Afternoon Project Series: Easy DIY Light Sconce

Ever wanted to add wall sconces or wall lights in general but felt totally intimidated by electrical stuff? Same!

But guess what? 

There’s an option you could do in just one afternoon—no electrical wiring, no stress. The great thing is, you can do it in a couple of hours or less!

This blog post is one of a series! I’ll be doing these to show you different home projects you can do in just an afternoon! More to come!

I’ll be honest and say that I love those beautiful and unique light sconces. I had been wanting to add in some wall sconces to my living room for a while. I even had the perfect spot.

The thing is, er, I’m not so confident making a big ‘ol hole in the wall. Also, fiddling with the electrical work was my strong suit. Maybe one day. For now, I’m all about those simple but impactful projects.

So I came up with a solution for this DIY light sconce hack.

If you love having several lights in a room, it’s nice to diversify your light sources. You can only have so many variations of a floor lamp, right? That and only so many wall plugs.

I really wanted some pretty sconces with little lamp shades. Having had the little shades already, there were a few more supplies from the local hardware store and Hobby Lobby that were needed.

Here is a simple tutorial of a diy project to make a wireless wall sconce for some extra light in your living room or anywhere you please!

DIY Light Sconce Supplies:

• 2 small lamp shades (I got mine off of two small Target table lamps) 
• 2 battery-powered puck lights
• 2 bases, such as a candlestick base from Hobby Lobby
• Hammer and nails or screws
• Measuring Tape
• Pencil
• Optional: Super glue or double-sided tape
• Optional: Something to hang the base to the wall if needed, such as French cleats or a type of hanger.
• Optional: Spray paint if you want a different look

Watch the video below to see the whole project in action:

Easy DIY Light Sconce Directions:

Step 1: Measure, Measure, Measure

The first thing you should do when working on your wall project is usually to get out your measuring tape to measure where you want your lights to go. There was a big art piece on the wall already, and I knew I wanted the wall sconces to be on either side.

So I whipped out the measuring tape and my pencil and marked exactly where I wanted to hang the lights. 

That way, you absolutely know that they will be the same height and space apart!

This one was easy since the bases I had were hung by one nail on the back. Thanks, Hobby Lobby!

Step 2: Hang the Light Base on the Wall

Pretty self-explanatory, but once you have your pencil mark in the right spot, go ahead and use your hammer and put your nails in.

This particular candle base you can use has keyhole hangers on the back, so it’s super easy. If you don’t see any way to hang your wireless wall lights, using things like keyhole hangers, mini photo frame hangers, or for more durability, get some French cleats!

Easy peesy!

Step 3: Attaching the Lamp Shade

Again, it depends on your supplies, especially your base and how it’s shaped, but for mine, it was easiest to hang the base first. 

I carefully placed the lamp shade on top of where a candlestick would normally go. 

Surprisingly, they fit pretty well together on their own.

*Feel free to use super glue or double-sided tape to secure your lamp shade to your light base if needed*

Step 4: Putting in the Puck Light

Again, for this particular base, I literally took my puck light and carefully placed it on the base inside of the lamp shade. 

Make sure you have your batteries already in your puck lights.

Because there are small magnetic strips on the back of the puck light, they secured themselves pretty well onto the base, which is metal.

Again, it depends on your supplies, so if you need extra reinforcements, such as hot glue or strong tape, by all means, please do!

Just to mention, there ARE other ways to do this. Some might use wall lamps that can accommodate some rechargeable light bulbs, use a light socket adapter, and so on. Just make sure that the heat of the light-bulb doesn’t cause any fire hazards!

Step 5: Turn on the Lights and Admire Your DIY Light Sconce

There was a handy dandy remote that came with these lights, so you can easily turn this DIY light sconce on. 

Would I prefer to have them turn on with the flick of a light switch like the wall sconces from my vintage-style bathroom makeover? Maybe, but I’m pretty happy with having a little remote control to turn them on from anywhere. 

Not to mention using these to add in more to the ambient lighting for my living and dining room was another goal accomplished! 

These are also great for a quick solution if you need some lighting on either side of the bed until you can get something more concrete.

I was amazed by how easy this was and only needing a few items. 

Finally, the warm glow of some wireless sconces I was hoping for.

If you’re feeling like you need a bit of an easier hack, this easy DIY wall sconce afternoon project is the perfect choice. This will work great, especially if you’re in a rental apartment.

Pro Tip: You can even add these wall light fixtures to a pretty gallery wall for interest.

Conclusion

And just like that, in just one afternoon, you’ve got gorgeous wall sconces—no wiring, no stress, just an easy upgrade that makes your space feel so much more put together! 

If you try this DIY, tag me on social media or drop a comment below and let me know how it turned out!

Remember, this is only one of many easy ways to make DIY wood wall sconces. You might see others using different materials. Pieces of wood, such as barn wood, using nails and wood glue, for instance, to actually build out their own version of a sconce light.

So make it your own if you’d like!

And last thing, if you love simple, doable projects like this, be sure to check out the other afternoon projects in this series. 

Because decorating your home should be fun, easy, and totally you!