Tip n°1 – Install a (real!) false ceiling light
The ceiling light, chandelier or suspension is usually the main source of lighting in the room. They therefore assume a practical function, but they also constitute real decorative allies by dressing the ceiling and allowing the style of a room to be refined. Suffice to say that it is difficult to deprive yourself of it. It is even quite impossible for some people! The good news is that there are several tricks to cheat a little.
If you have just invested in a property, it is possible to carry out electrical work… or not! When it comes to renovating an atypical property, hiding the cable in the wall may for example prove impossible without ruining the original coating. The first solution, and the simplest, is to leave the cable visible. The ideal is then to transform this obligation into an asset, and to use it to stage your lighting. Opt for an XXL cable, which you will plug into the nearest outlet.
The other solution is to adopt the chute system. The principle is also simple: you plug your light into a wall outlet, but you fix the cable to the wall and ceiling, hiding it in a cover. For more discretion, you can paint this trunking so that it merges as much as possible with the support.
We know it well: furnishing and decorating your apartment when you are a tenant is a necessity to make it your own. But it is also a question of thinking about recovering your deposit on the day of the move! If a location is not expressly provided for the ceiling light, this means that there is no electrical supply, and no fixing system either. It is therefore better to avoid drilling the ceiling to install your luminaire. Then think of wired suspensions, which have the particularity of plugging into a wall outlet and unrolling to wrap around the frame or to attach to the wall and ceiling using a suction cup.
Tip n°2 – Draw from other lighting fixtures
To benefit from a well-lit interior, the ceiling light is associated with secondary lights, some assuming a very specific role, such as the reading light. In the absence of a ceiling light, it will therefore be a question of drawing exclusively on the so-called “secondary” lights.
The articulated desk lamp is an icon of industrial decoration. From now on, it is available in many variants, from the floor lamp to the trendy XXL wall lamp. Powerful and easy to direct, it makes up for the absence of a ceiling light perfectly, especially if you judiciously place a mirror to boost its lighting.
The XXL wall lamp is one of the major decorative trends for 2023. And to adopt it, there is no need to have an electrical outlet on the wall: you will find many models that simply connect to a wall socket. If the large format wall lamp has become essential in our interiors, it is because it comes in a dizzying variety of designs, from bright wall decoration to a sleek minimalist model. All the more reason to adopt it!
In a rental apartment, the wall lamp can be tricky to adopt, because rare are the models that are fixed without drilling the wall. You must then bet on another type of luminaire. Table lamps are not your only options! Full of charm, the guinguette garland can be equipped with bulbs specifically adapted to your needs. Relaxing yellow light or powerful white light: you decide!
The smartest alternative to the ceiling lamp is undoubtedly the XXL floor lamp. It has the particularity of offering zenithal lighting (which comes from above) – quite similar to a traditional suspension. And you can find models equipped with lampshades with an assertive style, or luminaires with an extremely refined design, which will know how to be more discreet.
Tip 3 – Adapt the solution to your needs
As we have seen, there are many ways to light a room without a ceiling light. However, not all solutions are created equal. It is essential to choose an alternative to the ceiling light that is satisfactory in the room concerned.
The XXL floor lamp is ideal in living spaces where several people meet – such as the living room or the dining room. This type of light coming from above allows you to see clearly, and not to disturb each other by shading.
The garland is perfect in the attic, especially when the height of the under-slope leaves something to be desired, because it provides good lighting, while occupying little space.
The clip-on light was originally designed to produce light strong enough to comfortably read or work. It can be perfectly diverted in the bedroom – where you can fix it high up, for example on the dressing room.
In a room such as the bathroom, it is essential to choose a luminaire specifically designed for water features, in order to avoid any risk of domestic accident. Table top lights can be too bulky, especially in a small bathroom. The battery-powered ceiling light is therefore an excellent alternative for enjoying functional overhead lighting, without cluttering up the space.