Asked on Jun 25, 2015
Does anyone know how to make 'shop lights' look better?
by
Gardenbuff
+6
Due to budget restrictions, we have to use these in our kitchen.
7 answers
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When you find some answers on this, I have to use a shop light over my sink due to same reasons as you. Can't wait to hear some recommendations!!
LYNN
on Jun 25, 2015
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Make a wooden frame to surround it making sure that it is deep enough to ensure fire safety. Staple rice paper to the bottom to hide the bulbs and trim to cover the staples. Granted this is inconvenient when it is time to change bulbs but florescents last a long time.
Tonia
on Jun 25, 2015
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Can you describe the type of shop lights you're using--overhead on chains or floor style on a stand?
Kate
on Jun 25, 2015
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Kate, the lights are flush mounted to the ceiling, and they have covers over the bulbs. The box calls them commercial fluorescent lights.
Gardenbuff
on Jun 25, 2015
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I found this on Buzzfeed, which linked to this blog: http://www.bromeliadliving.com/2009/06/starbucks-lattice-ceiling-inspiration.html She shows a couple you can buy--one for $50, another for $130--but I think you could make your own using the pictures she shows of the ones for purchase, then hang it from the ceiling with chains, hooks and eyes at each corner.
Nancy Gramm
on Jun 26, 2015
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Gardenbuff-- Tonia and Nancy Gramm have come up with good ideas,. But, here's another option. Consider what you'd spend in time and money to try to upscale the fixture. Unless you're convinced the effort would result in something that you actually like, I'd put up with it a while longer until I could get something to replace it. I know you're constrained by budget, so replacing the fixture with what you'd *really* like isn't in your immediate future. But your fluorescent fixture might be covering just a standard size electrical box in the ceiling, and you could easily swap out for something else. It might be easier and just as budget-friendly to replace it with something you like better. If you bargain-hunt on Craigslist and garage sales, Habitat Restores, etc., you can probably find something inexpensive or even free. Even if what you find isn't your cup of tea, it might be easier to do a makeover on that than the commercial fluorescent. Having a residential light fixture as your starting point gives you far more options.
Kate
on Jun 26, 2015
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We had the same exact thing. we removed it and changed it for a track system. 1 line 4 smaller bulbs.. It was around 70.00 to replace the whole thing
Kim Hatem
on Jun 27, 2015
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