If your home is not on a slab foundation, it's very easy and relatively inexpensive to work from a basement or crawl space to add floor outlets where you need them.

I'm so sorry to hear of your delima, but it made me chuckle and I'll tell you why. Your builder must have been chatting with my DH. My DH is building our house and we discussed that we'd need an outlet in the floor of the great room because of furniture placement. Well, that was one of those decisions I thought we were going to decide on later. One night we're over by the house looking at how the kitchen looks with the lights and DH tells me, here, come see, this is the outlet for the great room floor. I look down and it's smack in the middle of the room. I asked him if he'd lost his mind temporarily when he cut that hole in the middle of the room? He looked me square in the face and said "You told me to put it there." Well, all I could do is laugh because I knew, not even on my worse day, would I tell him to do that. So thankfully it was only in the subfloor and not actually connected yet. LOL Thankfully, now I have an outlet under the sofa.

So I feel for you. Like the other poster asked, if you have a raised house, the move won't be too much of a problem. Where it is now is very bad as it is a hazard if hidden under a rug.

I'll keep my eye open for battery operated lighting for you.

Thanks guys, but unfortunately, yes, our house is on a slab foundation, so no basement or crawlspace to rework it. (We moved to lower AL, where there are no basements, from VA where we had a full basement, and boy do we miss it!!)

But yes, I understand the fire risk, which is really why I'd rather have some sort of battery operated lamp or something akin (are there solar lamps?).

But Brutuses, good for you discovering the 'error' before it was too late! We bought the house new, but already complete, however, you'd think either the builder or electrician would have some foresight into these things! Agh!

hokie, post this on the electrical forum as someone may know of a wireless transmitter or some such device which will allow lamps where you'd prefer. If not, can you place a cord cover over an extension from the least trafficked wall to your end table locations? Not ideal, but not as obtrusive or as dangerous as loose wires. If you have hardwood floors, you can have some boards pulled and wires positioned where you need. Replacing floorboards is fairly easy.

DH said you can cut a groove into the concrete and move the plug where you want it, in the floor. With either carpet or wood, this would require pulling it up.

We have a great room and put two plugs under our sofa location. Worked out perfectly for sofa table w/two lamps. We have a floor lamp behind one chair at FP (no room for table there). On the wall between arches leading to foyer and DR we have a chest with a lamp. I refused to put cans in my cathedral ceiling, so we have four sconces. Do you have an attic? Can you add sconces to the room? We keep the two lamps on sofa table and four sconces on each night.

Thanks for your help. I just can't believe there aren't many options out there for me in regards to cordless lamps. The room as recessed lighting and we installed a dimmer, so we can dim the lights. I just would like some lamps on the end tables to add a little more ambiance (guess I could just put them there without plugging them in! LOL!). I don't think the sconces will really work for us - we only have one wall to put them on - the back wall behind the sofa. I guess my only other option right now, short of keeping it lamp-less, is a cord cover and run the cord over to one of the wall outlets.

Here are a few pics - if you guys have an suggestions, I'm all ears...these pics are about 6 mths old, and a few things have changed, but nothing major...

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hokie, I have the exact same problem. I recently ordered a rug knowing full well that my end table lamps may be unusuable...sigh. DH suggested cutting a slit in the rug---aaarrrrggggghhhhh.

You mentioned lower AL, what part of AL? I grew up in Geneva County, AL. If you don't mind, I would like to see pics of your foyer. I'm looking for foyer ideas and my living room is open to the right of the foyer. Thanks

Buy an extension cord with a flat plug, cut off the outlet end and rewire the lamp w/it.

Jim

Is there an outlet in the pillar by the beige loveseat? If so, you could run the cord under the loveseat and put a lamp on the table at the end. What about those arc lamps, are they too modern for your taste?

hokie, just to let you know that you aren't the only one! I have the same problem. The only way I could figure it out was to slice the carpet a bit, but, I bought a very exprensive rug (to me, anyway) and there is no way I am cutting it. So, for now, I just have my lamp sitting on the end table next to couch, NOT plugged in anywhere. My rug is huge, so I couldn't even run it under the table.

I agree about the battery-operated lamps. I did an internet search for them a couple of weeks ago and couldn't find a thing.

It's late and I just did a quick search and found this. Not sure if it will work, but you can explore. It's a wireless remote module that sounds like it will do the trick. You may want to post on electrical and/or repair forum or just contact a vendor to be sure.

Here is a link that might be useful: this might work

Sorry; that remote will not work. I'll search again later.

http://www.taylorgifts.com/prodetail~itemno~26593~src~SMARTS46.asp
cordless reading lamp

http://www.harrietcarter.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/categoryID/2DDC028A-541D-46CB-8BCC-172B2AA4D1DA/productID/AEDE5A87-C68F-4AC6-A78F-7B7A7A1589B8

Could you run wiring down from the ceiling in through the columns and put outlets on the columns?

The problem with battery lamps, I would think, is that you will be changing batteries constantly.

I would also consider adding can lights in the top of the bookcases on either side of the fireplace, as well as wall sconces, a narrow table and a mirror or artwork on the long wall behind the couch that is shared with the entry.

Hope you get all the details worked out. You have a lovely home!

We put an outlet in the middle of the new living room because the room is so large. I'm going to have a large braided rug and it will probably cover the outlet. What I plan on doing is cutting a square out of the rug to go over the outlet, and allow enough space on all sides of the outlet for safety.

I figure I won't be selling my rug to anyone, and it won't be noticeable at ALL. If I should eventually move the rug to a different area, then I'll sew the patch back into the rug. Problem solved! :)

Having the exact same problem with improper floor outlet placement. Grrrr...

It might have been better to start a new thread instead of dredging up one that's nine years old, but FWIW there are battery-operated lamps now, but they are still expensive:

https://www.modernlantern.com

Their styles are all modern, but they do sometimes have more traditional styles in their Etsy store. Don't know anyone who's used one, so can't say about quality, but they are still pretty much the only company doing full-sized battery-powered lamps, as opposed to table-top ambient lighting, and some rather industrial-looking task lighting.

Sold that house almost 5 years ago and just lived without lamps. So my problem is solved. Current home has a plug about 3/4 the way of the room - MUCH better location.

Thanks writersblock for mentioning our rechargeable lamps! We are that problem solver;)

Look up Sleek Socket on Amazon

What a great product! Jim, thanks for sharing.