After more than a year without one, another bedroom finally has a ceiling light fixture—this time it’s Teddy’s room. It might sound dramatic, but having a proper ceiling light is a small luxury you don’t fully appreciate until you move into a house where none of the upstairs rooms (other than the bathrooms) have them.
When I spotted a stick-style plug-in lamp on Joss & Main, I loved its beachy, geometric vibe and immediately imagined it as a pendant. John agreed with the idea, so we decided to convert the table lamp into a hanging ceiling fixture.
When the lamp arrived, we flipped it over to see what we were working with. A small screw held the cord in place so the lamp could sit on a table; removing that was the first step. That gave us access to a bolt that secured the cord kit and the shade.
We considered keeping the original plug and hardwiring it by exposing the inner wires, which is often possible, but the lamp used a very small socket for miniature bulbs. We wanted more light and to use a standard bulb, so we removed the tiny socket and the remaining wiring. Once the socket was unscrewed and the wiring freed, only the shade remained. The shade had a ring at the bottom that made it easy to attach a standard light kit.
Next we picked up a white pendant light kit and adapted it so the cord threaded up through the top ring of the shade and rested on the curved bulb holder. That placed the bulb squarely in the center of the arched stick shade and gave the whole fixture a balanced, finished look.
You might be wondering about fire risk with a wooden or stick-style shade. Paper and woven shades are commonly used with light fixtures as long as heat can escape through the top and bottom and the bulb has enough clearance from the material. To be safe and to minimize heat buildup, we used an LED bulb. LEDs run much cooler than incandescent bulbs and are a safer choice for enclosed or decorative shades while still providing ample light.
Now Teddy’s room has a warm white LED that should last a very long time and provide reliable, comfortable light. The fixture’s sticks almost look like a robot eagle holding the bulb, which John finds amusing. The light also ties in nicely with other elements in the room: it subtly references the driftwood mobile and the white lines on our “T-wall,” so it feels cohesive rather than an afterthought.
With the light installed, the room finally feels complete. The warm glow makes the space cozy and the pendant’s design adds personality without being overbearing. We also found a tiny side table at a yard sale for just a dollar, which ended up matching the color of our old rocking horse perfectly—another secondhand find that helps the room feel finished and lived-in.
Clara has already been spending lots of time in Teddy’s room, playfully rocking on the horse. She makes it look like she’s about to launch right out the window sometimes, but so far there have been no injuries. Still, I can’t help but knock on wood when I say that.
On a related note, we’ve gotten requests to show our bedroom fixture lit up at night, and we love the soft shapes it throws across the ceiling. It’s amazing how much of a difference a single well-chosen light can make to the mood and personality of a room.
Update: We’ve transitioned our entire house to LED lights. They use far less energy and last much longer than incandescent bulbs, which means fewer bulb changes and lower electricity bills. We’re pleased with the warm, natural glow of the LEDs we chose—they complement our fixtures and contribute to a cozy atmosphere throughout the house.