Wood or metal wall light: which one should you choose?

Torn between wood and metal for your wall light? Both materials do a great job, but they tell a different story: wood softens, metal structures. Here is what you need to decide according to the room, the style and the budget.

Our favourite for this project: Marble wall light for bedroom, natural stone, alabaster white →

This guide compares the two materials point by point: the light they give, the styles they suit, the rooms where they shine, care, installation and prices. At the end, four real models (two in wood, two in metal) to move from choosing to buying.

Our favourite Marble wall light for bedroom, natural stone, alabaster white £110.00 £187.00 View it →

1. What the material really changes

A wall light is first of all a visible object, even when it is switched off. Wood brings warmth, a grain and a natural look that blends into a room. Metal brings clean lines, contrast and a sense of precision. It is not only a matter of taste: the material also affects the shape (metal allows slim bars and adjustable arms), the care and the price.

For a full overview of each family, see our guides to the wooden wall light and the design wall light.

2. The light: soft or crisp

Wood is most often a casing: it surrounds the light source and diffuses it gently, sometimes letting a halo spill onto the wall. The result is a cosy atmosphere, ideal for unwinding. Metal, on the other hand, can frame the light precisely: a beam upwards and downwards, an adjustable head, a slim bar that draws a line on the wall.

In both cases, what matters most is the source: a warm white LED (2,700 to 3,000 K) gives a welcoming light, whatever the material. To size your lighting, our article on the lumens of a wall light will help.

3. Styles: what goes with what

• Wood: Nordic, retro, vintage, soft rustic, Japandi. It goes well with linen, wool, ceramics and light walls.
• Metal: modern, minimalist, industrial, contemporary. It goes well with concrete, glass, dark walls or very white walls.

If you like pared back interiors, black or white metal finishes fade into the background with elegance. If you want a room that warms up instantly, wood is more convincing. Fans of black can also read our guide to the black wall light.

4. Which room for which material

Bedroom: wood naturally creates a restful atmosphere. Mount the light 1.20 to 1.40 m high on each side of the bed. An adjustable metal model remains very practical if you read in the evening. See also how to light a headboard.

Living room and hallway: both work, at 1.60 to 1.80 m from the floor. Wood warms up a large white wall, metal gives rhythm to a hallway with a line of light.

Home office, reading corner, open kitchen: metal, more precise and often adjustable, is better suited to everyday tasks.

5. Care and installation

Wood is dusted dry with a soft cloth. Avoid harsh products and excess moisture. Metal is cleaned with a slightly damp cloth, then wiped dry: matt finishes show fingerprints a little less than glossy ones.

Installation is nothing unusual: a bracket fixed to the wall, careful wiring, and assembly with the power switched off. If you have any doubt about the wiring, call an electrician. Check the type of source (E27 socket, G9 base or integrated LED) to know whether you will be able to change the bulb later.

6. Budget: the real prices

Here are the price ranges from our wall light catalogue, so you can compare on real figures rather than impressions.

Both materials sit in the same price range, so budget alone does not decide. Choose first for the atmosphere and the use, then look at the price.

7. Pairing wood and black metal

Why choose? The wood and black metal duo works almost everywhere: wood softens, black structures. A few simple ideas:

• A wooden wall light above a console table, with a frame or a lamp base in black metal.
• A bedroom in light wood with black metal bedside wall lights for reading.
• A living room where a single metal colour (black, for example) is repeated on two or three light fittings to keep things consistent.

If you like this idea, take a look at our selection of wooden pendant lights and metal pendant lights to carry the pairing through the room.

8. Our selection: 2 wooden models, 2 metal models

In wood

• Modern wooden wall light, E27: €74.99
• Square wooden wall light, G9 LED, 3 colour temperatures: €99.99

In metal

• 40 cm aluminium LED bar wall light, up and down, 3000 K, black or white: €59.99
• 330° adjustable LED reading light, aluminium and iron: €79.99

Find every model in our wooden wall lights and metal wall lights collections.

Frequently asked questions

To see every option before you choose, browse all our wall lights.