In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was a formless and desolate emptiness, and darkness was over the surface of the deep...Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. Genesis 1:1-4.
Ahh, lighting. Good lighting can make or break a room. Adding some brightness can make a room feel larger, airier, and happier. Having a statement chandelier or pendant light can draw the eye to the center of a room and serve as a visual grounding mechanism for a busy space.
In this post I'll walk you through how I thought about lighting for my own room in Brooklyn, New York. My room came with one overhead fixture for the room, which apparently is a luxury for NYC. The included florescent bulb is a bit harsh so I only use it for Zoom calls where one is expected to look bad (right?). I placed a floor lamp near my door so I can have easy access to light when I walk into the room. However, I knew that I needed more lighting near my bed, which is in a partially recessed alcove in a corner of my room.
I wanted a lighting solution that would be attractive, not take up too much space, and be easily turned on and off. Enter: the plug-in wall sconce. Perfect for renters and people who don't want to hire electricians to install hardwired lighting, plug-in lights are an easy and affordable solution for everyday lighting needs. Unlike floor lamps, which is the go-to easy lighting solution, sconces and pendants both do not take up precious floor space.
I chose wall sconces for this job because I wanted the visual focus of the bed corner to be around human height -- if I had wanted to pull the eye upwards I would have chosen a pendant or two. Since I picked sconces, I wanted two to balance each other and create a symmetrical, harmonious look. After shopping around online, I found this amazing company called Color Cord which makes plug-in lighting with beautiful colored cords. Each product is handmade so you can customize each part of the fixture. They are a small business located in Denver, Colorado and they have great customer service -- I highly recommend (not sponsored, I just like them!).
I picked out this brass fixture sconce with a round glass shade. I love how the fixture comes out from the wall with minimalist profile, and how the round wall plate and spherical globe contrast with the sharp curve of the metal bend. Since my room has other gold elements, I chose the brass to match. I chose the smoked semi-transparent shade color because I wanted to add a touch of dimension to the fixture while also being able to see the bulb inside. I got these cool milk-colored globe bulbs to finish the look.
Installation was a breeze -- I just needed to drill 2 holes for each fixture, screw on the shade and bulb, and voilà! I had beautiful wall sconces. The light switch on mine is 18 inches below the fixture which is a perfect height for me to turn on and off when I'm in or near my bed. If you are particular about the angle at which your cord lies, Color Cord also sells these cute little cord stays to keep your cord in place.
What do you think? What are some of your favorite lighting finds? What are you going to try next? Let me know, I'm all ears.
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