The Most Beautiful Plug-In Chandeliers To Easily Update Your Space
If you’re looking to update your space without spending an arm and a leg, I think you’ll want to consider a plug-in chandelier.
Lighting is often what sets the mood for a space, yet many homes lack overhead lighting in multiple rooms that get used constantly throughout the day.
This can be due to the age of the home or because it was built by a builder who didn’t include overhead lighting in every room to reduce costs.
Whatever the case may be, it can be frustrating and costly to find a way to incorporate lighting after the fact.
You may have noticed many bedrooms in homes may include a switch on the wall that turns on and off an outlet when they do not have an overhead light.
This switched outlet was intended to have lamps plugged into it to provide lighting for the space.
Unfortunately, one or two lamps often do not provide sufficient lighting to brighten an entire room.
For other spaces in these homes like the living room or family room, there may be no lighting or switched outlet option at all.
This can be extremely annoying to those who want to be able to use their family room for many different types of activities, any time of day, and not have to worry about dim lighting impacting their enjoyment of the space.
If you can relate to this, I am right there with you!
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As I mentioned in 7 Things I’ll Do Differently In The Design Of My Second Home I discussed how my current home has no overhead lighting in the family room, which is really frustrating as it is where I spend a large amount of my time.
Dealing with all that irritation daily for the last 13 years made me motivated to look for easy to install, cost-effective options to add more lighting to the space.
Then it came to me, plug-in chandeliers! Of course, I had considered them for their functionality in dining rooms, bathrooms, etc. but hadn’t previously considered how much they could help in other areas of the house too.
This realization inspired me to collect my favorite pretty plug-in chandeliers that can be used anywhere in your home where you could use a little extra beauty and light.
What Are Plug-In Chandeliers
Plug-in chandeliers aren’t hardwired to an electrical box like a typical light fixture. Instead they have a plug at the end of a cord that can be plugged into an outlet.
Even if there is not an outlet in the ceiling for the light, the cord and chain can be lengthened in order to be able to run it to the nearest outlet. It is easy to then swag the chain and hang the plug-in chandelier from the desired location on the ceiling.
Benefits Of Plug-In Chandeliers
There are lots of benefits of using plug-in chandeliers. Here’s a list of the big ones:
You don’t necessarily need to hire an electrician to install a plug-in chandelier, which can save you both time and money.
In many cases, it can be plugged into a switched outlet to still turn on like regular light. If you don’t have a switched outlet, there is another way I show you below to add a switch without any electrician or electrical experience necessary.
With how easy it is to install, you can choose trendy lighting options knowing it will be easy to switch out down the road when you want a new look.
Overhead lighting can be as decorative as it is functional! Thats why plug-in chandeliers are a great way to add decorative lighting to your space and refresh the feel of the room.
In many cases, even renters can add plug-in chandeliers to their rental homes or condos without the worry of causing damage that might mean losing their security deposit.
You can really use just about any chandelier you please! But we will discuss more about this a little later…
Where To Use A Plug-In Chandelier
If you’re wondering where the best places are to use a plug-in chandelier, I would say - where can’t you use one?
Okay, maybe I wouldn’t recommend using it near water such as near a bathtub, but aside from the obvious safety concerns, the sky is the limit when it comes to where you would like to add a plug-in chandelier for lighting!
Here are a few places to consider adding a plug-in chandelier:
Over a kitchen island
A dining room
In the living room
The family room
Bedrooms
A master bedroom closet
Your home office
The powder room
In a reading nook
Choosing The Right Size Plug-In Chandelier
When looking at plug-in chandeliers for a room, you will want to pay attention to the size of the light fixture to make sure it will work in your space.
An easy way to calculate the best size chandelier for a room is to measure the length of the room and the width of the room.
Once you have the measurements of the room (in feet), you’ll add them together. The number you get is the best size chandelier for the room, in inches.
For instance, you have a room that is 8 feet wide by 10 feet long. You add them together (8+10) and get 18.
That means a plug-in chandelier that is 18 inches across is the ideal size for the space.
Here are some of my favorite plug in chandeliers…
Crystal Plug-In Chandeliers
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Modern And Contemporary Plug-In Chandeliers
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Rustic And Farmhouse Plug-In Chandeliers
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Creating Your Own Plug-In Chandelier
If you haven’t found the perfect match for what you are looking for in the available plug-in chandeliers, I have some good news for you.
Using a conversion kit -and some skill - you can actually turn most hardwired chandeliers into a plug-in chandelier!
One big caveat to this is, 99% of the time the fixture will need to be a hanging by a chain versus one that is attached to a rod in order to be successfully converted. You’ll see why below.
There are different options for kits that convert a hardwired light into a plug-in light but they essentially all do the same thing. They allow you to attach a longer cord with a plug on one end onto the existing electrical cord.
The existing wiring is attached per instructions to the cord, and attached to the necessary chain, if applicable.
Then the chain is attached to the fixture and hung up on hooks that are attached to the ceiling in your desired swag spacing. The cord can then be plugged into an outlet to provide power to your new chandelier.
When selecting the ceiling hooks for the light chain to attach to, make sure you are choosing an option that can hold the weight of your desired chandelier. It is recommend the hooks have a toggle anchor, which allows for a more secure hold in the ceiling. Below are some examples of what those look like, in case you aren’t familiar with that style of anchor.
Adding A Switch For A Plug-In Chandelier
As I alluded to above, there are also options for switching your plug-in chandelier.
When you’re adding a plug-in chandelier to an area of the home where the outlet isn’t wired to an existing switch, you will still want the same ease and function as any other light in your house.
Thank goodness there are simple solutions for adding switches without any electrical work!
All you have to do is plug the receiver into the outlet, then plug you chandelier into the plug on the receiver. From there, it’s as easy as attaching the wireless switch to the wall and you’re ready to go!
If you’re looking for something even more technically advanced, you could try a smart plug that can connect to your Google Home or Alexa devices to be remote controlled from anywhere.
Conclusion
Whether you find the perfect plug-in chandelier, or you decide to make your own, adding more overhead lighting is a great way to add beauty and function to any space in your home. With all the available options, you no longer have to feel limited on what you can do in your home. Whether it is a plug-in light fixture or adding a switch, this could be the next best way to DIY a brighter space that brings you more enjoyment everyday!
Now we want to hear from you - Do you have a plug-in chandelier? Where did you put it and why? Let us know in the comments below!
