How We Turned a Plug-In Stick Lamp into a Ceiling Pendant for Teddy’s Room

After more than a year without overhead lighting in most upstairs rooms, we finally added a ceiling fixture to Teddy’s room. It’s a small upgrade that makes a big difference—ceiling lights are incredibly convenient, and you don’t fully appreciate that until you’ve lived without one.

I spotted a stick-style lamp on Joss & Main that felt beachy and geometric, and I immediately imagined it as a pendant. John agreed it would make a great ceiling light, so we ordered it with the plan to convert the plug-in table lamp into a hardwired hanging fixture.

When the lamp arrived, we turned it over to see how it was assembled. A small screw held the cord in place for tabletop use, so that was the first thing we removed to gain access to the interior hardware.

With that screw out, we exposed a bolt that secured the cord kit and shade. We considered simply cutting off the plug and hardwiring the fixture, which is often possible, but the original socket was for a very small bulb. We wanted a brighter light and a standard-size bulb, so we removed the small socket and continued disassembling the rest of the wiring.

We unscrewed the remaining socket from below to free the shade and the internal parts. Once the wiring and socket were out, we were left with just the shade and its bottom ring—the perfect spot to attach a standard light kit.

We purchased a basic white pendant light kit from a big box store and threaded the pendant cord up through the top ring of the shade so the cord rests on the curved bulb holder. That positions the bulb neatly in the center of the arched stick shade and keeps the fixture balanced.

Safety was a concern—would a shade made from wood sticks be a fire hazard? Paper shades and woven basket shades are commonly used with light bulbs as long as there’s ventilation at the top and bottom and the bulb doesn’t sit right up against the material. To reduce heat and increase efficiency, we used an LED bulb. LEDs produce far less heat than incandescent bulbs while providing the same light, so they’re a better match for unconventional shades like this one. Still, give bulbs adequate clearance and ventilation.

Now Teddy’s room is fitted with a warm-white LED that should last for many hours before replacement. The new fixture throws a soft, pleasant glow and—according to John—looks like a robot eagle holding the bulb, which he finds amusing.

The stick design also echoes other elements in the nursery—the driftwood mobile and the white lines on our T-shaped accent wall—so it ties the room together visually without being literal. The subtle reference creates cohesion and gives the space a gently curated feel.

Here it is lit up—soft and cozy, exactly what a child’s room needs.

While we were at it, we snagged a little side table at a yard sale for a dollar. The price was irresistible, and the color happens to match our vintage rocking horse perfectly. With the pendant and a few secondhand finds, Teddy’s room feels finished for now.

Clara has been spending a lot of time in Teddy’s room, enjoying the rocking horse and the cozy light—she can make it look like it’s about to launch her right out the window, but so far no injuries (knock on wood).

We’ve also received requests to show our bedroom fixture glowing at night, so we included a photo of that as well. The bedroom light projects soft, organic shapes across the ceiling and creates a warm atmosphere.

Update: We’ve transitioned our whole house to LED bulbs. They use far less energy, save money, and last a very long time, which means you change bulbs much less often. We prefer LEDs with a warm, natural glow rather than cool or blue-tinted light—those deliver comfortable, familiar illumination that works well in living spaces.