Plug-In Wall Sconce How-To and My Favorite Ones on Amazon

With the weather being extremely uncooperative in the Midwest lately, I’ve had to take some major breaks from my garden bed project and move inside. You can’t exactly adhere exterior stone in the rain, nor do I want to do it with 50mph winds. I’ll just move right on inside and wait that all out!

So I’ve continued working through my front room/living room revamp this past week by installing two new wall sconces on our main wall. But here’s the twist…we don’t have the proper wiring setup in that room to hardwire sconces. It’s one of my largest regrets from our main level remodel in 2018. I didn’t have ANY electrical wired into the front room. We have no overhead light and we have nothing running along our walls.

The solution? Plug-In wall sconces and a simple trick to hide those cords to make it LOOK like we’ve hardwired them in.

Have a space in your home that needs an extra light on the wall but don’t have the proper wiring to easily install? Don’t call an electrician. I repeat, DO NOT CALL AN ELECTRICIAN. Grab some simple tools and follow along to see how you can save yourself hundreds with a plug-in wall sconce.

I’ve struggled for months now trying to find the right use of this front room. My kids love to do crafts here, I like to sit somewhere where I’m not always facing a TV, and my dogs love to lounge here to look out our front windows. The problem has always been what we do here when we have no proper lighting? Lamps can only do so much.

But once I found these beautiful, classic navy chairs (link is currently not working on Walmart.com, but I’ll share some of my favorite navy chairs, as well as this one SOON!) that came highly recommended, I knew I had to make this a perfect little sitting area for our family. It’s the most functional use of this space. It gives ample room to keep my kid’s craft cabinet and small work table, while allowing for a quiet, peaceful place to relax and read.

The sconces now make it a cozier spot with the proper lighting. We can spend more time here because we can actually SEE what we’re doing. We aren’t solely using this room in the afternoon sun, but using it morning, noon and night. The sconces give out the most beautiful lamp light, and with the dimmer, you can really set the ambiance that is so crucial to a comfortable space.

I just love the classic look of these antique brass shaded lights. The long, elegant arm of these make them a statement, while also keeping a classic, structured look to them. They look much pricier than they actually are…especially since these rang in at just over $70 for TWO!!

They give dimension to the space by flanking the kid’s photos, and add a visual symmetry to the whole wall. Something smaller would have gotten lost by the oversized prints and lettering. These hold their own while not being too overpowering.

I am thrilled with how this room is coming together, and something as basic as a good light and a good seat has made it happen.

The Process: How to Make a Plug-In Light Look Hardwired

One of the hardest parts for me is finding the right location. I know what I want it to look like, but finding that sweet spot on the wall can sometimes prove more challenging than I’d like. Enlist the help of a buddy to hold the sconces on the wall, move around as much as needed, and make them bear with you as you try to figure out exactly where it should be placed.

When you’ve got it, we traced around the sconce with pencil to give an easy diagram on the wall. Pencil can be erased so no worries about leaving a mark.

**Note: When you are fishing your wires through your wall, you want to ensure you aren’t putting your sconce directly on a stud. You want enough space to be able to push your plug through the hole, so you’ll want to use a stud finder to be sure you aren’t directly over a stud.**

To drill the hole to fish the wiring through, we used an arbor hole saw bit from Lowe’s. You attach it to your drill and it’s jagged edges makes a perfect hole right into your drywall. Simply saw straight into the wall until you get through the drywall.

Do so at the location you want your sconce on the wall, and another at the base of the wall, directly below. This will be where you fish out your plug and run it along your baseboards.

To slide your wiring through the interior wall, we used a wire fish from Lowe’s. It comes in a set of four fiberglass poles that reaches a total of 8 feet. The poles attach to one another and are extremely flexible to allow for you to curve into the wall and out the bottom.

I used electrical tape to attach the plug to the bottom of one of the poles. Then, starting at the top hole, begin sliding the plug to the bottom hole, through the interior of the wall. I did have to use a flashlight to look into the bottom hole and locate exactly where the plug was and fish it out with the hook that comes with the wire fish set.

**Helpful Hint: If you have a plug-in sconce that has an on/off switch on the cord, use electrical tape to tape it permanently “on.” If you do not, while you’re sliding your cord through the wall, it could easily switch to the “off” position and then you’ll have to start this entire process over!**

In the end, your light will look similar to this situation. Simply unwrap your electrical tape from your plug and gently pull out your wire fish from the top. Mount your light to your wall as directed.

Our electrical cord was not long enough to make it to the outlet on our wall, so I used a white extension cord along my baseboards to reach the appropriate length to the outlet. To hide the extension cord plug, I simply just tucked it into the bottom hole and used mini Command hooks to line it along my wall. We have an antique chest and chairs in front of the hole and cords so I never worried much about hiding it well. If you are using a more open space to do this project, I would recommend hiding it behind an extra piece of quarter round along your baseboards or using a plate like THIS to hide your bottom hole. Many plates can be painted to match your wall color perfectly with your leftover paint or a sample size from your local hardware store.

My easiest trick is simply to hide it with a beautiful plant or a well-placed chair. It doesn’t have to be complicated when it can simply just be hidden!

Plug-in wall sconces are extremely budget-friendly, coming most times in sets of 2 for under $100. Add in the bonus of not having to hard-wire, work with an electrician AND steal the look with the simple trick…I’m forever sold on these beauties! Check out some of my favorites on Amazon right now!

*Note: Prices on Amazon are subject to change at any time*

*Please Note: Amazon prices are subject to change*

1 // Dimmable Antique Brass Shaded Sconce, Set of 2 // $72 I truly love these lights in our front room and will forever recommend them for their dimmable switch, their classic beauty, and the way they amplify a room!

2 // Dimmable Gooseneck Black Sconce, Set of 2 // $49

3 // Modern Bronze and Opal Glass Sconce // $99

4 // Warm Brass Loop Ring Sconce // $60

5 // Gold Swing Arm Sconce // $70

6 // Black and Antique Bronze Swing Arm Sconces, Set of 2 // $100

7 // Gray and Bronze Industrial Sconces, Set of 2 // $40

8 // Industrial Antique Brass Sconce // $99 (One of my FAVORITES! I love the detail and how different this one mounts compared to all the other ones. So unique!)

9 // Brass Swing Arm with Beige Shades, Set of 2 // $85

10 // Black Industrial Farmhouse Sconces, Set of 2 // $31

11 // Antique Brass Scalloped Glass Sconce // $120 (Mark my words, this will be in Mya’s room as soon as she gets a big girl bed! This screams whimsy!)

12 // Gray and Brass Exposed Cord Farmhouse Sconces, Set of 2 // $92

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