Post updated July 16th, 2024

We all know them. We’ve likely all had one in our homes at some point. You can spot them easily by their round shape with finial right smack dab in the center. I‘m talking about THE BOOB LIGHT.

They can most often be spotted in the wild alongside beige walls with plastic blinds. Why are they so often used? Is it their stylish design? Nope. These lights are rarely a choice, rather, they are inherited by what someone else probably thought was a no-brainer win for lighting. They can be purchased in 6-packs, for around $13 per light, making them a favorite among home builders and landlords. They are used in areas where you need minimal lighting and aren’t trying to make a huge design statement. I get it; not every light needs to knock your socks off with style. Sometimes you just want a comfortable, understated item that serves its functional purpose. Nothing wrong with that. Hallways, entryways, mudrooms, bathrooms and utility rooms usually just need a 1-2 bulb light fixture and that is what the boob light has done for us - for better or worse (worse). With so much attention being given to primary rooms in the house, these areas often go neglected, and homeowners are quick to overlook these unfortunate lighting choices.

Now, maybe you like them, and I’m not telling you not to. I just want each item in your home to be intentional, not something you have because it came with the house. If you get the feeling your house gave up on itself and put its fat pants on, then this is the post for you. Lighting has a way of elevating a space like no other, so I promise, this is a worthwhile investment.

I have wrangled up 10 of my favorite boob light alternatives. All under $100. Now there is no excuse not to swap these out!

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10 Boob Light Alternatives Under $100

1. Why not a pop of color? This powder blue hue is practically a neutral and comes in several other yummy color options as well.

Duncan 2-light chrome flush mount with seafoam shade, Home Depot $76 — Duncan 2-light chrome flush mount with seafoam shade, Bed bath and Beyond $99

2. This light looks waaaay more expensive than it is. I love to use white globe lights in my designs, particularly if the room is a saturated color. It really pops!

Linnea Avenue Etta Glass White Globe and brass flush mount ceiling 1-light $99

3. The soft glow of this one is so calming and it adds just enough texture to keep things interesting without being too distracting.

West Elm fabric shade natural linen drum shade ceiling flush mount light fixture $89

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4. A natural texture can be a great way to warm things up, especially on a white ceiling.

5. Feel like admiring Edison’s invention? This is the light fixture for you.

Black square flush mount ceiling light, $52

6. Milk glass feels so vintage and the tiered shape on this one just keeps me captivated. This one definitely feels more expensive than it looks.

Globe Electric 11.81 in. 2-light matte brass flush light with tiered milk glass shade $99

7. I have used these in numerous client projects and am always pleased. There is something very tailored about a drum shade. This is also a great choice if you are needing multiple light fixtures for one room, like a kitchen.

8. Okay, this one is kind of fabulous. Its more of a statement light, so I would not use it in a room needing multiples of the same light. For a powder room or entry light, this is a great choice!

Merra 13.3 in. 2-Light Gold Flush Mount with Star Glass Shade $75

9. Low ceilings? This fun sunbursts ceiling light might be just what you need to raise the roof! And it’s just fun.

Anacleto LED flush mount sunburst brass sputnik ceiling light $80

10. Now we can finally fit a circle inside a square (even though I’m pretty sure the challenge is to fit a square inside a circle LOL). Either way, we are having fun with geometry in the coolest way.

Aiswen 13 in. 2-light industrial Gold flush Mount ceiling light fixture $74

Before you make the change: Many of the above lights are comparable in size to the standard, 13” boob light, but that doesn’t mean your boob light was the right size for your room to begin with. Make sure the size is appropriate for the room you are using it in.

How to determine the right size light fixture for a room

The appropriate size of your light fixture can be found by adding the length and width of your room together in feet, and then converting that number to inches.

Example: Room width is 14 feet wide x 12 feet length + 26. So the diameter of your light fixture would be 26” (If you are using two lights instead of one center light, you can divide this number in half to find the diameter for each light.)

With this in mind, the boob light should have never been in a living room, bedroom or dining room of this size to begin with! Especially if your ceilings are over 8 feet tall as a flush mount can feel too small in some cases. So, don’t swap with one of the above if what you really need is a totally different size/type of light! :)