apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I'm assuming that you would prefer to stay away from construction (adding electrical outlets etc.), sooo, all I can think of is to maybe purchase sconces that are able to be plugged in (non-hardwire) and use a cord cover to run the cord down the wall and along the baseboards to a room around the corner with an outlet (if there is one close).Like those battery powered candles for the Holidays that are a total joke, trying to light a room using a battery powered fixture would be a disappointment for you.

Goodness gracious...can you perhaps put a shelf up and stick some battery operated lamps on it?

The only thing I can think of is those fake candles you get that have LEDs in them, but I doubt they cast off a good enough light for a hallway. I wonder if you could get something like the solar mason jars AT featured, get 2 and regularly swap them around.

Is that even up to code to have a hallway with no light?

i wonder if you could neatly string lots of lights/lanterns along the length of the hall, and discreetly plug it in where you can? or do something with rope light along the floor? or with picture lights and some art work?

here's the picture light that runs on batteries:

http://www.lampsplus.com/products/s_battery-powered/11493/

or at least these little LEd lights?

http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/602-2799973-1158209?asin=B000OF408E&AFID=Nextag&LNM=B000OF408E|RiteLite_5LED_Puck_Light_6_pk.__Silver&ref=tgt_adv_XSN10001

These are the wotsits I was referring to : http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/ny/lighting/sun-jar-by-tobias-wong-024883

From your photo, it appears there is a ceiling fixture beyond the archway in the hall between the bathroom and the closet?

This might be a great opportunity for a low-voltage cable or track system: The transformer would mount where the ceiling fixture is and the cables or track would run a couple feet below the ceiling (to clear the archway) from the back wall to the wall above the front door. Spotlights would be placed every few feet spotlighting artwork on the entry-hall walls like an art gallery.

Minor electrical work is involved - the most complicated part is stringing the cables or mounting the standoffs for the track from the ceiling.

Good Luck!

I found these battery operated lanterns at the World Market site.

http://www.worldmarket.com/Garden/string-lights/Battery-Operated-String-Lights/lev/4/productId/817/Ne/1100001/sectionId/3190/N/1100426/categoryId/1100426/pCategoryId/1100425/Ns/TOP_SELLER_INDEX|1||CATEGORY_SEQ_3023|0/index.pro

there is not much out there. i put these in some closets
http://www.stickupbulb.com/
they are not very attractive, but maybe you could disguise them.
you can also get battery operated string lights (christmas lights). the newer led type are much brighter than the older style. if they don't appeal to you as is, you can put the whole string inside something transparent or translucent (vase, lucite box, paper lantern, etc.). just make sure you can get to the switch easily.

These LED wall sconces at the Improvements catalog are actually pretty nice looking and not too expensive either. They even have two settings.

http://www.improvementscatalog.com/product/id/128862.do

mrs yow, those are great! you could easily hang some sort of fixture over/around that. i think that's a winner.

what about those candela lights?

Candela lights:

http://www.unicahome.com/p28996/candela-colored-tops-by-vessel.html

You could make a fabric panel and string it along wire, then suspend it under the ceiling. Then you can install LED lighting between the ceiling and the fabric. IKEA sells strips cheap.

But the cost of the materials, plus all the time, might cost as much as hiring an electrician to install a ceiling fixture. S/he could change out the one-gang to a two-gang.

Try to get your landlord to spring for it. Or, to at least pay for a portion.

Good luck.

How about, half-way down the hall...

A Narrow shelf, upon which you place a
rechargable camping lantern
that you've painted or otherwise decorated,
and then topped with a
1/2-round shade
that is reflected to look like a full shade in a
mirror above the shelf?

I would look like a cool pass-through in your hall and wouldn't take up much room at all.

Um, or just hang the rechargable lantern from the ceiling.

Sometimes I get carried away.

...but if you *were* to go with the shelf idea, you could attach the 1/2 shade to the mirror itself and then it would be easy-peasy to slip the latern in and out when it needs a recharge.

Okay, now I'm done. I think.

Try this site...it has a variety of wireless sconce lighting options that might match your style (battery operated).

http://www.itsexcitinglighting.com/

Try the flameless wall sconce. It's very atmospheric, easy-to-install and economical. You will find a nice wall sconce collection at this store
http://www.justhomedecor.com/estoreusa/home.php?cat=670

I just moved to an apartment that has no light switch in the living room that you walk into. So you walk in and no easy way to turn on the light. What I ended up finding is a wireless light switch from Home Depot for only $20 which can either be sticked or screwed onto the wall. The switch has no wires (just a battery inside), but then there's a small thing that plugs into a socket (at the other end of the room) which I've plugged a floor lamp into.

So I have a nice switch that I don't have any cables hanging off of seperate from where my lamp is. You can also buy extra switches (for less than $20, maybe $8?) and configure them to turn the same source off/on.

In your case, could you put a wall sconch somewhere in the hallway with an extension cord that wraps around to a socket in a nearby room? Or maybe a small side table or stool with a lamp on it? Then in that socket you can put the wireless receiver and put up switches wherever you need them.

If you just want something small that comes on when you walk into the hall, there's these little motion sensor guys.

Using a battery powered light for that long space will end up costing a fortune and it will be really aggravating to keep on changing the batteries. I suggest hanging a lamp from a hook in the center and using a covering material to get the wire to an electricity source. If you think that a covered wire will be too prominent, try stretching the wire on a diagonal and then adding "phantom" wire coves diagonally towards the corners from the center to form a pattern. Those wire covers are really light and you could probably hang them with something easy like Elmer's glue.

Bart-I've been to Home Depot looking for something you were describing and the ill-trained staff had no idea what I was talking about. Can you find a link the the product?

Yeah, I'd say in the same vein:

a) Hang a lantern (from Chinatown) and run the cord in the corners to plug into another room. (maybe combine with Bart's switch).

b) Christmas lights! err... rope lights. Run behind frosted plexiglass, plug in another room.

Battery operated? Ikea sells some small sticky LED things, but I don't think anything on batteries will provide enough light to light the hallway. Or, Candellas.

Good luck! Let us know what you did?

target is selling a variety of battery powered scones. i saw a bunch last time i was there and was thinking about hanging them over the bed. some of them aren't too bad.

however, in this hallway, i'd plaster the ceiling with battery powered christmas lights (like one AT blogger did in her bathroom, but on the ceiling). you could hold them in place with a ton of cable hooks. kind of a "starry night" effect.