School House Electric has a lot of affordable options. Kinda cute but I couldn't find anything to suit me.

http://www.schoolhouseelectric.com/fixtures-type.asp?type=SurfaceMount

This isn't ideal, but I think the worst part of that fixture is the cheap looking gold color. If you removed/taped off the glass and painted it you might be able to tolerate it.

Alternatively, these two fixtures are pretty inexpensive and not as traditionally "boob-like":

http://www.homedecorators.com/P/Nicholas_Flush_Mount/450/

http://www.restorationhardware.com/rh/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod1192065&navAction=jump&navCount=2

Do you live in a town with a stained glass store? Measure the breadth of your fixture (the piece that is attached to the ceiling), add about three inches to the largest dimension. Try to unscrew that little rod (downrod) that drops from the ceiling piece to hold the shade in place. Visit a well stocked stained glass store and purchase a piece of white, ivory, or translucent glass that matches your largest dimension. Make sure the glass has enough translucency to act as a shade and enough interest to make you happy. Have the store cut it into a square, drill a lamp-rod-sized hole in the center and sand the edges. Buy some fat washers, one nut that can screw onto the downrod threads, and spray paint. Paint the washers and finial screw top a good color. You can also paint the fixture's brass part a matte white.

Then just take the glass shade part off the fixture, re-install the downrod, add the nut leaving just enough threads to accommodate a washer, the thickness of your new glass, another washer and the finial, in that order.

A variation on this theme; you could have four holes drilled in the corners and hang the new glass by decorative chain from the mounting holes on the fixture. You can also buy copper foil from the glass store and "foil" the edges to make them more finished. A good store can tell you how to do this without taking expensive lessons

Alternatively you could paint the metal as suggested by greenbayou, but pull the glass sections out and have the stained glass store cut the same sized pieces out of more interesting glass. This would cost more but would still be fairly cheap.

If you have several competing stores in your area call ahead and ask for pricing on the cutting and drilling; it should be cheap, say $25-$40; if you stick to a budget on the glass you can do this for under $100.

How about just replacing it with a recessed light? Fairly simple fix.

I agree with nihilarian, a recessed light seems to be what you are asking about. It's simple, clean, and unobtrusive. The cheapest ones are about $15 at the home depot.

I'm always a fan of these guys! Happy shopping!

http://www.barnlightelectric.com/pendant-lighting/wall-and-flush-mount-lights/#2

$3.99: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20055751

Or... http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/50148075

I love Rejuvenation. http://www.rejuvenation.com/catalog/save.html?ipb=GA5005&gclid=COS51PaLu6ECFUFM5QodSwPJAA
And I have found some interesting flushmount lights from the 20s and 30s on eBay, just search for 30's, 20s, and/or deco. Pottery barn also has a clip-on star that I have found intriguing. Good luck!

Try typing in flush mount light into Google Images -- Using images rather than shopping gives you a much wider range of fixtures.
Here are some that I found that were less than 100 dollars
http://www.lightinguniverse.com/art-decoretro-flush-mount-ceiling-lights_448_s252.html
http://www.delmarfans.com/prod_one.cfm?catid=1002&sid=1014&siq=getbrands&id=5499
Minka Laverly have some reasonably priced items.

http://www.lightinguniverse.com/flush-mount-ceiling-lights/z-lite-302f-park-plaza-2-light-flush-mount-ceiling-light-oil-rubbed-bronze_g521635.html

Restoration Hardware has simple square or round fixtures for around $100.

I had the exact same problem... I think you might be asking a lot with the that you like that is too pricey. I ended up going with this one because it is simple and does not look like a boob.

http://www.lightinguniverse.com/NA1/10975-mushroom-flush-mount-ceiling-fixture_1735156.html

On this site it says that is $40 but I got mine at home depot for $20.

An upside-down lamp shade sometimes works for ceiling-mounted lights.

Jonathan Adler's, Parker Flush is nice. If this Blackberry ad wasn't there, I could type this better..grrr

http://www.croftandlittle.com/rob-s664.html

Check ylighting and lumens as well

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/filigree-star-ceiling-clip-shade/?pkey=clighting-accessories

For the most part, no they don't. I have been eyeing this one from Ballard Designs. I think it's very affordable.

http://www.ballarddesigns.com/Lighting/Ceiling-Lights/Moravian-Star-Ceiling-Mount-Sconce/p/4174?path=1%2C2%2C1467%2C1527&iProductID=4174

I tried for months to find a flush mount light that wasn't utterly heinous. I eventually replaced it with a $4 Ikea jobby which is "boring-but-better-than-before". Still looking myself.

I have the same problem (my apartment has three of the "boob" fixtures -- the standard in every condo ever.

I'm planning to replace them with track lighting because there doesn't seem to be any good options out there.

RJ - I've found decent flush mount fixtures at Lampsplus.com. They have a huge selection and you can search by style and price. Good luck!

rejuvenation.

