Renters don't get a lot of leeway when it comes to the details that make a home feel updated and modern, like countertops, appliances and light fixtures. There's not much you can do to change most of it, but there are a few easy and inexpensive landlord-friendly fixes for ugly ceiling-mounted light fixtures.
If you can't change it, hide it. As long as your ugly lighting isn't too obtrusive (in that case, we're so sorry for you), you can use one of these cheap methods to cover it up until you move out into a space of your own.
You can cover your ugly fixture with...
A Scarf!
Use tacks or small nails to hang a decorative scarf or square of fabric over the light fixture, letting a soft colored light shine through your space. (The Hermes scarf in the photo above from BHG.com is one gorgeous, but expensive, option.) Make sure the fabric hangs far enough down that it won't heat up or scortch.
A Plastic Basket!
Find a plastic basket or bin—the kind you might use as a shower or tool caddy or a small laundry basket—with a unique color or cutout design that complements your space. Cut off the handles with a box cutter, then cut an "X" shape into the center of the bottom of the bin. Then, slide the opening right over the light fixture (you may want to remove any glass dome or panels), like in this Curbly post.
A Lampshade and Magnets!
If your fixture is small enough or recessed into the ceiling, you may be able to cover it up with a lampshade that better suits your style. To stay renter-friendly, use a quartet of magnets to keep the shade hung from the ceiling, like in this post from Jen Spends. Use removable adhesive, if necessary. If your fixture and shade both have metal, you won't need any adhesive at all.
MORE RENTERS SOLUTIONS FROM APARTMENT THERAPY:
• How To Make a DIY Drum Shade
(Images: bhg.com, curbly.com, jenspends.com)
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With my ceiling fan in my apartment, I went ahead and replaced the bulbs, globes, and fan blades with new ones, changing a flowery little old lady style fan into something a bit more wicked... I'm considering replacing some of my other light fixture globes with newer styled globes... its not that expensive, and I don't have to worry about a scarf starting on fire, or a basket melting if I have a hot bulb
As a landlady myself, I beg all renters do not cover the lights with a scarf. It is a fire hazard! We want our buildings intact and you, dear renters, safe. Light fixtures at Ikea are cheap and nice looking. Even Lowe's has some acceptable options that are not expensive--both of these alternatives are probably going to cost you less money than a scarf (even probably less money than the plastic wastebasket idea.) And just think of how much dust would collect on fabric on the ceiling. YUCK.
I can't imagine any landlord is going to be upset if you upgrade a light fixture in your rental. However doing fire-questionable coverups is problematic for everyone in the building. The Improvements catalog has many options to upgrade recessed lights and even has battery operated options.
http://www.improvementscatalog.com/interior-lighting/decorative-lamps-and-fixtures/?sortBy=&pageSize=12¤tPage=0
Oh my god... Why on earth would you cover a light with a scarf? Firstly it's hideous and looks trashy, even if your scarf is Hermes. Secondly, hello fire hazard! Bad idea, bad design.
I am a renter and our place has terrible light fixtures, so I went to the local recycled building materials place and bought three light fixtures for under $20. I spray painted one matte black, and left the other two alone because they had a nice vintage patina. It took me all of 5 mins to replace the fixture in the ceiling, and while I was at it I put in a dimmer switch. Done and done.
i switched out all the fixtures in my rental and put the ones i took out in storage. i'll simply replace them when i move out.
Jeeze, this is irresponsible, for reasons already stated. If you hate your overhead fixture and are too cheap to replace it, why would anyone bother with attaching a jury-rigged affair with magnets? There is a huge range available of clip-on shades for flush-mount lights, shades that can be safely customized. There are some neutral and acceptable (even if not exactly stylish) replacement globes and lenses. Or you can ignore the overhead and resort to (safe)lamps.
as a kid i actually caught my bedroom on fire from fabric getting too close to a light bulb. i really think this post should come down. I have had great luck finding 2nd hand fixtures at my local habitat store (a little clean up, perhaps a shot of spray paint and you are good to go) and doing the wiring for a simple overhead light is not hard ... a tutorial on wiring an overhead light would be a more responsible post.
AT editors need to amend posts recommending hazardous practices that are clearly in violation of fire and building codes (I cringe especially when I see these for family/child related posts). A scarf over a light bulb is clearly a fire hazard. A plastic covering (the laundry hamper) that is not rated for heat is also a fire hazard. This is about about taking basic safety precautions, not an argument about function vs form.
Love the magnets+lampshade idea!
great post! this is what i call apartment therapy!
I was really hoping this post would have suggestions for dealing with a truly hideous fluorescent light fixture in my laundry room. I should add, we also have old crappy popcorn ceilings to deal with too.
