The last post in my series about pendant-lights is all about plug-in pendants! I love this option because a lot of older homes may not have overhead lighting in every common room, like a living room for example. Our living room has no overhead light hard-wired. I wondered, “how can I add light to a room with no wiring?”
While there is plenty of light coming in from the huge windows in our living room, there are a lot of cloudy days in Chicago where I wish I had an overhead light. Also, having hard-wiring for a light installed by a professional electrician can be very expensive, and the damage done to the walls is not something they repair or clean up afterward. Trust me. We would have to have walls replastered from all of the holes that a hard-wired light would bring! Not to mention the dust. Cough!
An easy solution is a plug-in pendant light. I first thought of this idea after seeing the plug-in pendant from Pretty in the Pines on YouTube. If you watch from 7:50- 8:18, you will see that she had the light fixture installed in her living room that had no hard-wiring for a fixture at all. The cord is covered, adhered to the wall, and painted the same color as the walls. I think this is my favorite plug-in light install! It is not even obvious that this is a plug-in light fixture. It feels very much part of the space!
I’m not sure what cord cover she uses, but THIS single cord cover on Amazon has excellent reviews, and it is paintable!
So if you are not interested in your pendant light’s cord dangling in your space, there are still ways to enjoy an overhead light in your space!
Plug-In Pendant Light Options under $50
There are some great options on Amazon for pendant-light options, but if you are looking to save a little money, then this list is for you. Each of these plug-in pendants are under 50 bucks, and they look incredible.
The plug-in pendants I have here are also different sizes, colors and styles. Some even have unbeatable features like a built-in dimmer. Let’s jump in!
Plug-In Pendant Lights that can Handle a Whole Room
Options 6 and 8 are great choices that can handle a whole room and serve as the dedicated light source for a space without wiring. The width of these pendants is 12 inches at the least, so they have a wider coverage to illuminate a space. I think either of these choices would work beautifully in a living or dining room, or even a screened-in porch that doesn’t have a central light source.
What I especially love about option 8 (DEWENWILS Plug in Pendant Light) is that it comes in a wide variety of colors, and most are neutral. But if you wanted to go for a pop of color, there is a tiffany blue or striped option.
I think my favorite choice for an inexpensive plug-in pendant light to add light with no wiring would be option 6, the XININSUN 3-Tier Drum Linen Plug in Pendant Light. This is a beautiful tiered light that is dramatic and neutral. The shape is interesting and truly gives the focal lighting vibes! I definitely see this beauty over a round dining table. What makes this option even more sweet is the dimmer switch!
Both 6 and 8 are fabric options, and they are excellent choices if you want to stick to a safe, neutral color pallet.
Black + Modern Plug-In Pendant Lights that Work Great in Pairs
I found many black plug-in pendant lights on Amazon that were very affordable. The more I thought about these options, the more I imagined how great they would look if installed in pairs. Often you will see a pendant lights in a row of 2 or 3 above a kitchen island or dining table. While options 1, 2, and 7 come as one light, option 4 (Retro Pendant Light Fixtures) comes in a 2-pack for a great price!
Option 7 is the Industrial Hanging Lamp Light with Switch, and I thought about how this would look great in a pair for light, bright bedroom hung over each side of the bed, as seen below.
The same can be said of option 1, the Modern Pendant Light with Cord Twisted Hemp Rope and option 4, the Retro Pendant Light Fixtures (which already come in a 2-pack!). Both of these options have a classic, industrial vibe that I can see fitting in on either side of a large sofa.
I am absolutely in love with option 2, the Black Rattan Pendant Light with Woven Lampshade. This plug-in pendant light would be perfect installed as a pair over a rectangular dining table, like in the image below.
Natural Texture Plug-In Pendant Lights
I also found a couple of more natural, almost boho plug-in pendants. Options 3 and 5 have a cozy, coastal cottage vibe because of the natural, hemp rope details. While option 3, the Farmhouse Woven Rattan Pendant Lamp is certainly large enough to handle a whole room, the large gaps in the braiding make it more of a side lamp over a reading chair in a cozy nook, in my opinion. Option 5, the Coastal Woven Plug in Pendant Light (pictured below) is a sweet and simple natural choice for over a desk or vanity in a cottage-style home.
Add a Wall Switch for Your Plug-In Pendant Light: No Wiring Necessary!
This item I found on Amazon is a gamechanger. While it is true that plug-in pendants add light with no wiring, one of the downsides is that there is no on/off switch apart from the one on the pendant or cord. If you’re entering a room and want to turn on the pendant immediately the way you would a traditional light, then I found a great solution on Amazon!
The Suraielec Wireless Wall Switch Remote Control Outlet is a wall-mounted battery operated switch that looks just like a traditional switch you can place anywhere within 100 feet of the plug-in pendant. Not only does this product have amazing reviews, but it is easy on the eyes, and blends in with other switches.
This is a fantastic option if you are using a plug-in pendant light as the centerpiece light of a room, and you want to turn the light on immediately upon entering. Also, I understand this is basically a remote, which some plug-in pendants come with, but the remote is disguised like a traditional switch, so you can mount it to the wall and not lose the remote!
I’m sold on this option because we currently don’t have any light switches on the entry of our home. You have to enter into a room quite a ways to turn on any light at all.
That does it for my series on pendant lights! If you missed my posts where I review more pendant lights, make sure to check them out. THIS post reviews pendant light basics. I also have beautiful options for boho pendant lights, HERE, some surprising Victorian pendant light options HERE, and bold dome-shaped pendant lights HERE.