Magic Light Trick: How-To, FAQ, + Best Lights to Use Roundup
As soon as I first came across Nesting With Grace’s magic light trick, I knew I was going to use it non-stop all over my house! Basically this is a quick and inexpensive little hack to use sconces and lights without having to do any electrical wiring at all. You simply attach a battery powered puck light inside of the fixture and then mount it to the wall like normal. It is such a great way to add character and coziness to a space without having to pay an electrician or do something super permanent either! I’ve now done this trick several times throughout my home and for clients, so here’s what I’ve learned so far:
It doesn’t give off a TON of light, but that’s not really the point. If you’re needing to add bright light to a space, this is not the trick. It adds more of a soft glow, more of a decorative light, so don’t plan on depending on these for your main light source. I like to think of it as purely decorative and more of “bonus light”!
It doesn’t work with every single sconce/light out there. You do need to be able to strategically hide that little puck light inside your light, so lights with clear glass or small glass bulbs won’t work. Sconces that have metal hoods or shades of some sort are ideal and will work great (some examples and links to shop below). So just keep that in mind while shopping for lights. This would also work for pendant lights too!
You will need to change batteries if you use these often. Most of the puck lights have a battery life of about 100 hours, so if you’re using this a lot, be prepared to change batteries. Again, I like to use them in areas where it’s just “bonus light” and use them sparingly so I don’t have to change batteries as often. It is easy to screw off and change the batteries when needed unless you have it mounted up super high or somewhere hard to reach!
Be sure to get the puck lights WITH a remote! Otherwise you’ll be reaching up inside you light to turn them on all the time! A remote makes them feel like a real light and you can turn them on easily with the touch of a button. Most remotes allow you to turn sync multiple puck lights up to one as well. These are the ones Nesting with Grace recommended and that I have used so far.
Now that you’ve got the basics, check out my quick video below to get a closer look at how to really attach the lights step by step! I’ve also linked up some of my favorite lights to use for this trick for you to shop below.
xoxo
Emily
check out my video below for a quick step by step on the magic light trick!
I’ve also gotten some requests on rounding up lights that would work well for this trick including a few that I’ve used in my home with the magic light trick. Here’s some of my favorites below!
