When renovating a home, it’s easy to forget certain final touches. And once the paint has dried and the carpet has gone down, fitting wall lamps into your scheme often just isn’t an option for both hassle and expense reasons. Another solution, however, is to invest in stylish wall lights that don’t need chasing in and that can be fitted to pretty much anything for lighting wherever and whenever you need it. Check out these ways to use them in your home.
Wickenden Hutley
Clamp on to a ladder
A storage wall ladder placed snugly between two single beds, or either side of a double bed, is the perfect vehicle for clipping on a wall lamp or two. Choosing a ladder and lights in the same colour, as here, will make them feel more of a feature.
This solution means you don’t have to chase in any permanent electrical cables if the room is likely to change function or layout a few years down the line.
Check out more ways to use ladders around the home
Chris Snook
Showcase your wires
The lampshade isn’t the only feature of a clip-on light that can be used to brilliant decorative effect. These days, we’re seeing a lot of exposed wiring on Houzz, especially colourful flex. Exposed bulbs are perfect for plugging in and attaching to a hook wherever you fancy, and they give a room that raw, industrial edge.
Choose a brightly coloured flex, such as orange, red or yellow, to really up the design factor, or stick with inky black for a dramatic, monochrome silhouette.
Discover how to crank up the style in your first kitchen
Etre
Beef up kitchen lighting
In a narrow kitchen, or indeed any kitchen, it can be difficult to squeeze in extra, built-in lights once a renovation is complete. However, some Anglepoise-style lamps anchored to the wall can be the perfect solution for task lighting over a worktop.
Alternatively, install a high shelf and either perch a couple on top (making sure their bases are heavy enough to prevent any accidents) or clip them to the edge of the shelf. In either case, it’s worth thinking about where your sockets and switches are to ensure it’s feasible.
Clip to a headboard
You can’t get a simpler or more effective lighting solution than this if you’re after neat and discreet reading lamps. These slimline but sturdy Jansjo lights from Ikea clip on to either side of the headboard and are flexible enough to be directed accurately to avoid disturbing anyone else. And the little blast of colour is a welcome addition, too.
Martins Camisuli Architects
String up some fairy lights
You can’t help but love how a single string of fairy lights can transform a boring wall in seconds, and with very little effort or cost. With no expensive or disruptive chasing in required, you can simply tack a set of white or multi-coloured lights around a wall, window or door frame and, hey presto, it’s your own little piece of year-round magic.
Fairy lights are perfect for atmospheric lighting, but may need to be paired with something a little stronger for any task lighting.
Browse more fun ways with fairy lights
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Keep it playful
Of course, any sort of clip-on or stick-on light is spot-on for a child’s bedroom or playroom, as the quirky, unfinished look will fit in so well with the general chaos! These fun lights are Sticky Lamps by Chris Kabel, available from Droog.
Best of all, as the years pass by and your child wants a more grown-up scheme, these non-permanent light fixtures can easily be taken down.
Sara Bates
Stay in keeping with the feel
Clip-on metal lights are perfect for this bedroom, which is filled with upcycled goodies. Their industrial, makeshift feel works really well with the rest of the furniture.
In such an ever-changing, organic space, it’s possible the door-turned-headboard will end up being used for something else, somewhere else, so removable and movable lights are just the ticket. And because they’re not permanent, you can be that little bit more adventurous with them, too.
Gaile Guevara
Invest in a classic design
This Flos wall lamp has a gigantic, adjustable arm, so it can do the job of two separate wall lamps by reaching over both sides of the bed.
Designed by Paolo Rizzatto in the 1970s, the painted steel light looks just as fresh today as it did when it was launched, especially with the exposed wiring left to dangle from the huge bracket.
Illuminate your collections
Clip-on lights are a brilliant solution if you’re renting, as they won’t cause any disruption to walls and decoration, which is a definite no-no in most landlords’ rule books.
Some little lamps, such as these mini Tolomeo Micro clip lights by Artemide, can be very powerful and provide just as much illumination as built-in versions – handy for shedding light on a growing book or record collection.
Use your ceiling as a wall substitute
This is a clever way to create a pair of bedside lights that would usually need to be chased into the walls. The designer has used the existing ceiling wiring and an additional couple of hooks to create the same effect as wall lights. The colourful flex makes a feature of the trailing wires. (Do bear in mind you should call on the expertise of a qualified electrician for this one).
TELL US…
Do you have any quick-fix wall lights in your home? Share your thoughts and photos in the Comments below.
