Hmmm. Never been into the idea, but seeing that first image makes it look tempting. I think my issue is that you really need to have the right ceiling hieght to make it work.

love the look!

I did this in my bathroom in my last apartment. The light fixture was non-existant (a bulb). I found a cute bright yellow 10 inch umbrella. It already had a hole drilled into the handle, so I ran a little wire through it and voila! By far it was the best $3.99 light fixture I've ever purchased.

I like light bulbs, clear ones. They are minimal and industrial. The parasol is too girly.

I could never do it. In the South, it's bad luck to open an umbrella inside the house.... ~:o)

I put a paper umbrella in my daughter's room. The walls are orange and the orangey-yellow umbrella called to me. I have it strapped up so it comes out of the ceiling at a corner, over a pile of pillows and a rug in her comfy reading corner.

The Beverly Center here in Los Angeles used this in the <a>newly remodeled escalators

Pretty cool hang in a corner also, like Norarachel mentioned. I did that in my bedroom in the past and absolutely loved it.

We have one hanging up in our house. I like it. And it's not hard to clean. Ours is fastened to the lighting fixture. We can just take it off when we like... shake it out or vaccuum... :D

By the way. It's not really an umbrella... it's a paper parisol. Could it get you out of the bad luck on a technicality? lol. I understand the thought though. I am very wary of our neighbours black cat.