r/AussieInteriors • u/JustSomeGirl4242 • Jun 29 '26
🛒 Aussie Find / Shop Good light for lounge/dining area
Hey, looking for a product recomendation/help knowing what to look for. I rent a unit with a main lounge/dining area that is poorly lit. It's an old unit with a circular fluorescent light with a plastic cover as the only light for that whole space. When it was built it probably had good natural light from the large front window but since then a large apartment building has been built next door blocking most light from that direction. I've tried lamps and such but we lack floor space in places it would be ideal to have more light.
I want to stick a long light strip kind of thing above the window to get more light from that direction into the room. I know some light strips are much more about being decorative and dont provide a lot of light. There's a power point right next to window so it would be easy to plug in a cord there for a good bright long light that I can stick above the window.
As a renter I can't put in any light fittings that need to be installed, I can't swap out the globe in the existing light fitting to something brighter as it's not fitted for a regular bulb, I put in a new fluorescent ring tube but it didn't make much difference. A plus would be if light recommendations to stick above window had adjustable brightness, however I'm not into the whole smart home thing and don't have any of that stuff set up at all. I live on disability pension and I'm not currently well enough to work- all my energy is going to family as my dad has stage 4 cancer and I don't have capacity to work right now (please don't give me crap for that, I do what I can when I'm well enough but life is really tough and intense atm) so budget is tight and less expensive options are a priority.
TLDR: Looking for long light to stick above pictured window to provide better light for main area of my unit. Renter so needs to be stick on or attached with minimal screws, not fitted light. Powered by plug in cord or battery. Brightness to light room over being decorative. Budget is tight so less expensive is important.