At 10 cm deep, both stay within the hallway benchmark. Its 5–10 m² lighting area per light means a pair can also light a hallway of about 10 to 20 m² on its own.
Choose a warm white of 2700K to 3000K for a soft, flattering light on the face; our guide to warm white vs cool white explains the numbers. For the rest of the room, see wall sconces for the living room and hallway and entryway lighting ideas.
Frequently asked questions
How high should wall lights be beside a mirror?
A common guide is to place the centre of each light at about 150 to 170 cm (60 to 66 in) from the floor, close to eye level. With a tall light such as the 75 cm Spanish Marble, centre the stone at that height rather than its top.
How far apart should mirror wall lights be?
About 90 to 100 cm (36 to 40 in) centre to centre is a common guide, with 8 to 15 cm (3 to 6 in) between the mirror and each light. Measure the width of the mirror, add twice the gap and twice half the width of the light.
Can I use these lights in a bathroom?
Their product pages do not state a bathroom (IP) rating, so we recommend them for hallways, bedrooms and living rooms. Those whose product page states the installation are hardwired: have them installed by a qualified electrician.
See all our wall lights and our guides to what is a sconce, wall sconces with shades and mid-century wall sconces.
