Unusual ceiling fixture troubles

By bohring

Last month, I moved into an apartment in a house that was first remolded in the '40s, according to the landlady. Accordingly, there are many unique features. Which can be wonderful and, well, this on the ceiling of my bedroom:

The problem bulb. from a slightly different angle

The direct light is awful when laying in bed, but I don't know how to handle it. Would any sort of shade or fixture work with this? I'm pretty sure the standard ones I am aware of can't, but I could be wrong. I have toyed with the idea of suspending something from the ceiling to diffuse the light, like a fabric that won't set the house on fire, or maybe a sheet of plastic, but I have no idea which materials would work or whether that would be uuber-tacky. Also, since I'm renting, I don't think large holes in the ceiling would be too welcome so that limits the weight of suspended objects.

So, any ideas/advice?

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ceiling-light light-fixture not-standard

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May 22, 2007

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About: Hi. I am Erin. I just moved into my first semi-long term apartment as a...

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DesigningMom

May 29, 2007

I see you've already found a solution, but thought I'd add the idea we used in our daughter's first apartment to change an ordinary round glass glove fixture in her entry. She'd bought a cute mini chandelier with black beads that normally hangs from a cord with that special ring that holds the beading to the light bulb area like the one in the IKEA link. We took the glass globe and the bulb off. One of us held the beading part up to the fixture while the other attached the bulb. Whalah...mini chandi!

bohring

May 27, 2007

Thank you all for your ideas, especially Jennag! I went with a clip-on shade from Urban Outfitters for under $8 with shipping and I think I will love it.

mikekarr

May 22, 2007

Those two screws on either side of the bulb indicate that there's a standard box behind the fixture that can probably hold a little weight. Go to any home repair place and buy a new light fixture. Cut the power and put it in. Maybe twenty minutes worth of work. Sky's the limit for variety.

Kristy

May 22, 2007

Could you use a pendant lamp shade, like this one from Ikea, but just hang it right next to the ceiling?

VintageSwank

May 22, 2007

These lights would have traditioanlly had glass or plastic shades that attached to them similar to the ones shown in the previous comment. this is a pretty common feature of older houses, especially where people have taken the cool stuff out and just left the functional behind.

Jennag

May 22, 2007

You could try a clip on shade like this one from pottery barn: http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p4191/index.cfm?pkey=clgtshdacc

or this one:

http://www.problemsolvers.com/product.asp?section_id=0&department=0&search_type=normal&search_value=shade&cur_index=&pcode=43

If you do a search for clip on shade ceiling you should be able to find some more.

t081de

May 22, 2007

If it's just the direct light that bothers you, and not the look of the fixture I'd suggest using a crown mirrored light bulb. Simple, cheap, easy.

mrbenning

May 22, 2007

My wife and I have the same situation in our old, quaint apartment. Any advice would help us as well.