Our Favorite Boob-Light Hack Now Comes in the Pattern of the Moment

You can be a renter, homeowner, or even a college student living in a dorm, it doesn’t matter: Boob lights don’t discriminate. The flush-mount fixtures, which get their nickname from their dome shades and protruding tips, have a rap for killing the mood in a room. And for those of us who might not have the permission or the money to replace them with something chicer, the next best thing is to hide them. That’s where Tulip comes in.

For the past year, the company has been making fabric covers to hide boob lights (or, really, any sad overhead fixture that’s no more than 15 inches in diameter). At launch, the brand debuted just a handful of colors, including a natural khaki and some solids like mustard yellow and terracotta. Now they’ve added a few patterns to the mix, so we can keep this summer’s theme of striped everything going.

The playful additions remind us of all the cool cabana-inspired decor we’ve seen lately, from our very own collab with Heather Taylor Home to H&M’s ruffle-trimmed pillows to Urban Outfitters’s Roma sofa. We’re partial to the fiery red hue that looks like it belongs in a circus-themed kids’ room or a non-nautical beach shack.

Just to be extra-clear about the installation process, there is no electrician or tools needed. The shade fits over an existing fixture. The first step is applying six double-sided Command strips to the ceiling mount ring and then sticking the ring directly on the ceiling around the light. Then you can pop the Tulip shade right into the ring (magnets hold it securely in place). That’s…it. 

While anything is better than looking at boob lights, know that you won’t necessarily be fooling anyone with a Tulip shade, at least not during the daytime when you can clearly make out what they are: fabric covers. That said, in the evening time, they emit a warm glow and give off the illusion of a permanent fixture. 

The cost is also something to consider as you weigh this reno hack: The shades currently range from $135 to $145, which is steep compared to the $199 it costs on average to replace a light fixture altogether. If you own your home and have plans to invest in it long-term, the quick fix might not be for you, but for all the renters out there who swear by updates they can easily remove, this is one bright idea.

Shop Our Favorite Tulip Shades