The Best 11 Attic Lighting Ideas To Transform Your Space

Attics aren’t particularly known for being well-lit. Maybe you’ve long left this space unattended except for dusty boxes. Maybe you avoid your attic because it’s damp, dark, and dingy, full of cobwebs and forgotten keepsakes. It doesn’t have to be this way, though. This vaulted-ceiling room has a lot of potential – you just need to know how to transform it.

Assuming your under-roof space is fully finished and safe to occupy, the below attic lighting ideas can entirely change it. Good lighting can genuinely make your attic a viable option for storage, game nights, or an extra bedroom. And you can add it into your home while leaving plenty of wiggle room in your budget – and without hiring an electrician.

11 attic lighting ideas to transform your storage

The below attic lighting ideas can illuminate your surroundings while matching your aesthetic preferences and your attic’s functionality. Maybe you’re looking to transform your attic into a soothing space for movies, meditation, or reading. Or perhaps you really do just need it for storage, but you need enough light to see your belongings. In either case, these 11 attic lighting ideas should help you get there.

1. Rope lights

If you’re crafty and into DIY projects with a splash of nautical flair, the funky rope light makes for a unique fixture. It’s an excellent fit for a furnished attic in need of some character. It’s also simple to set up – just hang it languidly over a ceiling beam for a casual yet put-together appearance.

This rope dangling from an exposed pipe can create an industrial metropolitan vibe in a space you never knew could look so beautiful. All you need is a power source (whether plug or battery) and tools for keeping the rope in place, and voila – astonishing attic lighting.

2. Hardwired fixtures

You can easily turn hardwired fixtures on and off with the flick of a switch. You’ll need to connect them to your home’s wiring, which can make this a more challenging endeavor, but it may be well worth the investment. The good news is that many attics have at least one hardwire circuit. That means even if you’re not an electrician, you can carefully try putting in a simple hardwired fixture yourself. For example, basic overhead fixtures with an incandescent bulb can be a great starting point for an attic.

3. LED hanging lights

Exposed hanging incandescent bulbs have long been a popular type of fixture for attics, and you achieve that look more safely with hanging LED lights. Since LEDs emit less heat than incandescents, if it’s a tight squeeze in the attic, then your space won’t get as hot. You’re also less likely to burn yourself if you bump into your bulbs accidentally.

Though aesthetics are important when renovating a space, safety matters too. And with so many LED options now available, you don’t have to sacrifice safety for visual appeal.

4. Chandelier

The grandeur of a chandelier is sure to make a statement in a finished attic with high, sloping ceilings. You can install it in the center of your attic for a dramatic and well-lit ambiance that gives off decadence. You’ll hardly recognize the space you once kept around solely for storing cardboard boxes. And if your attic gets ample natural light during the day, your chandelier can keep that level of illumination going at night too.

5. Clamp lights

Maybe you associate lamps with clamp bases with workspaces, not a decorative fixture. Maybe you view it as a basic table lamp but clamped awkwardly on uncovered poles or hinges. In reality, the clamp light is an excellent opportunity to flex your attic design muscles. Figuring out how to make something as simple as a clamp light look intentional and interesting takes serious creativity. Or you can just use it for basic needs like illuminating your storage.

If you’re using clamp lights to brighten your attic workspace or studio, take a look at the wattage – larger fixtures can emit a lot of heat. Bigger LED clamp lights might also cost a bit more, depending on the size. Of course, you can still see your attic in a whole new way with a small plug-in clamp.

6. Attic skylights

An attic provides easy access to natural light since it’s right under your roof. That’s why windows strategically placed on the ceiling are an optimal way to see your way through an attic during the day. And then, for a nighttime transition, you can go bold with a chandelier or dynamic with color-changing LED strips.

7. Pendant lights

The pendant light can be more decorative and less energy-consuming than other fixtures, so it’s perfect for attics’ unique, angular ceilings. Without a traditional flat ceiling for fixtures, try hanging the pendants from a higher part of the angular beams. This way, you don’t bump your head into your hanging fixtures.

Pendants come in various styles, so chances are you can find the ideal look for the space you’re cultivating. For example, maybe you have a big attic, and you want to section off a corner for reading or writing away from the storage. In that case, you could install a few pendants to provide optimal light for your new reading nook.

8. Billiard lights

Although basements – may be the polar opposite of attics – often house game rooms, you can also cordon off a finished attic for game time. This way, you create an additional space away from the rest of the house solely for gaming. If you add a pool table to your gaming attic, then add billiard lighting to elevate your surroundings. It both looks the part and gives ample light for you to showcase your skills at the table. LED bulbs will take this attic lighting idea to the next level. And even if you don’t put a pool table in the attic, billiard lighting still has the same practical effect.

9. Floor lamps

Floor lamps are an easy addition to brighten up the space whenever a room needs more brightness. These fixtures plug into electrical sockets, fit a variety of bulb types from incandescent to LED, and come in dynamic styles. That means floor lamps are equally great for function and form. Plus, you can upcycle their bases from vintage stands that you buy locally from a small business or craft by hand. That sort of DIY project could be fun for the whole family.

10. Automatic night lights

A night light keeps you out of the dark, which can come in handy in a notoriously spooky room of the house like an attic. You could even say they’re the modern-day equivalent of taking a candle to explore the archives of the creaky floorboards above. And with the BlissEmber Smart Multicolor Night Light, you can automate these tiny-but-mighty fixtures with motion-sensing capabilities that work from up to 20 feet away.

BlissEmber Smart Multicolor Night Light

$14.99

A guiding light, a source of comfort, a way to transform your space.

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The BlissEmber combines awe-inspiring hues with a classic soft white option. This way, you get both mood lighting and clear illumination for safe nighttime passage. Plus, you can control the BlissEmber from the BlissHome mobile app or connect it to your Google Home or Alexa for voice control. It’s easy to set up and control, and it instantly infuses your attic with living color.

BlissLights will transform your attic

Attic lighting ideas are best when they work with the space and account for your attic’s distinctive layout and structure. As you light your attic, you should consider which options are truly feasible – can track lights really work without a flat ceiling? Then, once you know what’s possible, you can play around with all the above styles to find one that suits your vision.

In any attic, BlissLights are a great choice. With their smart technology, you can shift your perspective on your attic in the blink of an eye. They give you millions of color options, energy-efficient illuminations, and other effects that let you see your world in a new way. Browse the BlissLights indoor collection now to discover the best fixtures for your attic metamorphosis.