Your Least Favorite Ceiling Light Just Got a Seriously Stylish Makeover
We've scoured markets and feeds to spot the standout looks shaping home style next year. From "Covecore" to bold colors, stripes, and DIY projects, see every trend we're calling in our full New/Next List.
The dreaded “boob light” is coming back in style once again. For years, these infamous fixtures have been many renters’ nemeses and many designers’ worst nightmares. They’re notoriously easy to find and inexpensive, making them popular among landlords. More unfortunately, they’re also decently good at illuminating rooms of all sizes, thanks to their shape.
But the boob light must have gotten itself a new publicist and a very talented plastic surgeon. Because these fixtures are back in a big way this year, with a stylish makeover no one saw coming. The boob light has been popping up everywhere, albeit with slightly more sumptuous details like tassel and ribbon trims, colored glass compositions, and even fluting and ribbing.
The Basic Boob Light Gets a 2026 Glow-Up
Apartment Therapy previously reported on a rise in renter-friendly boob light solutions (hello, Tulip shades!), which still make great retrofit options for those looking for a quick style fix. But with the practicality and relative affordability of flush-mount fixtures (over say, fancy chandeliers and longer pendants), lighting designers seem to have realized “The Boob” had functionality all figured out. And so, some have embraced this classic design while challenging themselves to give it a glow-up.
So if you own your home — or are even just handy with electrical work and want to try switching out that old fixture for something new — you’re in luck! I’ve rounded up some modern, stylish, new interpretations of the boob light that you’ll be seeing everywhere faster than you can say “boob job.”
From Capiz shell scallops to trendy green glass, check out some of my top picks from the new class of boob lights hitting the market this year.