Best Apartment Lighting

The problem this solves

Most rentals give you one ceiling light per room, or none in the living room. One overhead light leaves corners in shadow and makes a room look smaller. The fix is more light sources at different heights, not one brighter bulb. Our step-by-step guide, how to brighten a dark apartment without rewiring, explains why.

Try this before you buy anything

Clear the windows, put a mirror opposite or beside one, and move a lamp you already own into the darkest corner. Then check every bulb: a dim bulb in a good lamp is the most common problem.

What to look for

• Lumens, not watts. About 800 lumens replaces a 60-watt bulb; about 1,600 replaces a 100-watt bulb.
• Colour temperature. 2,700K to 3,000K for living rooms and bedrooms; around 4,000K for kitchens and desks.
• Plug-in or rechargeable. No wiring, nothing left behind.

Our picks at a glance

The picks in detail

1. Brighter bulbs for the lamps you own

2. An uplighter for the darkest corner

The best stand-in for a missing ceiling light: the ceiling spreads its light around the room.

3. Plug-in wall lights at eye level

4. Stick-on bars for worktops and wardrobes

5. Smart bulbs for dimming and schedules

Best smart lights for renters compares bulbs, strips and smart plugs.

Mistakes to avoid

• Mixing colour temperatures in one room. Warm and cool bulbs side by side look odd.
• Daylight bulbs in a living room. Bright, but cold and harsh in the evening.
• Ignoring the lamp's maximum wattage. LEDs are usually well under it, but check.
• Lighting only from above. Light at eye level and below makes a room feel softer and larger.

Running costs

LED lighting costs very little to run: a 10-watt bulb on for five hours a day uses about 18 kWh a year. See what do your appliances cost to run? for the sum at US and UK rates.

How we chose

These are research-based recommendations: we compared published specifications, maker documentation and the features that matter in a small home. We have not tested them hands-on. Most picks are types of product rather than single models, so the buttons open the retailer's results; compare a few listings before you buy, in your own country's store.

Light each room for what you do there

• Living room: an uplighter for general light, a lamp by the sofa for reading, and something at eye level such as a wall light. Warm white throughout.
• Kitchen: bright, neutral light on the worktop, where the ceiling light leaves you in your own shadow. Stick-on bars under wall cabinets fix this.
• Bedroom: warm, low light: bedside lamps rather than the ceiling light in the evening.
• Desk: a lamp to the side opposite your writing hand, aimed at the work, not the screen.
• Hallway and wardrobe: motion-sensor lights, so you never fumble for a switch.

Dimming and schedules

A dimmable bulb in a lamp, or a smart bulb, lets one fitting do two jobs: bright for cleaning, low for the evening. Put the main lamp on a sunset schedule with a smart plug and the room never sits dark when you come home.

Bulb basics

Brightness is measured in lumens, not watts. For a reading lamp, look for roughly 450 to 800 lumens; for the main light in a living room, more. Colour temperature around 2700K is warm and cosy; 4000K is neutral and suits kitchens and desks. Check the bulb's fitting before you buy.

The bottom line

Bulbs first, then an uplighter, then light at eye level. Stop when the room feels right; many people are done after the second step.