I have an overhead light in my bedroom that I absolutely despise. It’s way too bright and it’s right behind my phone/book/whatever when I’m lying in bed. We have other lights around the room, and so I’d like to replace it with someone else. I don’t really want a ceiling fan there, but that’s the only thing I can think of. Does anyone have suggestions of something fun to put in the center of a bedroom ceiling?
Install a dimmer switch? We replaced the stock Hampton Bay fan/light in our bedroom with a clear glass, kinda industrial style fixture with LED Edison bulbs on a dimmer switch, so we can turn that light on really low or really bright if we need to. I hate overhead lighting typically, but the low light is super warm colored and great to have on when we’re in there but still up.
I’m a dimmer switch advocate…no one should ever get blasted with a full-strength bulb when they’re trying to wind down from the day or first waking up. Just put dimmer switches in every room.
Oh, it’s on a smart dimmer already. The placement in the room relative to where I sleep/lie in bed makes it super annoying even at low light, so I’d rather just replace the full thing with something more useful or at least nicer looking.
Big stainless steel hook , when anyone asks tell them it’s for your sex swing. The actual sex swing is optional but recommended.
Otherwise look at fancy lights. You’ve got other lights in the room but maybe look for one that throws light horizontally, not downwards , at least it will still have some utility.
Or a light with an elaborate shade, there’s those types with a pull string that give you endless patterns as they shift between two shapes.
Throw a smart light bulb in there so you can muck around with colours and brightness.
I’m all about making stuff for my house. An old tool or car part, some plumbing supplies, some wired LEDs and a you tube video or two.
Or a hand made paper lantern, some wire or a lampshade frame, hot glue and cool papers or images you like.
Same idea but fabric…Go to the thrift stores and look for tapestries or cool fabrics. Hit the fabric store for trims and frills and edging. Wire lampshade frame in a cool shape, glue.
Crafting wire, bags of various beads can help too.
Outdoorsy… try one made of willows. Go collect some willow, or similar supple switch type tree. weave it or get a few nails or wire and get creative. A simple box or more difficult sphere.
Are ya weird? Look for large doll heads. Pop the eyes out, cut a hole at the back of the mouth. Drill some holes all over. Give it a wacky haircut and die job. Hot glue some colored felt inside so the holes can glow when you light it up.
Really cool glass jar or vase. Rig up a hanger. Get some glass frosting supplies. Make cool patterns with tape and design it how you like. More frosting less direct light.
Find the industrial salvage place in your area. Go have a look for objects you can turn into a light. Maybe you find a cool old exit sign or something you like.
You can get all kinds of LED fixtures. All the shapes sizes and colors you can imagine. Find one that fits what you are making afix it inside or drop a smart bulb in the socket and make a.hanger of some kind for the fizture. Check the hardware store for things to use as hangers, or the industrial salvage place
So many things.
The dollar store and thrifting can be great places to get supplies and inspiration. Large fabric and Craft stores or bezosville will have stuff too. Industrial salvage. Pawn shops. The local buy and sell for cool objects.
Edit: dimmer switch guy also has a good point.
I’m not weird enough for a doll head but fabric + max brightness at like 20% could be a nice mood piece.
Obviously you need a rotating disco ball.
Mount a flatscreen to the ceiling?
A Theramin?
Ceiling medallion? They aren’t much of anything but they do look nicer than an empty outlet.
A GOBO projector would probably be a hassle to reach/change.
Something like this? Not sure how you’d get it up there and maybe it’d just be annoying: https://www.haines.com.au/cathode-ray-tube-paddle-wheel.html (see: Crookes tube)
Any motion sensor driven item.
Honestly ceiling medallion isn’t a bad idea. It’s a nice accent. We don’t have a TV in our bedroom (because we don’t want to use the space like that) otherwise the projector isn’t a bad idea either.
I wouldn’t normally recommend Ikea, but the “REGNSKUR” Ceiling lamp is what we replaced our ceiling fan with in our bedroom. It’s low profile, has 3 bulbs and the fabric is easily removable for washing. In lieu of a dimmer, I use voice controlled color changing lights, and the fabric really blends the light together well.
The whole unit is ~3 parts - a frame you install into the ceiling that has 3 magnetic “arms”, the frame that attaches to the frame magnetically that the fabric rests on, and the fabric itself. The hardest part was honestly getting the fabric on the frame lol.
Anyway, I only recommend it because it’s super low profile, pretty inexpensive, looks nice and is bright (or rather, can be bright bulb depending.) If I had to say one drawback aside from the fabric being unwieldy is that there is a circular hole at the bottom, which if you are directly underneath you can somewhat see the base of the frame, and some of the edges of the bulbs house. Honestly, not that big of an issue (and light does not really get me in the eyes from this spot). We’ve had it for nearly two years now and have taken it on and off for washing maintenance maybe 5 or 6 times in that time, it’s holding up great. I don’t really see it going anywhere.
