apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

you could buy/make a large drum shade to fit over the entire thing, and if you used a light diffuser to cover the bottom, you'd never even see the ugly fixture inside.

As long as you keep the fixture in good working order and put ib back when you move out, the landlord can't obeject to that, can he? I would take it down and store it carefully and replace it with a fixture more to my liking that I can take with me next time I move.

Wow, I used to have that exact same lighting fixture in my old apartment and I loved it. I mean, there are a lot of cheaper and uglier fixtures that a landlord could (and usually does) install in an apartment.

Is there a particular quality about the lighting fixture that bothers you? I can think of a lot of ideas but I don't know exactly what feature of it you want to hide. It would also help to know what your style is-- the photo doesn't tell me much.

There are a lot of ways you can dress up/hide that raw light fixture... depending on your style. It's easy to find covers for the chain part of the ''chandelier'' at most lighting stores, or if you feel creative, you can disguise it yourself under sexier looking chains and beads... good luck!

I have always changed light fixtures in every apartment I've ever lived in. Unless you are extraordinarily clumsy, swapping out a chandelier is very, very easy. Just make sure the weight of your new fixture can be supported by the existing light fixture housing.

my recommendation would be to rip it out and throw it away. but that's just me.

you could take it down, wrap it well in bubble wrap and put it in storage... then, get a nicer one... before you move out, you can the, put it back up. That's what I always did in all the partments I rented.
Maybe, I got lucky with landlords but, when they did come into the units they generally liked the fixtures I put up and offered to give me a credit on my rent if I left them behind when I moved out.

I am in a similar situation, with ugly light fixtures that our landlord won't let us change. Our fixtures are smaller and close to the (high) ceiling, so we just use tall lamps in the room. Is there any way to hang it closer to the ceiling and cover it, maybe with one of those paper ball shades? It's too big to be unobtrusive, but maybe you could cover it up with something arty.

I don't think it's so terrible; maybe just embrace it?

Misery loves company. I have 2 of them in my house. They are on the "to do list" to rip out.

Also, it's wrong to do this...but my Dad was a Landlord so I have a different perspective. So long as the apartment was returned to him in the same state he rented it out as - he didn't give a flying "you know what" what was done while it was rented but he'd always TELL the tenant they couldn't make changes. He didn't want to be liable or involved. I vote take out the ugly fixtures, put in the ones you like and then go back to the fug ones when you move. Kind of like window treatments...

Like engineergirl, I have lots of ideas, but I don't know your taste and what you might be going for.

Putting those large, clear, round bulbs into its sockets might make it looked a wee tad more modern--and I'm sure the landlord couldn't object to your replacing the old switch with a dimmer switch. Or for more traditional, maybe add silk chandelier shades that create a warm glow. But what look do you like?

I like chickpea's idea, or put shades on each bulb.

i agree with some of the above posters. change the fixture to whatever you want, and just put it back when you move. no probs.

Having once lived in a crappy apartment with fugly fixtures, my situation was that the land lord didn't want me touching them because the building did not have updated or even code wiring and he was worried that the place would burn down. Not that he told me this of course...

I have that same light fixture in my apartment. I'm too lazy to change it out, so I hung glass beads that my grandma was throwing out on it, which softened the shinyness just enough so I could live with it. I do agree that you could easily change it out so long as you replaced it when you moved.

If you are keeping the dining set beneath it, it sort of suits the look, if you ask me.

Just get shade covers (Ballard Designs, an excellent source).

Take it out and put what you like in.

Tell your landlord you were burglarized and the thieves stole the fixture.

A while back there was a post where someone had wrapped a white Christmas-light strand all around an ugly chandelier and it looked great.

That's exactly what I thought Patrick.

i tried changing an ugly (and dangerous looking - it had weird wires hanging out of it which fizzled when I took the shade down to clean it) light fixture, but it was a battle removing it and once it was off, no once could figure out the wiring because it was old and unmarked. we even had electrician friends look at it who said it was too dangerous to fiddle with. we used lamps until we moved and i left the newish fixture in a box with a note that said "good luck" for the landlord. i have a feeling the wiring in the house was so far under code that the landlord wouldn't even dare get angry with us. he even told us we couldn't use the oven and the dryer at the same time or else the entire building's breaker would blow - not just one breaker.

Wow it is really fugly, I was going to say the fairy lights thing too, but I think you'd need heaps to cover the nasty cheapness of that gilt.

Hi~ I think you should move out.

ok, not really.. but as many have said: unmount it and put it away. You'll mount it back when you move out.

Sorry to co-opt this post, but does anyone have tips for removing a fixture like this? Or a good resource for novices?

What kind of place do you live in that wont even letyou change a simple ceiling fixture.

I say just do it, ANY pendent light from ikea is nicer that than thing.

If the land complains, he/she has to give you a chance to put back the other one.

And if he does you are out as little as 20 bucks.

My first choice would be to replace it. I've also seen fixtures like that take on new life with a coat of spray-on primer and a couple coats of white spraypaint. But your landlord might not like it too much if you spraypaint his/her fixtures.

take it out. replace it, and then put it back. we did and will return it when we move. dont ask your landlord to do it, he won't know unless he walks in your apt often.

here's the link to the fairy light fix:
http://sanfrancisco.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/look/reversible-decor-martinas-chandelier-coverup-014969

I've had luck updating old brass stuff by sanding the yellow varnish off with sand paper and a dremmel. I then applied a bit of silver antiquing solution that I got at www.metalliferous.com and then sanded some more-- the effect is an aged silver look. You can then add old chandelier crystals and even old crystal rosary beads.

Alternatively you can cover it with this:
http://www.mossonline.com/product-exec/product_id/32005/category_id/45

or get some stretch knit fabric and cover it like this:
http://www.mossonline.com/product-exec/product_id/39513/category_id/45

good luck

I hate to continue on the same path - b/c this person is looking for a solution as-is. But if you plan on staying in there for a while perhaps you can just show the landlord the fixture that you want to put in there and and see if they approve. If it looks nicer, is a decent quality, is installed safely, and is paid for by YOU - why would they care even if you are going to leave it in when you move.

I recently painted (silver) all of my white plastic kitchen cabinet handles and knobs - I didnt bother asking the landlord b/c there is no doubt that it looks 100 times better - I added some minor value to the apt.

But the poster does need some creative suggestions. I like the silk coverings but if you dont have a modern design it could look "off". Or just take it down temporarily and put an ikea hanging cord unit in. Some funky bulb shades could be cool - like a cool color that really pops.

Perhaps little black lamp shades on each of them might be a bridge to the present, since there's a lot of brown in new things.

I mean there's a lot of black in new things, although I guess a very dark brown could be good, too. Also, you could probably find some in a toile de jouey in black-and-white, which might be a lighter kind of bridge to the present, since there are SO many black-and-white kinds of patterns today that could be put with it.

I forgot to say: one way to dull down the metal would be to paint it with Modpodge. Really! It gives a more matte translucence. Or you could go the whole nine yards and Modpodge tissue or other paper onto it. I think it would come off easily with a craft knife. Or not. . . .

I actually bought a fixture like this on purpose because it was on clearance for $5 at the hardware store. I plan to prime it and paint it with one of those textured spray paints that makes things look like stone. Then I'll put cute lamp shades on it and put it up in my living room to go with my modern baroque theme. I guess you can't paint it, but you could put some cute shades on it, use cloth or a tube to cover the chain, or add crystals/beads to suit your tastes.