Good lighting is essential in any living space. It plays a vital role in making your home feel elegant and comfortable. Yet rental spaces don’t always come with perfect — or even good — lighting. That doesn’t mean you’re stuck with bad lighting forever and ever. It just means you may have to improvise a little to get the lighting you want and deserve.
Read on to discover the top five apartment lighting fixes!
Replace the Lightbulbs
Living in a rental doesn’t mean you’re doomed to stick with the lightbulbs that were there when you moved in. If you’re finding that the pre-installed lightbulbs are casting an undesirable glow, then you have every right to change them to your liking! If you’re looking for a cozy, warm lighting, then incandescent bulbs are probably your best bet for installing new. They’re relatively cheap, so they won’t break your budget, but they do get hot very quickly and need to be changed frequently. If you’re looking for a whiter, brighter light, aim for installing halogen bulbs. These give off a more natural-looking light, similar to sunlight, and are great if you’re looking for a little more brightness in your day-to-day activities. They also last a very long time.
Lamp Up
Another fantastic thing you can do to take your lighting game to the next level is purchase some lamps! This will give you more control over the directional lighting in your apartment and where you’d like it to be emphasized. Lamps are also a great way to add a bit of personality to your space.
[tweetthis]Use mirrors to disperse the brightening light in your room, giving the illusion of added space.[/tweetthis]
Use Mirrors
If you’re looking to fix the lighting in your living space, you can think outside the box and utilize mirrors to brighten up your rental. Placing mirrors close to windows and other lighting fixtures will maximize brightness and allow the light to be reflected and more evenly dispersed throughout the room. Mirrors also make a space appear bigger, which is an added bonus.
Update Your Fixtures
It’s the same deal as the lightbulbs: Just because the lighting fixtures came with the rental doesn’t mean you’re stuck with them! Replace outdated or unattractive-looking fixtures with more modern, hip and tasteful fixtures. You can easily find awesome fixtures for cheap prices at your local thrift store or discounted online. And if you’re worrying what your property manager will say about this, don’t. Just as long as you restore the fixtures as they originally were before you move out, you’ll be just fine.
Utilize Natural Lighting
You can play with the lighting in your living space until the cows come home, but sometimes the best lighting for your space is the natural kind. To make the most of Mother Nature’s lighting, aim to paint your walls white and invest in some sheer white curtains. This will allow maximum natural light into your living space and also create a bright and airy atmosphere.
Heading over to IKEA for some lamps? While you’re at it, check out these awesome IKEA hacks for your apartment!