What Is a Swag Lamp? Plug-In Hanging Lights Explained
A swag lamp is a hanging light that plugs into a wall outlet, so no ceiling wiring is needed. Here is how it works, what you need and how to hang one.
A swag lamp is a hanging light that plugs into a wall outlet (a wall socket, if you're in the UK) instead of being wired into the ceiling. Its cord loops over a ceiling hook, holds the shade at the height you choose, then drapes across the ceiling and down the wall to the plug.
Because it needs no ceiling wiring, a swag lamp suits a room with no ceiling light point, or a renter who can't touch the wiring. You'll also see it called a swag light. The sections below cover how it works, the parts you need, six steps to hang one and how to pick a shade.
How a swag lamp works
A wired ceiling light takes power from a box in the ceiling and its switch from the wall. A swag lamp has neither, so the cord does three jobs: it carries power from the outlet, it holds the light up from a ceiling hook, and it carries the switch. On our cord kits that's an inline rocker on/off switch.
The swag is the stretch of cord between the hook and the wall: a loose drape, as in a swag of fabric over a window. You can leave it hanging in a soft curve, or guide it along the ceiling and down the wall with clips or a second hook. Either way the cord is on show. In some rooms the drape is the point; in others it's what you accept for light where there was none.
Swag lamp vs a wired pendant
The difference is where the power comes from and who puts the light up.
| Swag lamp | Wired pendant | |
|---|---|---|
| Power | Plugs into a wall outlet | Wired into the ceiling |
| Who puts it up | You, with a ceiling hook | A qualified electrician |
| Where it can go | Indoors, within cord reach of an outlet, wherever a hook can be fixed securely | Where the ceiling wiring is |
| The cord | On show across the ceiling and down the wall | Hidden in the ceiling |
| Taking it down | Unplug it and lift it off the hook | A job for an electrician |
If you want a wall switch and no cord in sight, you want a wired pendant, and that's electrician work. If you rent, or the ceiling has no wiring where you want light, a swag lamp needs only a hook and an outlet.
What you need
Some swag lamps are sold as one finished piece. On our site the shade and the plug-in cord kit are sold separately, so check each shade listing for what's in the box. You'll need:
- A shade. Our plug-in pendant lights range holds bamboo and rattan shades that pair with a cord kit.
- A plug-in cord kit. Cord, plug, inline on/off switch and bulb fitting in one. Our cord kits come in 1.8 m (about 6 ft), in black or white, and 2.5 m (about 8 ft), in black. The 1.8 m kits are listed with US (Type A), UK (Type G), EU (Type C) and AU (Type I) plug options; the 2.5 m kit is listed with a US plug. Choose the plug for your country.
- A bulb. Bulbs aren't included with our shades or kits. Buy one that suits your shade and the kit's fitting; the kit listing has the details.
- A ceiling hook. One rated for the weight of your light. More on fixing it in the steps below.
- Cord clips (optional). For guiding the cord along the ceiling and down the wall instead of letting it hang loose.
How to hang a swag lamp
Keep the kit unplugged until the last step.
- Plan the spot and the route. Choose where the light will hang, then measure the whole path the cord must travel: up from the shade to the hook, across the ceiling and down the wall to the outlet, plus a little slack. The drop and the drape both use up cord, so a spot that looks close to the outlet can still be out of reach. If it is, move the spot. The 2.5 m kit adds reach but is listed with a US plug only, so outside the US plan around the 1.8 m kit. Keep the route clear of doorways and anywhere the cord could snag.
- Fit the shade and bulb to the kit. Do this at a table, not up a ladder. Our guide on how to fit a rattan lampshade walks through attaching a shade to the cord kit.
- Fix the ceiling hook. Put it where the light will hang. Use a hook rated for the weight of your light, fixed securely into a joist where possible, following the hook maker's instructions. If you rent, check your lease before you drill.
- Hang the light. Loop the cord over the hook and let the shade drop to the height you want. Have someone hold it while you judge the height from across the room.
- Drape and secure the cord. Run the rest of the cord across to the wall and down to the outlet, in a soft swag or held close with clips or a second hook. Make sure the switch ends up within reach.
- Plug in and switch on. Plug the kit into the outlet and turn the light on at the switch.
This plug-in setup is for indoors: our cord kits are listed for indoor use only. If you want the light hardwired, or anything involves the ceiling box or mains wiring, use a qualified electrician.
Choosing a shade
Our shades are handmade in Thailand, woven from bamboo or rattan. Weigh three things:
- Material and finish. Some bamboo designs come in natural, brown or black finishes. If rattan appeals, start with our rattan pendant lights. Because each shade is woven by hand, size, shape and colour vary slightly from piece to piece.
- Size. A shade that looks right in a photo can feel lost over a dining table or crowd a narrow hallway; the pendant lampshade size guide helps you match it to the room.
- Light pattern. Light escapes through the gaps in the weave and casts patterns of light and shadow on the walls and ceiling. How bold they look depends on the weave, so study it in the listing photos.
Looking after it
Unplug the light and let the bulb cool before cleaning. Dust the shade regularly with a soft, dry cloth or a feather duster, and wipe it gently with a slightly damp cloth only when needed. Keep it out of long spells of direct sun and away from damp. For more detail, see how to clean a rattan pendant light.
Swag lamp FAQs
Do swag lamps need an electrician?
Not for a plug-in setup: there's no wiring to connect. Call a qualified electrician if you want it hardwired, or if the job involves the ceiling box or mains wiring.
Can you put a swag lamp anywhere?
Anywhere indoors within cord reach of an outlet, with a secure place to fix the hook. Measure the full cord route first, not the distance across the floor.
Are swag lamps suitable for renters?
No wiring is needed, which makes them workable in a rental. The hook is the part to check: it means a hole in the ceiling, so read your lease or ask your landlord first.
Is a swag lamp the same as a plug-in pendant?
Nearly. Plug-in describes the power and swag describes the draped cord, so a swag lamp is a plug-in pendant whose cord drapes to the wall. Run the cord tight along the ceiling with clips instead and it's still a plug-in hanging lamp, just with less swag.
If you're starting from the look, browse our bamboo pendant lights, then add a cord kit with the plug for your country.
