I'm Genuinely Shocked That This DIY Solution For Offensive Overhead Lighting Isn't Already Viral
I am one of those people who cannot stand when the dreaded "big light" is turned on. To those unfamiliar, the "big light" is an internet term that refers to the far-too-bright overhead lights built into many homes. This is what mine looks like:
The fixture isn't terrible, but in the evenings, it is so bright in my small room that it feels more like a hospital room than a cozy bedroom.
For those who loathe overhead lighting as much as I do, there are certainly solutions — but they often come with a hefty price tag. Interior designers like Josh Jessup and Matt Moss of Josh and Matt Design recommend using other ambient light sources like floor and table lamps and wall sconces to avoid switching on the glaring "big light."
When I set out to find an aesthetically pleasing dimmer for my ceiling light, I discovered rental-friendly "flush mount conversion kits." Essentially, they're lampshades for your ceiling. At first, I thought they might be the perfect solution... until I saw the price.
You’d think that with so many renters unable to swap out hardwired fixtures, affordable options would be everywhere. But no, the selection is shockingly limited. And the most internet-famous option, Tulip Shades? Those will set you back anywhere from $116 to $375. Call me frugal, but I just couldn’t bring myself to splurge that much on a ceiling lamp.
After a few hours of pining over gorgeous light fixtures on Pinterest, I realized it was time to get creative and try a DIY solution instead.
During my research, I realized the look that I was drawn to for my ceiling light was similar to the ones designed by Isamu Noguchi in the 1950s. These days, many brands have airy light shades similar to the Akari lights designed by Noguchi, but he was the one who pioneered this modern aesthetic, blending traditional Japanese lantern materials with contemporary style.
Authentic Akari lights retail for around $600, but a rice paper lantern on its own? That's something I knew I could find for much less, and lo and behold, I found a large, white paper lantern that would definitely fit over my 12-inch diameter light fixture — for the very happy price of $17.95. (Just to play it safe, I also purchased one other size in case one worked or looked better than the other.)
Now that I had the right-shaped lantern, I just needed the right color. What I like about Noguchi's lights is that they are not stark white. They're a more natural beige color. That was when my creativity really started to kick in. I thought back to elementary school when I used black tea to stain white paper into an antique beige hue. Surely, if it worked for my third-grade Declaration of Independence project, it would work now with a paper lantern, right?
Turns out I'm not the first person to have this idea. TikTok creator @treviestyles made a video in 2023 where he dyed a paper lantern using tea to imitate a Noguchi lantern. Following his suggestions — and my intuition — I got to work, putting the wire expander in each paper lantern and assembling the rest of my materials.
Here's what I used:
• 2 dome-shaped white paper lanterns with wire expanders
• 4 bags of black tea
• About 1 quart (4 cups) of boiling water
• A French press (not necessary, but helpful)
• An empty spray bottle (or, in my case, a spray bottle head with an empty Guinness bottle)
After brewing some strong black tea, I poured it into the empty bottle and topped it with the spray head. It looked a little funny but did the trick! I sprayed the lantern with the tea until it was evenly dampened. (I put some cardboard down to minimize the amount of tea I got on the floor, but it may be best to do this in a garage or outdoors, if you can.)
I set the lantern down on the cardboard to dry for about 30 minutes and sprayed again so the color would be slightly more saturated.
After two coats of tea on both lanterns, the lanterns were dyed and dried, and (even if this photo doesn't tooootally capture it) looked AMAZING.
Then, it was time for the tricky part: attaching the paper lantern to the ceiling light fixture. The best DIY projects, in my opinion, make use of materials you already have on hand. I used a spool of craft wire I had from other projects to secure the lantern to the light, but any sturdy, non-stretchy wire or twine should work just fine.
I tied one end of a long piece of wire to the metal loop on the lantern where the expanders attached, then repeated the process on the opposite side. My plan was to place it over the light fixture and then string the wires across the top of the fixture and tie each strand to the other loop.
When I went to fit the lantern onto the ceiling light, I ran into an issue — the wire expanders were in the way of my installation. At first, I was worried, but then I realized that dyeing the lantern had actually done me a favor. The process had helped the lantern hold its expanded shape! With the wire expanders removed, I was able to easily slide the lantern over the fixture.
I would be lying if I said this part was easy. Trying to attach a big lantern to a light ten feet in the air made for some awkward, mid-air maneuvering. But, eventually, I got the wires across the light fixture, attached them to their opposing loops, and voilà!
I'm thrilled with the results! What makes this DIY stand out to me is how it transformed a cold, glaring light into a warm one that emits a softer, yet still bright, glow. I also love the light's rounded shape, which beautifully contrasts with the lines of my walls. Here's how the light looks on:
I need to reiterate that this entire DIY cost me less than $30, which is honestly incredible. The payoff feels like it’s worth so much more — both in terms of dimming the light and making the fixture more visually appealing. It’s one of those rare DIY projects where I feel like I hacked the system; it wasn't that labor-intensive and had a big payoff. I think the results look even better than the more expensive "conversion kits" I could find online.
Honestly, if I saw something like this in a friend's home, I’d expect it to cost at least double, if not triple, what it cost me to set up. I consider it a resounding success.
What do you think of my "big light" makeover? I'd love to hear your thoughts — let me know in the comments.
