The HGTV-Approved Kitchen Lighting Hack That Won't Break The Bank

Technology makes many aspects of our lives safer and more convenient, but our reliance upon it means we're susceptible to the lows of highly technical instruments failing or falling apart entirely. Some broken pieces of tech can have a huge impact, be it a refrigerator that can't keep its temperature consistent or a log splitter that starts leaking when you have a pile of wood next to it. Similarly, when your best desk lamp stops lighting up, it might be annoying to sit in the dark until you find a replacement, but your biggest disappointment would be getting rid of that nice lamp frame entirely. 

That's where HGTV's Jennifer Todryk of "No Demo Reno" comes into the picture with a quick, affordable hack that offers a way to reuse your broken lamp as a new kitchen light. Todryk showed off this particular home decor trick during her show's 2023 season, proving that a broken old lamp can be reborn. For DIY'ers who aren't ready to part with their favorite thrift store aesthetic lighting, all you need to get this hack going is a pair of scissors and a puck light. And believe it or not, once this is done, that sane old lamp is about to bring light to your house without its cord. 

Jennifer Todryk aims to "cozy up" her kitchen in a third season clip posted to the @hgtv TikTok account, and she starts by purchasing some battery-powered puck lights, which can facilitate a variety of upscale DIY lighting hacks if you nab them in bulk. In this case, Todryk elects not to adhere the light to any one surface. Rather, she balances the small piece of tech on her lamp's empty lightbulb socket, which give the impression of a fully illuminated lampshade without having to rely on any electricity coming through the broken appliance. 

Todryk's affordable lighting hack can potentially apply to any lamp (so long as it has a cover). However, the detail that sets this hack apart is how your new battery-powered light source lets you simply cut away the cord at the base of your lamp. As she puts it, "It's just something that's subtle and cozy, kinda brings the living room into the kitchen."  Indeed, this approach facilitates a cleaner aesthetic by removing any extra wires that would otherwise run along your countertop. It's easy to see why that's a boon for someone whose kitchen is also a TV set, but for average homeowners or renters, this also saves wall socket spaces.

If you don't have a broken lamp, there's nothing to say you can't try this hack with any appliance, to capture an aesthetic without the cumbersome plug. Components are very affordable, with puck light two-packs costing a little over $5, so it's worth following Todryk's lead and potentially reusing your old electronics for years beyond their shelf life.