My rental kitchen had the saddest light fixture I'd ever seen. A single flush-mount dome, circa 1994, that cast a greenish-yellow light over everything. My cooking photos looked like I was making food in a submarine.
I wanted a pendant. My lease said no hardwiring. So I found a third option.
The Plug-In Pendant Setup
Plug-in pendant lights use a canopy that mounts over your existing ceiling medallion — no electrical work, just the existing screw holes that are already there. The cord runs from the pendant, along the ceiling, and then down the wall to a standard outlet. You can clip the cord along molding so it's nearly invisible.
I chose a black metal pendant with a 6-foot cord. The whole installation took 25 minutes. When I eventually move, I'll reinstall the original dome fixture and the landlord will never know the difference.
What to Look For
Get a plug-in kit with a dimmer switch built into the cord — this saves you from having to swap bulbs to control brightness. A swivel canopy is also worth it since ceiling boxes are rarely centered exactly where you want the pendant to hang.
👉 Make sure your outlet is within 8–10 feet of the fixture location. Longer cords exist but get unwieldy to hide.
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