apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Wow, that's rare to see those in an apartment unit, I've seen them used in the halls of older buildings, in the family/rec room down in the basement of homes built in the 40's-50's and can see where they could be harsh. However, be aware that you can get the circline bulbs in other temps besides cool white, which will help greatly if nothing else. Many fixtures today still use them, or variations of them for electronic ballasts.

I think I do recall seeing some variants with shades, but many did not and were simply left exposed like the one you show. I like the idea of pinning paper, such as rice paper to the ceiling to cover the bulb and to soften it's glow. Another idea is to create a cylender that's slightly larger in diameter than of the fixture itself and somehow fasten a flat circle to the bottom to hide it there and fasten it to the celining to completely cover it. A thought anyway.

One thing though, it'll help save energy when you need to light a room though. ;-)

In NYC, every hardware store carries the standard covers for these things. Maybe that's what you should try. Don't bother with lighting stores -- these are landlord specials. Just be sure you know the right size/diameter and head over to your friendly neighborhood hardware store.

Oh god, I hate that light. I have one in my kitchen and it SUCKS! It's so ghetto. It doesn't turn on, it flickers on. And once it's actually on, it's so freakin' LOUD!

If you're up for the project, I would seriously recommend replacing it. If not, I think the idea of covering it with a decorative rice paper would be your best bet... the covers for those lights are pretty boring and kind ugly.


Can anyone recommend a specific type of lighting fixture with simple(ish) installation that would be a good replacement? Has anyone here ever replaced these lights from hell?

We replaced the one we had in the kitchen with an inexpensive track light from Home Depot or Lowes. MAJOR improvement and well worth the time and money.

Chiasso has an elongated drum fixture that seems like it could be retrofit over this.

I agree 100% with Sparkle - I have one in the kitchen and bathroom. Bathroom barely turns on. Both are loud. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

Is this something we can replace ourselves or do we need electricians? Any experiences to relay re either option.

These lights are painful.

Oh my gosh was I ever excited to see this question! I have this same AWFUL fixture in my kitchen, and I cringe when we turn it on, especially in the evening after eating over candlelight in the adjacent dining room. The light is positively blue and horrendously harsh.

I know nothing at all about electrical work - can this be switched to an incandescent fixture very easily?

I agree with the recommendation to replace this. Lighting fixtures are surprisingly easy to replace, that is, assuming that there is a universal lighting rough/housing inside of the ceiling. I have always replaced lighting fixtures in my apartments; it's one of the first things I do. Shouldn't take more than half an hour at the most.

I agree with patrick (the other one) if you can't replace it now, a nice drum lamp shade with the bottom covered in a nice paper is the best way to go. I'd maybe hang it with filiment line and hooks.

Light fixtures are really easy to swap out so long as you have access to shut the power off.

I have one of these in my kitchen nook, I hate it as well... But I have no access to shut the power off, and there isn't even a wall switch for it, it is just a pull chain. I have decided to keep it since it isn't visible unless you are inside my tiny 42"x44" kitchen nook.

Light fixture replacement is SO easy (yes, someone already identified the number one requirement though - you have to be able to turn off the power to do it safely - don't watch electricians who just turn off the switch and think that's a good idea for the average person!) I do this even before I change the blinds when I move (and I move a lot with the military for the last 18 years). My recomendation is to go to any store - Home Cheapo or anywhere that sells any lighting and get something you can live with (you don't have to spend a fortune). Plan to do this project in the daylight (!) You should have basic tools like a drill, wire cutter, a screw driver, and a ladder or really sturdy step stool depending on how high your ceilings are.

I just replaced two eye-sores with Ikea track lights (Magnesium, I think) and will be replacing a third as soon as my pendant lamp arrives in the mail.

It really is simple if you have access to the power cutoff.

- Turn the power off to that fixture from the fuse box and make sure it's really off. If your box isn't marked well (like mine), just turn the light on and start turning off switches until that particular light turns off. When you're done with that, turn off the wall switch (if you have one)

- Take the fluorescent bulb out. Beneath that, the fixture should be held by 2 screws. MEASURE the distance between the two screws and write down the figure.