Bah! Guess I'll just have to deal with it the 'right', i.e., non-fire-hazard way, and change the darn light myself.
If anyone has any ideas, I'm all ears...
I don't think the scarf is directly over a bare bulb. I think it's over one of those old, square, ugly, 1950s flat cover fixtures. I'm not wild about the scarf either but I think you guys are over reacting on that one and my dad was a fire chief. I love the magnet idea with the shade. What would the safey issue be with that?
In my last apartment I cut a round paper lantern in half and tacked it up over my ugly boob light fixture. I was actually really happy with it, for such a cheapy fix.
A plastic basket..?
Please, people, learn some physics...fire hazard? There's air space and plenty of ventiliation. And if you use a CFL it'll barely get warm.
I love the magnet idea!
Wow, I was thrilled to see my lampshade idea featured here--thanks, Apartment Therapy! I don't think there's much of a safety issue with the lampshades in my scenario, but I do use CFLs as an extra precaution.
I always assume AT posts obvious fire hazards to generate traffic.
Why not post something truly usefull like finding ten inexpensive not-to-ugly ceiling lights and instructions for swapping them out.
FIRE HAZARD. You should NOT be reccommending this. I have watched a swiffer dusting sheet go up in flames because it got to near (not on) a halogen light fixture. Light fixtures pass safety tests based on the way the fixture is supposed to be installed, and you should not be suggesting these dangerous modifications.
Having seen fire doing its nasty work, I would urge Apartment Therapy editors to always err on the side of safety and never post ideas like these again.
I actually like the scarf idea, and I'm in agreement with Chandru regarding a fire hazard. I used to drape scarfs over lamps even without a CFL and they did fine.
this post is hilariously dumb. who would ever do any of these things? insane fire hazzard. i would rather live with an ugly light than be burnt alive thanks.
i'm more offended by all of these being ugly than the fact that they'd burn my house down.
Draping the light bulb with oil-soaked rags might be attractive too.
The basket idea is very inventive.You could also use a bowl if you drilled a hole in the bottom.
What do people think lampshades are made of? How would the scarf be any more dangerous than your average, silk lined lampshade?
All rhetorical questions, obviously. I did a similar thing in my first apartment - only using a square of lace. There was a glass covering between the material and the light-bulbs.
The light in my kitchen doesn't have a cover so I got a LÖBBO shade from ikea and rigged it as a cover. It looks so good and it was very cheap.
Add me to the "calm yourselves" camp. Draping cloth over a bare halogen bulb is obviously a huge fire hazard. Arranging fabric around a CFL or LED bulb, with plenty of space and ventilation besides, is not a big deal. And heat radiates up, not down.
But really, my concern is more with poking holes in a nice scarf, or casting a strangely-colored glow.
I'd also like to see ideas for sprucing up long fluorescent fixtures.
Fire hazard or not, these ideas are what we did back in the 70s in the college dorm rooms- you remember, for...eh hem.... "mood effect".
So, with that being said, who wants to go back to that look?! Batik scarves. Wicker baskets. Straw hats. Laundry baskets. Colanders. Nah. Over it
@nametk yes, lights at Ikea et al are cheap, so landlords could pre-empt their tenants desire to live in an attractive home setting, and potentially do something hazardous (whether using a scarf, or installing light fittings incorrectly) and go and update the light fittings themselves.
I like the idea of the shade via magnets, but the other two look cheap and dorm-like...
Also, SCORTCH!
Not so keen on the scarf idea - it actually draws more attention to the fact that youre trying to hide something...
i recently moved to a country where even the nicest places have ceiling tiles & office like fluorescents. i try not to look up.
but seriously there needs to be someone on AT staff to do some quality checks on these posts. a laundry basket is beyond tacky & the scarf? i actually thought it was a before. & it would get so dusty & gross even if it never caught fire.
i'm trying to find a work around for my lights by this next winter. as landlords here are not keen on foreigners messing w/ the place & the electric work is shoddy at best. so, i'm thinking of just suspending some of those construction style cord + cfl & hanging them in bird cages, rooster cages, & fishing traps. i've seen some local hotels do it.
Is it just me or is the plastic basket idea just junky and cheap? Not a fan.
Noting that the entire country is converting over to CFL and LED lightbulbs, fire hazards from lightbulb heat output are going to be a bit of an archaic concept soon. Using LED lightbulbs, I have a tissue paper pompom over one light fixture. Obviously, this is something you would never do with a conventional lightbulb. Truly, everyone needs to be switching over to LED bulb just for the energy savings.
Every last one of these suggestions is hideous and/or irresponsible. I would remove this entire post/article from AT.
I'm sorry but all described alternatives look ugly. Eeeck.