How to Light a Room with No Overhead Lighting (No Expensive Rewiring Needed!)

I’m not exactly an interior designer, but as a style editor I’ve learned a thing or two from pros in my career covering smart home design. So when friends ask me for decorating advice, my first question is always the same: What’s the lighting like? Lighting is arguably the most important element when it comes to setting the mood in a space. It’s also one of the most common challenges that city-dwellers and renters face when styling their homes — myself included. 

Many of my peers whine over a lack of natural light in their spaces — or, a landlord who insists on boob lights with blue-toned LED bulbs. In my own apartment, I’m blessed with some natural light; but my living room came furnished with no overhead lighting at all. So in an effort to save my eyesight (and to make my empty ceiling look a bit less sad), I set out in search of the best renter-friendly, no-reno solutions for lighting a space without an overhead light. 

I spoke with two designers who specialize in overhauling small, poorly lit spaces, and they shared their expertise in dealing with rooms with no overhead lights. Amber Lowi, principal designer of San Francisco-based Amber Lowi Designs, starts with floor lamps; she often reaches for a tall, arching floor lamp. The arched design helps maximize the throw of ambient light, almost simulating the effect of an overhead pendant. But the designer also says that floor lamps, while “necessary,” are not the “complete idea.”

It’s also essential to include “battery-powered lamps, renter-friendly sconces, or other interesting plug-in pieces,” Lowi says. These types of fixtures can be placed higher up on walls, shelves, or ceilings, helping to more closely simulate the effect of natural and/or overhead lighting. 

New Jersey-based designer Shamika Lynch of Maximizing Tiny Interiors skips a floor lamp altogether in order to save some floor space: “[Pendants and sconces] work everywhere you would use a table lamp or a floor lamp,” she explains. “Choose something that fits your home’s personality and [also] adds visual interest to your wall space.”

Overhead lighting helps you see what you’re doing while you eat, clean, or craft in your living space. Even if you do have a ceiling fixture, “the big light” is usually far from warm and cozy, and often too bright to keep on while watching TV. In my own home, I’d be in serious need of lighting while eating dinner after the sun set (let alone when I wanted to craft!). 

After speaking to Lynch and Lowi, I finally decided that a plug-in pendant light would be the best for my space. Plus, I wanted a solution that would help add some intrigue to my ceiling, which felt sad and barren without a light. I ordered this gorgeous plug-in glass pendant light from Amazon, and got to work, ready to (finally) light up my living room. Now that it’s done, I can’t believe I didn’t do this sooner!

Because I like a challenge (and drama!) I decided to add a ceiling medallion and chandelier canopy for my plug-in pendant. Luckily, I have a lot of flexibility with changes I’m allowed to make to my apartment — and I’m not afraid to put a few holes in the wall. These helped make the light look a lot more built-in, but they’re definitely not necessary. I measured to determine the center of the room, attached the medallion with liquid nails adhesive, and the canopy with both adhesive and heavy-duty screws. 

I installed a hook in the corner of the room, and a power strip on the wall. I ran the cord up through that hook and out to the canopy, threaded it through the carabiner, added the glass shade and a smart bulb, and voilá! Let there be light! Not only does the new pendant throw a great amount of light, but it also makes the whole room look so much more chic and intentional. Plus, with a smart bulb, it’s now dimmable. 

As much as “the big light” might pain you to use, if your space is also lacking in daylight, you’ll likely find yourself using it more often than not. But there are other ways to re-create the effect of natural light: It all depends on how you design your lighting. Lynch’s #1 tip for spaces lacking natural light will cost you just $15 and 15 minutes.

“For rooms with no windows or obstructed windows, I’d recommend smart light bulbs where you can control the color temperature,” Lynch advises. You can also adjust their brightness, and even set them to “rise and fall” with the sun, gradually turning on at sunrise and off at sunset. When it comes to the actual light fixtures, Lynch specifically suggests using floor lamps and sconces that complement your layout. 

In my shopping for my own space, I came across several great products that I considered before deciding on my pendant. From floor lamps and pendants, to sconces and a few decorative table lamps, these are a few of our favorite picks. According to the designers I spoke with, the following solutions work especially well in living rooms and other spaces without any installed lighting.