As an object fixed to the wall and lit from inside, a sconce readily becomes a work of art, whether showing off stained glass or shaped into an eye-catching leg tub sculptural form. in some cases the light rendered is minimal; the fixture''s real purpose is ornamental. in bathrooms and dressing areas, on the other hand, sconces can be thoroughly practical. they can remedy the distorting shadows produced by a single light mounted above the bathroom mirror or soften the harshness of ceiling fixtures. if you have twin sinks, use three sconces so there is light on either side of both mirrors. lighting designer suggests mounting at eye level. "the color of the glass covering the sconce also matters," she says. "choose white glass. colored glass can cast unusual tones on your skin." other uses sconces provide tub bright and direct task-oriented light when they are open at the bottom or point downward. who has used them in hallways and on stairs, points out the reason many hotels have sconces near the door leg of each room: "in a dim hall, a sconce helps cast light on the door knob, letting you find it easily" she adds: "on stairways, you generally have high ceilings that make hanging light fixtures difficult. wall-mounted fixtures are a good alternative."

to begin, rip the top and side jambs to the thickness of the wall framing plus the exterior wall sheathing. the cement board will lap over the jambs. the windowsill should also be flush with the interior framing, but hang over the outside sheathing about 1-1/2 in. and have a 5-degree slope toward the outside to help shed water. to keep water from running behind the siding as it drips off the edge, cut a shallow groove (or saw kerf) in the bottom lip. also, remember to flash behind the trim to keep the window watertight. trim the tub window exterior to match the house, using caulk to seal between the trim and siding. it''s important to set the panel so it protrudes 1/4 in. past the finished tile surface. that way, a bead of caulk can seal the joint between the tile and block to keep water out of the leg wall cavity. to size the glass block, remove the trim from the existing window and measure the rough opening. subtract 2 in. from the width and the height to allow for the frame, then determine the panel size by counting the number of rows and courses that easily fits into the opening.

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