Skyrim: Place lights in a House
Try the SM Drop Lit Torches (PC) / (Xbox One) mod:
This mod allows you to drop lit torches to the ground when you can't spare a hand to hold it.
You can combine this with a mod like Double Torch Radius or Torches for Realistic Lighting (but don't use Realistic Lighting as it will make interiors darker), to increase the light radius of torches.
Then, just drop lit torches all over your house (good thing all houses in Skyrim are fireproof).
A post (Renovate your House with console) in the Skyrim Nexus forums has a detailed description of how to use console commands to add light sources and other items in your game. It includes form IDs of objects that you might want to put at your house.
(Thanks to kotekzot for posting this link.)
Quoting a part of the post here:
Every FormID (item/object ID) (The best decorating categories are on the right.)
Light FormIDs onlyBasic Commands:
MarkForDelete = Delete Object (Open Console, while in console use mouse to click the item you want to delete, leave and return to area or Quicksave/load for the item to actually go away.)
Help X 0 = Replace X with query (ex. Help Bed 0.) to find everything named bed and get the objects ID.
Placeatme X = Replace X with Object ID (ex. Placeatme AF6AE.) Click a position while in console, will place the object there. (rarely works)
Player.placeatme X = Same as above except places object directly below you. Look straight ahead for object to spawn straight.
TWF = Wire frame to check clipping of objects.
TCL = Fly to allow you to place objects in air or on wall.
Getpos x,y,z = Gets the position of an object (ex. getpos z)
Setpos x,y,z # = Sets the position of an object. (ex. setpos z 250 ) good used with getpos to take floors z axis, then set your objects z axis to be the same.
Getangle x,y,z = Gets the angle of an object (ex. getangle z)
Setangle x,y,z # = Sets the angle of an object. (ex. setangle z 245 )
Rotate x,y,z # = Rotates the object manually. (ex. rotate z 245)
Setscale # = Sets size of object.
I've done some trawling. The best I can find is in this GameFAQs thread, where user rampagingwalrus uses the lit torches method, but puts them into kettles to keep them out of the way (another user mentions using baskets for the same purpose). If you're short on torches, player.AddItem X Y (where X is either 1d4ec, 36343, or c82c7, and Y is the amount) will give you some.
Other than that, I think it's mod time. Improved Interior Lighting (For Realistic Lighting Mods) allows for more realistic lighting in interior areas, and looks rather impressive. Better Vlindrel Hall Lighting specifically fixes Vlindrel Hall's lighting, while Better Breezehome Lighting fixes Breezehome's lighting, in both cases by adding new light sources. There's also Torches for Realistic Lighting which makes torches more realistic by increasing all torches' light radius. Note that all of these either require or assume you're using Realistic Lighting, which makes some impressive changes. Finally, there's Skyrim Enhanced Shaders fx - ENB, which improves the shaders and apparently adds lighting controls, but for some reason isn't on Steam Workshop. There's also House Mods, which improves all homes, and Hjerim Improved, which specifically improves Hjerim, but they both change the houses a lot more than just adding light, and the latter seems to be incompatible with Hearthfire. Personally, the Realistic Lighting Mod(s) looks the way to go.
On the PC, you can use the console to place any object anywhere. To position your new light sources perfectly, drag an object (default hold E over an item you can take) and move it where you would like your new light to be. Open the console and target the dragged item by clicking on it, then type "placeatme x" where X is the base ID of an object you would like to place.
Here's an except of a list of some objects you can place with the console that are most relevant to you
- 1b410 Ruins wall sconce
- 1b061 Ruins ceiling sconce
- 19e25 Ruins floor sconce
- 6b36a Dwemer chandelier
- 5adea Dwemer floor sconce
- 30ad1 Dwemer wall sconce
- 5d6e4 Dwemer wall candle
- 30ad2 Dwemer chandelier Lg
- 8d5fb Dwemer incense burner
So to place a chandelier you would use "placeatme 6b36a".
Do note that once a light source has been added, it can never be removed - you will be able to target and disable the sconce or whatever light source you've used, but the light it gives off will remain. It is advisable to make a hard save before adding lights, as well as inspect how the new lights interact with the environment before making the changes permanent.