Hey folks! I would like to design and build some custom wall sconces for my living room to compliment some new furniture we purchased. I'm pretty decent with wood and have done some household electrical, but have never built a lighting fixture and would appreciate some guidance.

The sconces will be relatively simple. As a base/foundation/back I will use a plank of reclaimed wood, approximately 30"-36" tall by about 18" wide. I have these great iron grills which I plan to mount on a 1.5" deep wood frame which would in turn be mounted on the reclaimed wood plank. As for the lighting, I was thinking of I was thinking about just using some rope lighting or perhaps a standard socket and bulb. I want to use some rice paper, or a plastic filter of some sort, behind the iron grill to hide the inner workings. Rather than hard wiring this, I'd like to make these so that they just plug into an outlet.

First, any major issues, concerns, observations or suggestions?

If not, then I have a couple of questions.

Is rope lighting the best material for this application? Or am I better off just mounting a socket?

I'd like to build a switch into the wood frame of each fixture that would control the lights, just a simple toggle switch or something. Should this be a problem?

I know that heat and wood do not mix well, what do I need to do to protect the wood from the heat of the bulb?

Any other suggestions or thoughts would be much appreciated. Am I missing anything?

I've looked around, but I cannot seem to find a good tutorial online for making light fixtures. It would be great to know what sorts of components I will need to make this work right.

Thanks!

Rope lighting would be a good choice for any project where a lighting source comes in proximity with wood. Any switch you use will need to have it's connections within the confines of an approved junction box or raceway. A CFL would eliminate the heat issue if you decide to go with a socket. Go to a lighting display showroom and look at the sconces. Don't try to re-invent the wheel, just use existing fixtures as your examples and expand on that. Good luck.