“Interesting” plugs and light switches

[sidekickdmr]

Sorry, I’m going to be a bit of a pain in the ass with questions over the next month or two!

Light switches and sockets, in a wooden reclaimed wood treehouse, I don’t want modern stainless steel, nor do I want white plastic.

However, budget is a concern too so no point looking at hand forged cast iron masterpieces from the outer hebredies either.

Any suggestions for a decent, reliable brand that makes interesting stuff for reasonable money?

Thanks 🙂🙂

[sidekickdmr]

Are BG a good brand? Something like This could work!

BG Electrical nab22b Metal Antique Brass Double Plug Socket Switch - Antique Brass Black https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06VV7J7S4/ref=cm_sw_r...

[Contract Killer]

sidekickdmr said:

Are BG a good brand?

Nope, cheap st.

If you want antique brass, try Click Deco.

[PH5121]

Have a look at the Focus SB range.

[MatthewH5]

sidekickdmr said:

Are BG a good brand? Something like This could work!

BG Electrical nab22b Metal Antique Brass Double Plug Socket Switch - Antique Brass Black https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06VV7J7S4/ref=cm_sw_r...

BG are a budget brand but they're not too bad in my experience. Click Deco also get decent reviews as a prevous poster mentioned. Maybe something like this:
https://www.click4electrics.co.uk/deco-antique-bra...

Avoid cheap generic eBay items - usually imported directly from China with no approval or safety testing.

[yellowtang]

If you want interesting items then to be honest, you will need to spend a bit more. I went for Buster&Punch smoked bronze range in my house. Your project looks fantastic and well worth spending out on hardware that will do it justice!

https://www.busterandpunch.com

(I'm useless at working on a budget )

[sidekickdmr]

Yes the Click Deco stuff seems a good middle ground of price and style, and good to know they are good quality too!

Thanks

[drainbrain]

The A&H Brass catalogue might have something for you.

[pmanson]

How about brushed bronze?

We put some of these in our dining room last year, we did have an issue with one of the dimmers but Screwfix changed it straight away.

[GnuBee]

yellowtang said:

If you want interesting items then to be honest, you will need to spend a bit more. I went for Buster&Punch smoked bronze range in my house. Your project looks fantastic and well worth spending out on hardware that will do it justice!

https://www.busterandpunch.com

(I'm useless at working on a budget )

Another vote for Buster and Punch - we've used them in a few projects now (customer and personal). Your other option could be to go retro/vintage industrial - look at old Crabtree type switches for example on eBay, there's also a company called Hever Iron Works (http://www.heverironworks.co.uk/) that's doing the vintage industrial cast iron thing but with modern internals if you don't fancy doing it yourself.

[Crumpet]

yellowtang said:

If you want interesting items then to be honest, you will need to spend a bit more. I went for Buster&Punch smoked bronze range in my house. Your project looks fantastic and well worth spending out on hardware that will do it justice!

https://www.busterandpunch.com

(I'm useless at working on a budget )

Damn you! You’ve just cost me an absolute fortune.

[sgtBerbatov]

Someone on George Clarke's Amazing Spaces used switches out of a Vulcan for lighting. You could maybe utilise similar objects like that for a few pound?

[strath44]

Contract Killer said:

Nope, cheap st.

If you want antique brass, try Click Deco.

classic - based on what. We've fitted hundreds - currently of the Nexus Slim Range really happy and not had any fail yet in about 3 years of installing them.

The OP asked for a budget unit BG aren't crap and I wouldn't even describe them as budget, now something like Marbo I would describe as s**t!

[pterodroma]

I have used http://www.socketsandswitches.com/

Good range, and they can custom configure anything you want.

[sidekickdmr]

Loving some of these, esp the natural elements copper and the old cast iron style, however they are just too expensive for a glamping treehouse thats already cost me too much!

if anyone knows of anything similar but cheaper pls let me know

[yellowtang]

Crumpet said:

yellowtang said:

If you want interesting items then to be honest, you will need to spend a bit more. I went for Buster&Punch smoked bronze range in my house. Your project looks fantastic and well worth spending out on hardware that will do it justice!

https://www.busterandpunch.com

(I'm useless at working on a budget )

Damn you! You’ve just cost me an absolute fortune.

Ha! I aim to please

You won't regret it, makes such a difference to a room and the toggle/dimmers are a real talking point when showing people around the property. I went with brass toggles/dimmers on smoked bronze back plates for my light switches. Not cheap, but I think they look even more expensive than they actually are. The sockets work out really good value if you go for the module units for all the tv/phone/USB etc.

[crashley]

yellowtang said:

If you want interesting items then to be honest, you will need to spend a bit more. I went for Buster&Punch smoked bronze range in my house. Your project looks fantastic and well worth spending out on hardware that will do it justice!

https://www.busterandpunch.com

(I'm useless at working on a budget )

I'll have 25 2 gangs, 25 sockets and a er 1200cc Boneshaker....

https://www.busterandpunch.com/motorcycles/bonesha...

[Crumpet]

yellowtang said:

Ha! I aim to please

You won't regret it, makes such a difference to a room and the toggle/dimmers are a real talking point when showing people around the property. I went with brass toggles/dimmers on smoked bronze back plates for my light switches. Not cheap, but I think they look even more expensive than they actually are. The sockets work out really good value if you go for the module units for all the tv/phone/USB etc.

Well the problem is that kitting out the entire house will stretch to many, many thousands! A couple of rooms have three doorways and a switch by each one!

Just wondering whether I can get away with the entrance hallway, sitting and dining rooms done with the good stuff and then resort to decent, basic plastic for the other areas of the house. Or whether it’s going to seem weird and disjointed with different switches around the house? Maybe downstairs with the good stuff and plastic upstairs?

Sorry for the thread drift!

[pterodroma]

sidekickdmr said:

Loving some of these, esp the natural elements copper and the old cast iron style, however they are just too expensive for a glamping treehouse thats already cost me too much!

if anyone knows of anything similar but cheaper pls let me know

I spent a long time looking for similar but cheaper with no success. Might be worth thinking about bog standard in bedrooms and a few feature light switches etc.

https://www.rselectricalsupplies.co.uk/schneider-f...

Is a decent looking mid-range option. I wouldn't put them in a holiday cottage though, they will get battered.

[pterodroma]

Crumpet said:

Well the problem is that kitting out the entire house will stretch to many, many thousands! A couple of rooms have three doorways and a switch by each one!

Just wondering whether I can get away with the entrance hallway, sitting and dining rooms done with the good stuff and then resort to decent, basic plastic for the other areas of the house. Or whether it’s going to seem weird and disjointed with different switches around the house? Maybe downstairs with the good stuff and plastic upstairs?

Sorry for the thread drift!

I priced up >£5k of switches and sockets, then had a word with myself and did exactly this. Works really well in a large old house with lots of rooms. Modern, all white and open plan, maybe not.