- Go to your lighting/hardware store and find a fixture that fits in the same space. Make sure the outside diameter of the new fixture will cover the hole in the ceiling that would be left after you take the old fixture. And make sure the distance between the screw holes matches the old fixture.

- Go back home and take out the screws while supporting the fixture with your hand. You still have the POWER OFF, don't you?

- The fixture should drop down, exposing the 2 or 3 wires (probably only 2 with such an old fixture) that supply the power from the junction box. The wires from the fixture should be held onto the main wires via plastic twisting connectors (I forget the name of these). Untwist them and remove the fixture. Keep it in case you move, because you will probably have to put it back the way it was when you moved in.

- Your new fixture should have 2-3 wires...wire them into the main wires, making sure you match up the same colors (these are standard). Put the twisting connectors back on the wires to keep them snugly attached and ensure that no copper wire is exposed. You may need to use the twisting connector cpas that came with your new fixture if the wires aren't the same diameter as the old ones (the Ikea's were smaller).

- Once the wires are safely connected, push them up into the ceiling junction box and fasten the fixture back onto the ceiling with the screws.

- Put your bulb in

- Turn your power back on at the fusebox and test out your new light.

Oh you guys are the most amazing people EVER! I knew replacing the fixture was totally doable, I just needed some reassurance.
Thank you Fungus Mungus for the detailed play-by-play. And everyone else, thank you for the reminders about killing the power to the fixture!
Little details like that are always the ones I over look... like when I went to install shelves in bathroom this weekend I completely forgot (until I held the drill to the wall, then I remembered) about the fact that there very well may be WATER PIPES behind the wall I was planning to drill large holes into, hehe.

Now I'm off to add yet another project to my to-do list.

The great thing about that light is (a) its compact and (b) its very energy efficient. Track cannot compare.

Where are all the green folks? If you do replace it, consider a flourescent alternative.

Just replace them. Any pendant or round ceiling mounted fixture should do. The only thing you might want to check is the electrical cutout in the ceiling. The plate on your current fixture is large, so the cutout might be too large for a pendant with a small baseplate. Ikea is a good resource for inexpensive contemporary ceiling fixtures. Almost all of the interiors chains (Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, West Elm, etc...) also carry at least a small selection of hardwired fixtures. An electrician (preferably one recommended by your landlord but any licensed electrician will do) should do the installation. If I were to budget for this, I would say light fixture costs $65 for electrician for the first installation $35 for each additional installation. You might be able to get the installation for less if you or the building has a longstanding relationship with the electrician.

A couple years ago a former roomate moved to a new place and redecorated all the ceiling lights with these BEAUTIFUL plastic/mylar covers. When I first looked at them I had no idea they weren't glass until he pulled one off to show me how it worked. They were wide and drum shade-like in shape, had a tension grip on the base of the ceiling light and when he pulled one down it folded flat in his hands. It gave off a nice "french vanilla" colored light from a similar fixture as yours.

I'll check with him to see if he remembers what brand they were...

I have a few of these lights, too -- in extremely odd locations in our bedroom (one is in the very corner of the room, they are not at all symmetrical, etc.). I would love to remove most of them altogether since they are so oddly placed. Does anyone know if you can just remove the light fixture/wiring and then patch the hole left in the ceiling with drywall or something?

just a while ago, i covered an ugly light fixture with a cheap paper parasol (just trimmed down the handle), and i'm still really happy with it. it's a nice little surprise in a room that is too small for any real furniture.

here is a pic.

I feel your pain! I had that type of fixture in the kitchen and both baths of a place I rented years ago. I switched them all out for much nicer fixtures.

carolineduke -- that looks wonderful! I have these lights in my kitchen and bathroom and think I will have to take your route to fix it. Thanks!

If youre on the east side, or south side of providence, Adlers, at the end of wickenden, is a local small hardware store, run by a lovely old couple who are nothing but helpful.

So I found out that the Ceiling light covers my old roomate used were by Le Klint and are made out of PVC. They also seem to be very expensive ($250-350 each). You can check them out here:

http://www.leklint.dk/default.asp?id=35&prevref=2&cid=8

But I think carolineduke's parasol idea is very close in warmth and appearance while being a lot less expensive.