Wireless light switches

I went for ZWave Fibaro switch modules (and there's a dimmer module available too).

You can hardwire these to a momentary or rocker switch if you want, or you can use it (via a ZWave controller hub) paired with battery switches.

Neutral is preferred at the module, but it is designed to get by without if necessary (you may need a bypass model in parallel with LED lights - they make one).

You've gone from "simple" to "home automation" but overall it works well IME. I like the hardwired switches as lights still work even if the ZWave hub blows up. I suspect in your case you could hardwire from the existing switch and add battery ZWave switches to your other locations.

Choice of hub is the hard bit - they vary from "s**te" to "mid cost and mostly OK" to "f*ck, how much!!?" - but Raspberry Pi + Zwave dongle + Home Assistant software may be a nice option - I'm thinking of moving to that.

Anyway - one idea out of I expect many possible options.

Amazon Echo dot and smart bulbs? Brian

Another option: wire it up in enamelled copper wire, which can sit in noting more than a scratch in the plaster surface. Now run that switch wiring on 6v using a relay to get it to switch the mains power.

NT

You could use self adhesive copper tape and later paper over it in a similar manner. Like most things there is reasonable quality stuff and some that will be more adhesive than copper.

Very easy to solder to. enamelled wire needs a bit of care scraping a clean spot without breaking on the really fine stuff. An old ignition coil would yield loads of it though the oil could make things messy. Coils are are a thing of the past though and I doubt a kid is allowed to wander in a pile of scrap cars and remove one now like I used to.

GH