This is always a challenge. You don't want cords trailing across an open space nor do you want to have them under a rug because that's dangerous too. What I've done is install a floor outlet, which is a small brass contraption that has a screw off lid (to cover it when nothing is plugged in). You just have to make sure that it's placed exactly where you need it and don't cover it with a rug.

If you're having a sofa table behind the sofa, and the sofa table will not be sitting on a rug, I'd install the floor outlet under the sofa table. That way you can plug in your lamp and hide the cord and the outlet too. Draw up your floorplan exactly, and determine if this solution will work for you.

Floor outlets are great solutions. They look classy and are the only practical way to have lamps in the middle of a room. Also, floor outlets are easy to install in the first floor of older homes because you only need access from the basement and don't have to disturb the walls or snake whips through impossibly small spaces

We had this problem when we remodeled our house. A floor outlet was planned, and then never put in. The floors were in, and there was no access to wiring. We were very disappointed. Now we're in that same position: we want to do a hearth grouping and don't know how to add a reading lamp.
Any other creative solutions? Battery operated lamps?

The floor outlet would be a good solution for us, however....our single floor home is built on a concrete slab and there is no crawl space or basement underneath. As Iribnick asks, any other creative solutions? Battery operated lamps?

Hi kkell5

You could use a low-voltage table lamps like this http://www.ylighting.com/holtkoetter-6238-1.html. The wire on the lamp would need to be extended but because its low voltage it can be placed under the carpet pad to the plug in transformer at the wall. (The wire would need to be placed so it would not be crushed by furniture etc) A better choice would be to score the concrete with a grinder, to create a thin groove in which to place the LV wire.

As an alternate, consider a full slab cut in the concrete to get the floor outlet(s) exactly where you want them. This is going to give you the most long-term options. We do this frequently on our projects and it isnt a very difficult (or expensive) task for an experienced GC. I've attached a photo of a project which shows how its done.

Steve

For some reason the Ylighting link isnt working correctly, so here's a screenshot of the correct link.

We had this problem too, and found a rechargeable floor lamp that doesn't need to be plugged in. We plug in it next to a wall when it needs charging (not very often), and then move it next to our sofa which floats in the room. We found it at Hammacher Schlemer.

These are some great additional suggestions. We've got an old (abandoned) radiant heating system imbedded in the concretes slab, so I'm not sure we'd be brave enough to cut into the concrete, since we have no blueprint of where those water lines were laid. But we'll definitely talk with our GC about it!

Hi kkell5, we use a locating company with a GPR (ground penetrating radar) device to scan concrete slabs whenever we have post tension or hydronic radiant heat tubing in slab floors. They can pin-point the location of both, and the cost is usually quite reasonable.

Steve

We offer cordless table lamps (rechargeable and LED driven) in a variety of styles and finishes??? Please visit us at: www.modernlantern.com

Thanks and sorry for the blatant plug;) but this is exactly why we created our line of battery operated lamps.

Thanks will check out the battery source

rayannaleigh - what did you end up using for your battery source? Or did you end up doing something else? I am in the same sort of situation and thinking that a battery source under the table would be a good option.

We were wanting to have the concrete on our new build scored to add a power outlet to the center of the room, but our builder told us it would compromise the integrity of our foundation...I thought that was a little silly sounding, but I'm not a contractor. Any thoughts?

We had TWO Floor outlets installed when we put in our wood floors. We have NEVER used them because they are covered by the area rug! Has anyone ever slit a rug to accommodate ?