Finding the perfect rental in NYC can be quite a challenge. After a long search, you’ll probably need to compromise and settle for a place that doesn’t tick all your boxes. If you end up in a home that lacks brightness, you’ll need to find ways to get more light in your NYC rental apartment. Luckily, there are plenty of simple tricks you can use to brighten up your space. At the same time, they’ll help you make your place look and feel more spacious. If you are unsure where to begin, we’re here to help you. We’ve prepared simple tips and tricks to make your NYC rental feel brighter.

Ways to get more light in your NYC rental apartment

Moving to a new place is always exciting. After you find everything you need in one place when it comes to moving services, you can start adding your personal touch to the space. As appropriate lighting is of the utmost importance, here are the ways to make your NYC rental feel brighter.

Boost the natural light

Although there are plenty of good lighting options for your NYC rental, nothing is as good as natural light. Therefore, the first thing to do is boost the light you already have coming through your windows. Natural light doesn’t only make your apartment feel airier and fresh, but it also positively affects your mood and well-being.

Here are simple ways to boost natural light in your NYC rental:

• Add reflective surfaces such as mirrors, high gloss wall art, etc. This way, the light will bounce around the room and make it look brighter. The best part about adding reflective surfaces is that they’ll create the same effect with artificial light, too. 
• Keep your windows clean and unobstructed. That way, maximum sunlight will filter through the glass and illuminate your space.
• If your landlord allows you to, consider painting the walls in a bright color. Use glossy paint as it will help reflect the light.
• Choose light-colored furniture, especially large pieces like sofas or loveseats. Keep accent colors for smaller details around your place.
• Although adding greenery won’t increase the light in your room, it can help compensate for it. Choose low light-tolerant plants.

Create a space you enjoy by getting rid of clutter

Clutter can make the room feel congested, dark, and messy. Consequently, it can influence our mood, anxiety levels and increase negative energy. Therefore, take a good look around your rental and decide what things you need and what you should get rid of. It will not only make you feel better, but you’ll give the space the refreshment it needs.

Keep in mind that too many decorations can make the place seem messy and cluttered. Aim to only keep the decor that emphasizes the best parts of your apartment. If you strategically place stylish pieces, you will open up the space and make it look lighter and more inviting. 

If you moved into a semi-furnished apartment and want to replace some pieces of furniture with your own, make sure to consult your landlord first. If they don’t have room to store the extra furniture, you can suggest renting a storage unit. The Ben Hur Moving & Storage NYC team says that most landlords use storage facilities for this purpose. That way, their belongings are kept safe until the furniture is needed for new tenants.

Get more light in your NYC rental apartment by investing in good artificial lighting

Upgrading your lighting fixtures is not only a great way to spruce up your apartment, but it can also help you set the mood and improve the overall lighting. Further in this article, we’ll reveal what lighting fixtures to focus on to make your apartment brighter. 

Focus on choosing light-colored lampshades

Given that it’s highly unlikely that your landlord will allow you to drill into the ceiling to put up a lovely crystal chandelier, you will need to rely on floor or table lamps for supplemental lighting.

As you want to keep your rental apartment as bright as possible, make sure to stick to light-colored lampshades. You can’t go wrong with white, cream, light blue, or similar hues. It would be best to avoid darker lampshades as they can make the room feel gloomy by filtering out a considerable amount of light.

Add string lights

If you still need more light even after you’ve set up your beautiful lamps, consider purchasing fairy lights. Nowadays, there are plenty of stylish options to choose from. They can be incorporated with any design, giving your apartment a sleek, modern look. 

Lighten up dark corners

By brightening up dark corners, you’ll add depth to any room. Make sure to add soft and warm lights to the corners. Harsher light can ruin the impression as it can draw too much attention to the part of your room that wasn’t meant to be highlighted.

Before you choose fixtures for the corners, make sure they fit well in the space. You don’t want to throw off the flow of your decor. You can use anything from hand-blown glass lamps to pendant lighting as long as it can be incorporated stylishly.

The bottom line

Even the darkest homes can be lit with the use of proper lighting fixtures. You can make the most of your space only by getting creative. Plus, you have our tips and advice to help you get more light in your NYC rental apartment. 

Author bio:

Mary Barker is a freelance writer living in New York City with her husband, two daughters, and their dog. She loves going on weekend trips to the countryside with her family in her spare time.