Hudson Valley Lighting, Robert Abbey, and Hinkley would be who I would go to. That have great classic styles and can be found on-line at competitive prices. I also think that Rejuvenation Hardware has great bang for it's buck.

Try www.ylighting.com and www.lightology.com you can search by price and style there. They often have great sales on overstocks. I hope that helps.

I have that same "home depot special" and detest it. Replaced one of them with something from Ikea - looks very clean.

I like Ikea's fixtures. I bought this one for my entryway. Looks more like a UFO than a boob, but I like it. Price-- $30

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00032416

Good luck!

Try searching under vintage on etsy. Some cool ones out there -- better materials, better looking than the cheapos from the Depot and less expensive by a longshot than circa/ylighting/rejuvenation/etc.

I am so glad I'm not the only person who thinks those fixtures look like boobs. I just can't see anything else when I look at them.

The Building Materials Resource Center (100 Terrace Street, Roxbury Crossing) has a variety of light fixtures. Most are one of a kind, and all are very affordable. The selection changes daily because all materials are donated. www.bostonbmrc.org

I love this from Circa Lighting ($252):

http://www.circalighting.com/details.aspx?pid=721&cid=4

Use it with one of the half-mirrored bulbs.

And these Pottery Barn clip-on shades are nice and only cost $39! I'd paint it to match the ceiling color, so it reads more as a texture rather than screaming "light fixture!" They also have a fabric version:

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/filigree-star-ceiling-clip-shade/?pkey=clighting-accessories

Yeah...this is a tough one. I looked for weeks for something non-hideous and affordable. I ended up going with the $4 IKEA flush mounts too. I like them because I don't notice them. The only downside is the lack of real brightness with them....they work well for me in the spaces where I can do without a ton of light (hallways), but went with recessed lighting for the rest. Good luck.

If you can remove the glass or tape it off you can paint the hideous gold with metallic paint. Copper, pewter, all kinds of colors. Etch the glass to frost it. Realize it's a lot of work for one fixture, but you might be able to transform it and have fun doing it. Or not. ;-/

Ive had a lot more luck using outdoor fixtures indoor, though I know it's not for everybody... I used three of these in a hallway, I love 'em

http://www.lowes.com/ProductDisplay?partNumber=253346-17771-253346&langId=-1&storeId=10151&productId=1238991&catalogId=10051&cmRelshp=sim&rel=nofollow

Has anyone seen a fairly inexpensive, non-hideous flush mount, as in less than a 7" drop, that's appropriate for a little girl's room? In other words, something pretty for a room with a low ceiling. I've seen crystal ones, but mostly they're expensive.

You could also search for used fixtures on E-bay or through architectural salvage companies like Ohmega Salvage in San Francisco that has a whole online category devoted to vintage flushmounted light fixtures.

http://ohmegasalvage.com/Showroom%20Pages/Lighting/flushmount_lights.htm

I found a super-simple flush fixture (similar to this one linked earlier: http://www.homedecorators.com/P/Nicholas_Flush_Mount/450/) at a local lighting store for $45. Box is long gone, alas...

I had this same problem, I mean, what old guy sitting in a room decorated in the 70's is selling these horrid fixtures to, well, ANYONE!
So I did the only sane thing and made my own.
I went to the thrift store and got a low profile fruit bowl and drilled a 3/8 hole in the middle, Super 77'ed ginko leaves on it, sprayed it with window frosting and hung it from the old base! Go here for a picture http://filliquist.blogspot.com/index.html#2134896799717566085 Good luck!

I also recommend Ikea.

When I bought my house (built in 1893) there were a number of bad '80s/'90s renovations that I immediately ripped out. One of the first things I did was to take out the boob lights and replace them. I can't seem to find a picture of what I used, oddly enough, but they're the 1920s style with a T-shaped ceiling fixture that holds two standard bulbs horizontally and then a square frosted glass shade goes onto the threaded nipple (huh huh) and is held on by a little ceramic nut that's screwed on after the shade is placed. I got a few of them for $1 each at a building materials reclaiming place and the rest were purchased new from Home Depot for $4 each (can't find them on the website though).

Thanks for the suggestions/comments, everyone! My apartment already has recessed lighting, so I think I'm just going to switch to that... This seems to be a weird gap in the market!

Not sure what you would consider affordable, but Lighting by Gregory has some nice products listed under contemporary.

what have you all got against boobs? :)

If you are in to a simple modern look has a few that are pretty good looking here is my favorite
http://www.mylightingsource.com/Kichler_Lighting_7011NI_p/kl.7011ni.htm
Maxim lighting also has a bunch of great looking ones. Have a couple that have wrought iron design work and a couple that have the drum shade look to them. This is my favorite from maxim that has a glass inner shade and a fabric outer shade
http://www.mylightingsource.com/Maxim_Lighting_23031SWSN_p/ml.23031swsn.htm
hopefully this will give a few people a couple of ideas.