{"id":9850,"date":"2018-09-17T16:44:25","date_gmt":"2018-09-17T23:44:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rentecdirect.com\/blog\/?p=9850"},"modified":"2018-09-17T16:44:25","modified_gmt":"2018-09-17T23:44:25","slug":"light-a-living-room","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rentecdirect.com\/blog\/light-a-living-room\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Light a Living Room with No Overhead Lighting"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"light<\/p>\n

When you rent a place to live, you are often most focused on important details like location, neighbors, community, and other must-have <\/span>rental features<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

But what if, as you move the last box into a new place, you realize that your living room have no overhead lighting?<\/span><\/p>\n

Lack of overhead lighting occurs in rentals for various reasons. Sometimes, you <\/span>rent a house that was built a while ago<\/span><\/a> (this style became popular in 1945 and stuck around through the 1980s). Sometimes, an apartment was built in such a way that the ceiling space is taken up by an AC system leaving no room for lights. Or, sometimes, the owner simply decided to save some money on rewiring and decorating. For one reason or another, you may end up living in such place.<\/span><\/p>\n

What can you do to fix a home that lacks overhead lighting, while still keeping the rental intact and not wasting money on unreliable solutions that you cannot take with you after moving out? <\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, I will explore options for how to light a rental with no overhead lighting and what to avoid.<\/span><\/p>\n

How NOT to Light a Living Room<\/span><\/h2>\n

Even though some of these examples might save you time and (a little) money, you will end up sacrificing efficiency, style, and it could end up costing you in the future. <\/span><\/p>\n

These solutions may also <\/span>damage the rental property<\/span><\/a>. This means that either the landlord will keep the deposit to fix the damages after you move out or you will have to do repairs yourself. <\/span><\/p>\n

So, here are options that you should NOT consider when you are trying to light a room with no overhead lighting.<\/span><\/p>\n

No-go option #1: Battery operated lights<\/span><\/h3>\n

Mounting a battery operated light to your ceiling might seem like a simple, cost saving option to brighten up your space. <\/span><\/p>\n

Even though these lights are marketed as a wireless remote controlled breeze, the inconvenience they cause are not worth the money you save.First of all, you may no be allowed to make any holes in the ceiling or wall meaning you won\u2019t be able to mount the lights properly.<\/span><\/p>\n

Battery operated lights tend to be unreliable or dim. Additionally, since there are so many parts involved with this lighting system, you run the risk of losing remotes and dealing with dead batteries.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

No-go option #2: LED strip lighting<\/span><\/h3>\n

LED strip lighting is a battery operated alternative to the ceiling mounted options. <\/span><\/p>\n

For some reason, people have taken to stringing these lights around the corners of their ceiling.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to the annoyances of traditional battery powered lights, LED strip lights can be eyesore. Since this type of lighting is mounted with a sticky tape, you won\u2019t be able to re-use them after you move to a new place and you might end up losing money.<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead of wasting time on the fixes above, try these options instead!<\/span><\/p>\n

Three options to light a living room in a rental<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Source: westelm.com<\/a><\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Option 1: Large arc floor lamp<\/span><\/h3>\n

This replacement for an overhead fixture is the simplest way to supplement a living room with no overhead lighting. It comes with some pros and cons:<\/span><\/p>\n

Large Arc Floor Lamp Pros:<\/span><\/h3>\n