I’ve made it no secret that I don’t let the fact that I rent keep me from making our place cozy & chic, and really feel like a home. 

While I am mindful of what my landlord will allow — I do want to make sure I can get my security deposit back, duh! — I like to get creative with how I can style our home, and in any design, lighting is usually one of the quickest & easier ways to turn up the style.

So many of us either live in these older than dirt apartments that come with the most dreadful recessed lighting or worth yet, “boob” lighting — you know the one — or these new fangled units with no lighting — I mean really?!  

And you know what — maybe you don’t rent, but the lighting in your home is less than desireable and you don’t have the time, patience, or budget to deal with electricians, hardwiring, or J-Boxes (whatever those are). I’m taking to you too, because no matter which you are, there’s no excuse to not have stylish lighting in your home.

We tend to default to table lamps & floor lamps for lighting. And I will be the first to say that table lamps are great for dressing up mantles, sideboards, console tables, and dressers — just to name a few; so aside from being practical, they’re an effortless way to accessorize just about any surface. 

The same goes for floor lamps — whether you nestle one in the corner of your living room or home office, they’re a stylish & pragmatic addition to your space.

So of course, for where you have little to no lighting, layer in lights with lamps. But, if you don’t have to surface or floor space to spare on table & floor lamps, you still have options. 

Plug In Wall Sconce

One of my favorite alternatives is plug in wall sconces, which are as easy as mounting your tv. 

If you saw my One Room Challenge master bedroom makeover, then you know I replaced our table lamp with two stunning sconces. There was no busting through walls or hiring electricians — nobody has time for that — and it’s something we can easily unplug and patch up once it’s time to turn over our keys to the landlord.

So aside from the ease of installation, if you could even call it an “installation”, we were able to go from one bedside table lamp — we have one nightstand — to two sconces, balancing out the lighting in the room & giving each of us options on our respective sides of the bed.

Over on the Lumens site, I was able to easily browse the assortment, narrow down what I was looking for — plug in wall sconces — and then confirm which style & model was the best fit for our design.

So many of the sconces you’ve probably swooned over on Instragram or pinned on Pinterest have a plug in option in addition to the hard wired option, but because we’re so conditioned to think otherwise, you’ve stashed them away in your mind as something you’ll get “one day” if at all.

Battery Operated & Plug In Picture Lights

Another great alternative, and also an underrated one I say, is the picture light!

Hear me out on this one —

People hear the picture light & naturally this this is something only reserved for elaborate gallery walls, but I challenge you to think beyond the obvious. 

Personally I love convincing my clients, especially when it’s a bedroom or beauty room design, to use a plug in or battery operated (you read right) picture light above their mirror!

This little design trick is not only another way to layer in lighting & add ambiance, but it also really levels up the look and feel of that area of the room! Suddenly your mirror has the appearance of something way more chic & sophisticated. You’re welcome! 

Not to mention the obvious, but like sconces, picture lights make great use of the vertical space which is paramount when living in a small space and/or looking to create a look that is a bit more of a curated display.

With a battery operated picture light you have the added bonus of not having any cords, but even with a plug in picture lamp, you can use this anywhere from above your full length mirror in the entry way, above your bed as a reading light, above your dining room sideboard, and of course, above your photos!

I love how creative this often neglected lights can allow you to get in a design! 

What I love about both these solutions — sconces & picture lights — is that, alongside your chandeliers & lamps, you'll have the ability to play with different lighting moods in your space, while introducing brand new decor that can have a moment, while still complementing (and completing) the rest of the look.