Scour flea markets, garage sales and thrift stores for antique lamps. These may include floor lamps, table lamps or light fixtures. Purchase a unit that you like and take it home. Do not plug it in, since antique wiring is frail and may have shorts. Take the lamp apart and restore all the non-electrical parts. If you need specialized knowledge, professional antique restoration shops such as Victorian Reflections can assist you. After all the parts are restored, take the lamp to a licensed electrician to have all the old internal components replaced with modern electrical components. If you enjoy this project, you may wish to turn this activity into a business, doing antique light fixture restorations for money.
You need bright light for doing detailed work but you want a slightly dimmer light for TV viewing. A light dimmer varies the level of light in a room. Replacing a light switch with a dimmer is a quick and easy way to alter the mood of a room just by the level of light. Call around to several licensed electricians who can replace your switch with a dimmer in less than half an hour.
Solar driveway lights make life a little easier at night. These self-contained units each have a solar cell and battery. The solar cells charge the batteries during the day and the units light up automatically at night. To install the units, simply push them into the ground--no electrical knowledge is required. According to The United States Department of Energy, solar lights are a great way to illuminate your driveway because the installation is easy and no outside source of electricity is needed.
Convert an oil lamp into an electrical lamp. Obtain a diamond tipped glass drill bit and drill out the glass where you want the cord to run through. Hide the hole near the base since you want the lamp to look like an oil lamp. Codes vary on the required size of the hole---consult an electrician for the correct sized hole. After you drill the hole, have an electrician wire in a socket for a light bulb.