Adhesive Sconces Are Everywhere Right Now—And Designers Love These

alexandra gater peel and stick light
The Internet Is Obsessed With Adhesive Lights RN Carla Antonio


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A common belief in the design industry is that lighting can make or break a room's ambiance, but what more can you really do to improve upon your scheme than swap your current bulbs for warm white alternatives or add a few table lamps? According to social media's savviest home DIYers, the internet is packed with design enthusiasts brightening up their spaces by way of adhesive sconces. Think of this phenomenon as the lighting equivalent of peel-and-stick wallpaper: You use an adhesive backing to attach the battery-operated fixture to a wall. The result? A gorgeous glow-up, no hardwiring required.

"You can't really make a mistake," Galey Alix, DIY designer and host of HGTV's Home in a Heartbeat, explains. "If you install it and don't feel you got it in the perfect spot, simply peel it off and try again." For Alix, this decor trick is particularly convenient for renters who want to make their temporary spaces feel more personal. In fact, she says it's one of the lingering effects of the shelter-in-place order back in 2020.

"People invested in redoing their homes were not as invested in the cost of hiring an electrician or waiting for a permit to be approved," she explains. "Electrical work is not easy and requires permitting if you're running new electrical to a wall or ceiling, so the concept of lighting that didn't require hard-wired electrical was the perfect solution."

Meanwhile, design blogger member of House Beautiful's 2024 Creator Class Alexandra Gater notes that this approach can bring a warm, welcoming environment to any room of the house. "Now more than ever, people are really investing in their spaces whether they rent or own and lighting is such an integral part of feeling warm and cozy," she says. "In my makeovers, we often use adhesive fixtures as bedside wall lamps because I often work in tight spaces, and a table lamp won’t always fit without taking up valuable real estate."


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Not only are adhesive light fixtures incredibly easy to install (Gater says, "Anyone at any DIY level can install these") but there's a solution for virtually every room. While Gater is partial to brands like Poplight, which are Bluetooth-enabled and can be controlled by an app, Alix has plenty of great recommendations for tinier nooks and crannies.

"Smaller peel-and-stick circle lights work best under upper kitchen cabinets with a lip or overhang on the front," she says. You can tuck them underneath, and they aren't visible unless you bend down beneath the height of your uppers."

alexandra gater adhesive light2
Carla Antonio

Oh, and did we mention they're incredibly affordable? The price might vary by brand and style, but you can find a lot of options for under $50. And, thanks to the upgrades in adhesive lighting, you don't need to compromise quality to get a great deal.

"I've never once had an issue with these sticking," Alix says. "The technology behind these has come a long way and the stickiness is long lasting as well as the battery life, or the charge if you recharge them every few months." She does point out that applying these adhesive lights to older paint, wallpaper, or drywall might cause some damage. However, if you're willing to do some post-peel maintenance, adhesive lights continue to be easy, affordable, and absolutely illuminating.


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