These viral rechargeable bulbs are a genius way to get rid of unsightly cords and offer lighting without outlets

Like most design buffs, I believe overhead lights should be off-bounds when looking to create beautiful interiors. In my home, I’ve used at least a couple of lamps per room for gentle low-level lighting which is far more calming and aesthetically pleasing than ceiling lights. The downside, however, is that having lots of lamps dotted around also means lots of unsightly cables on show which I’m always keen to hide behind strategically placed furniture (and that's ensuring you have enough free outlets to power them all in the first place)

Luckily, there’s a clever solution that’s having a bit of a moment across social media right now, and for good reason. It’s a clever rechargeable USB bulb that you can use for your lamps to eradicate the need for cords completely. The added benefit of this idea, whether used as living room lighting or in the bedroom, is that the USB bulb is also practical if you don’t have enough power outlets for all your beautiful side lights, meaning no more need for ugly extension cables, either!

I recently spotted this genius lighting trend on Instagram where the cord of a lamp was hidden in its base and a USB bulb like this one from Amazon was used, making the lamp not only more aesthetically pleasing without the cable, but also portable. With a USB bulb, you can move your lamps around the house, from shelf to mantlepiece to sideboard, without having to worry about finding a power outlet or trailing extension cables around the room. 

It’s a great purchase if you’re going down the path of making your own lamp at home, too. In one of his recent social media posts, interior designer Nate Berkus taught us his vase-to-lamp hack: how to make our own lamps from a vase, a shade, and a lamp kit by drilling a hole at the bottom of the chosen base (a vase) to pull the cord through. With a USB bulb you can skip the drilling, therefore not compromising the base from ever being used again for anything else other than a lamp. This means you can still use the lamp base as a vase later on.

When choosing your USB bulb, be mindful of what color light you pick, as it can make a difference to how your interior looks and feels. ‘Always choose bulbs with a warm tone rather than stark white and always LEDs, which have improved so much in recent years,’ says Charlie Bowles, lighting expert at Original BTC. 

‘When it comes to choice of bulb, ideally, all your lights should be controlled separately and on dimmers, so you can switch off your bright task lighting when it’s time to sit down and relax,’ he adds. You can find USB chargeable bulbs that are dimmable, and with a warm yellow light, especially suited for bedroom lighting, that will work perfectly for turning on the lamps and relaxing in their calming glow in the evenings.