Add decorative bulbs, shades, shells or mobiles to decorate ceiling lights.
Ceiling lights provide overhead illumination and usually need little attention. The light fixture styles and lampshades for ceiling lights quickly become outdated or no longer go with the room due to changes in color or style. Decorating ceiling lights gives them a new look without the need to replace the fixture or lampshades. Change the look of an individual or group ceiling light fixture with projects that take only a few dollars and less than a day to complete.
Instructions
Individual Ceiling Lights
1. Decorate an individual ceiling light with a lampshade mobile. Check lighting stores, home improvement stores, catalogs and websites to get ideas for the type of mobile that best suits your home. Many are made of translucent materials, allowing light to pass through and adding interest to an ordinary ceiling light. This also serves to camouflage out-of-date or unattractive ceiling light shades or fixtures.
2. Measure the width of the ceiling light at its widest point and make a note of the measurement.
3. Buy a lampshade mobile wide enough to fit over the ceiling light
4. Install a decorative ceiling hook by screwing it into the ceiling next to the ceiling light, if needed. Alternatively, use the hardware provided with the lampshade mobile
5. Hang the lampshade mobile by holding it centered below the ceiling light and raising it over the ceiling light to the desired position. Hang it from the ceiling hook or provided hardware.
Decorate Chandelier or Multiple-Bulb Fixtures
6. Replace plain light bulbs with decorative bulbs in ceiling fixtures where the bulb is exposed, such as those with shades open on the bottom and some chandelier-style ceiling lights.
7. Select large flat seashells and smaller shells to decorate ceiling fixture lampshades. Because of their translucence, seashells allow light to show through.
8. Remove the lampshades from the ceiling light fixture. Some lift up or unscrew to the right. If there are screws or knobs holding the shade in place, turn each one until the shade is loose enough to remove. Hand each shade to an assistant.
9. Clean the shades. Use a vacuum cleaner brush gently on fabric shades. Wash glass shades in mild dish soap and warm water. Dry them thoroughly with a dishtowel.
10. Place the seashells against a ceiling light shade to see how they'll fit. You may need to make two or three rows. One large shell place on the outside of the shade so it's the most visible may be sufficient. Leave 1-inch clearance at the base of the lampshade so you can get a good grip on it when you need to remove it for cleaning.
11. Apply glue to the lampshade and press the seashell into the desired position. Add smaller shells for additional decoration, if desired.
Tags: ceiling light, lampshade mobile, light fixture, ceiling hook, ceiling light fixture, ceiling lights