DIY Socket Lamp

Living in a rental apartment keeps me constantly thinking about things I would like to do or change, but cannot. For a long time, covering our electrical control panel has been one of those tasks on my home improvement list. Keep reading to learn more about this easy and affordable DIY project.

I wanted to add a lamp to this corner of our rental apartment for a long time, as the space felt a bit too dim and uninviting without adequate lighting. Furthermore, the (almost) always grey sky, leaves this room in our home quite dark.

However, all the ideas I had considered for illuminating this corner involved making holes in the wall for mounting fixtures or running cables, which would not only be against the rules of our rental agreement but also create a cluttered look with visible wires hanging down. This was not an ideal solution for me, as I wanted to maintain the aesthetic of the room while also ensuring that any modifications were temporary and easily reversible.

After some thinking, I finally came up with an idea that not only met my needs but also cost less than CHF 50.-. I combined a plug-in lamp together with a linen lamp shade that had the aesthetic I usually seek for when decorating our home: natural material and neutral tones. To facilitate the insertion of the lamp shade onto the plug-in lamp, I helped myself of a sandpaper for metal to stretch its circumference some millimetres (as you can see in the photo below). I included to the mix a soft warm-white light bulb to bring in a cozy vibe.

The transformation was immediate; the electrical control panel was almost invisible from most of the angles, but I still had an easy and straightforward access to it, and all without compromising the walls or the design of our rental apartment.

If you are looking for a similar solution for your home, here is the list of elements I used to create this easy DIY socket lamp:

• Plug-in lamp

• Linen lamp shade

• Sandpaper for metal

• Soft warm-white light bulb

Let me know how you like this idea and, if you will try it, in the comment section. Thank you for reading.