re: Rooms with high ceilings and no overhead light - who has the best solution?

For now? Man, I would just stick with the current lamps you have and get brighter lights. You can put LED strips where the wall and ceiling meet. It'll look like a college dorm room, but if it's temporary then that will be fine. You would just have to deal with wires being connected to that outlet you currently have.

When you do have to make a chance, you can take the outlet and move it into the ceiling by removing the wires and either adding a light fixture (can easily be mounted to a joist) or you can add a series of wafers that you can run across your ceiling. Not sure the area of your room is, but retrofit waters are an easy install.

All the dirty work would be cutting a hole in your ceiling and walls. You should be able to pull the outlet wires up at the top of the wall and find a way to work it into your ceiling. From there, more holes in the ceiling and joists.