You could make a cardboard box look like a palace with the right sconces – which is why it’s always felt personally offensive that, as a renter in New York City, I’ve been barred from living out my full sophisticated sconce-girl fantasies. I want them everywhere: flanking framed photographs, bracketing my bed, even in the bathroom to fake a boutique-hotel glow. The problem? Wiring – a headache I couldn’t get entangled in even if I tried.
Or so I thought. Because I’ve now found a workaround on Amazon – on sale, no less – that lets me skip the electrician entirely. For $60, you get two pleated-shade sconces with unreasonably luxe-looking gold hardware, running on a built-in battery that lasts 13–30 hours depending on brightness (I prefer the lower setting for a layered lighting idea). Being cordless, they conveniently bypass landlord restrictions while still serving the old-world-hotel glamour I’m after.
They’ve got a touch-sensitive on/off button to adjust dimness – or you can operate them via remote control from across the room. Charging takes four to six hours, and indeed: this Amazon lighting deal extends to the black hardware, too.
We’ve seen portable lamps before, but the genius here is the wall mount. You screw a base plate into the wall, clip the sconce in place, and pop it off to charge via the Type-C port. Think shelf installation – the kind of 'technically removable' project most landlords will tolerate.
At 15.7 inches tall, they’re substantial enough to make an impact without overwhelming a wall. The listing says each can light 15–25 square feet – great for a small living room lighting idea or inside of my Manhattan studio, but if you have more space, double-flank artwork, line a hallway, or install a row over a long sideboard.
Finally, I can execute the vision for just $60. I don’t know how long the deal will last, but let's just say that these pleats already look pretty in my cart.
More renter-friendly sconces I love
If you’d rather skip nails altogether, a stick-on adhesive wall sconce is the ultimate low-lift move. Finding an attractive one is oddly difficult, but I did uncover a scalloped-edge woven rattan shade that feels far chicer than its marketing (it’s pitched to teens for dorm rooms and such, but lazy, renting adults absolutely qualify).
For something softer and a touch mid-century, these linen shades are a steal. They diffuse light beautifully, casting from both ends – perfect for spotlighting formal art or lending a quieter, less ‘hotel’ take on luxury in a bedroom. On its dimmest setting, a single charge can last up to 45 hours.
If you don't mind broadening your budget, Pooky remains the cordless lighting gold standard. The brand offers a dizzying array of shades (I always gravitate toward the ikats – the Yoda is pictured here), so you can customize your look and give your lighting a more bespoke, high-design edge.
Another unnecessarily elegant Amazon sconce I can’t stop thinking about? These scalloped shell beauties – pure Capri fantasy, courtesy of our Style & Trends Editor’s recent trip – and just $25.
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