I have a faux-tiffany hanging lamp in one room of my residence. The important bit here is how it is hung, via a chain through which the power cord also runs. This is not my lamp, but this picture does illustrate the part I am having trouble with:
I would like at least one, and possibly two more such lamps for my bedroom. However, I can not find them for sale anywhere. I have searched on “hanging lamp” and “pendant light” and variations on those themes and keep getting hits on lamps that do hang, but require a base to be wired into the ceiling. That is not what I want, as I am a renter and my current landlord probably does not want me re-wiring the apartment. Who am I kidding? I don’t want me re-wiring the apartment.
There are two hooks in the bedroom ceiling that are already installed by which I could hang such lamps.
Is there a specific terminology for the type of lamp/lamp hanging system I am looking for that I don’t know, hence my inability to locate said light(s)?
TLDR: It might be easier to buy the chain/socket separately from the lamp shade.
I went to Lowes.com and typed in Hanging Lamp and got a handful of lamps meant to be hung from a ceiling by a chain.
I think the hard part is going to be finding one meant to be hung from a ceiling and plugged in at floor level (as opposed to hardwired at ceiling level).
You may end up having to build the light yourself. You can get a chain kit like this and one of these that lets you put a loop on the end of a socket. Then you can buy a socket and a lampshade of your own choosing. You can also just get the chain kit and buy a light that’s already meant to be hung and use the longer chain/cord.
Or course, this means some minor wiring. Not re-wiring your apartment level difficult, but still intimidating if you’re not comfortable doing something like this.
You might have to go to Lowes/Home Depot/Menards and see what they have. Sometimes they have off-the-shelf kits meant for picking out various components that you like. If you can find a long enough chain/cord with a socket already attached, you won’t have to do any wiring, just pick out a lamp shade.
Thanks for the replies. I do believe “swag” was the missing search term.
As for making my own - I’ve made/wired lamps before so that isn’t a worry for me, it’s altering the wiring in the walls that I don’t feel comfortable doing.
I’ve checked the local hardware stores and what they having for making such a lamp is very much in the category of industrial work lights. That would be fine for a construction site, but I’d rather have something prettier for my living space.
I know Home Depot (or maybe Lowes) at least used to have a section of assorted sockets, shades and ways to hang the lights specifically for people to ‘build their own’. Not sure if they still have them all in one ‘build your own’ section, but they’ll still have all the parts. They for sure have a ton of lamp shades/pendants and I assume they have a chain like the one I linked to earlier.
If you have a Menards near by, they have a rather large lighting section.
Yep. I’ve looked the local Home Depot, Lowes, Menards, and Ace Hardware stores. Half the time the person working there has zero clue what I’m talking about or acts baffled that I would want such a thing. When said employee does know what I’m talking about all we can find is the work-site/construction stuff and they invariably say something like I know what you’re talking about but I haven’t seen it in years.
For whatever reason the stores around here are not stocking/selling such things outside of the worksite lights.
I’m actually doing this right now, as in the dining table is covered in lamp parts, and as soon as I get approval from the boss, I’ll be hanging them from the ceiling.
Yes, converting swag lamps from hard wire to plug-in is very easy. All that’s needed is a plug end from the hardware store for about $3. Going the other way just requires a pair of side cutters.
Working with the chain is also easy. All that’s required are some chain pliers. Don’t try to use regular pliers and fake it, just get a pair of these.
Thrift stores are a great source of old lights and chains. Inspect the wiring and replace it if it’s at all suspect. Old ugly and broken globes may give you 10 feet of good chain for $1.50. If the chain is dusty and greasy, put it in the dishwasher.
One warning, having been to Lowes yesterday to buy some plugs and replacement light sockets, they have odd gaps in their inventory. For example, lots of white plugs, but only a handful of brown ones.
Polarity doesn’t matter to the light bulb, but if you do get polarized plugs, the narrow one is hot, and the button at the bottom of the light socket is hot. So, wire from the narrow blade to the button, and from the wide blade to the surround on the light socket.
I have two chandlers in my home that are hung as swag lights. I had to buy the wire and chain. Then open the junction section of the lamp and remove the old wire and chain. Rewired the lamp with new longer chain and wire and I have now a swag light.
In case the OP never noticed, zip cord, the plastic cover cord generally used in these lights has a rib down one side of the cord. That makes it easy to keep track of the hot vs. neutral side of the wire.
It’s the ribbed conducted that is allegedly the neutral, or as I was taught — the identified conductor is the neutral.
The caveat to this is that I learned it in 1985. I’m not sure if it still holds, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen products that did not adhere to this standard. But if you are concerned with the polarity of your light fixtures, use a continuity tester and make sure the bottom of the socket goes to hot, and the rim to neutral.
I’ve modified fixtures that were designed to mount to a junction box into plug and cord lights before. It’s a great idea, the wiring is usually easy to do and really increases the decorative options.
But you need to be mindful of the weight of the ceiling mounted fixture. The fixture will have a drilled plate or bracket that is designed to mount to the junction box and you will need to attach that plate or bracket directly to the ceiling. There are many types of ceiling and many ways to mount the plate, some more involved than others.
If you are simply attaching the plate or bracket to the ceiling with two drywall screws, you can’t use a heavy fixture. If the fixture you like weighs more than a few pounds, you’ll need to find something more secure than two drywall screws. I generally find mounting modified fixtures to be trickier than rewiring them.
