Alang Ceiling Light Hack – buy for $30 and look like $300 in 10 minutes

Materials: Alang ceiling light, grossgrain ribbon, wood disk, hot glue

Description: I found two inspirational photos of flush mounted ceiling lights I wanted. One was $278 and the other was $100. When I saw the Alang ceiling light at Ikea for $30, I knew I could recreate the pricier lights almost perfectly by hacking the Ikea Alang one! Here is how I did it:

1. I used 5/8 inches wide and 8 yards long grosgrain ribbon in dark brown to create the trim border on the Alang Ceiling Light (bought it for around $3 at Michaels).

2. I melted the one edge of the ribbon to prevent fraying; be careful when doing this. I always do it next to a sink in case I need to run it under water.


3. Using my hot glue gun, I started gluing the ribbon at the upper seam on the light. I could have used permanent fabric glue, but I worried if it didn’t work then I would be out $30. But of course since I am sharing this, it did work well. Once I got the entire way around, I overlapped the ribbon slightly. Be sure to melt the other end of the ribbon too.

4. I had initially thought I would only do the top of the light with the grosgrain ribbon, but when it was done and installed, I really thought it needed a second band.So back to the hot glue gun I went. I glued another row of grosgrain ribbon around the bottom.

5. I then cut a small disc of wood off a dowel we had laying around. It was approximately 2 inches in diameter and we cut it about 1/2 an inch in depth. Once spray painted it dark brown to match the ribbon I glued it to the middle of the light.

Grand total $33 to hack an Ikea light to look exactly like some $300 ceiling lights.

See more of the Alang ceiling light hack.

~ Stephanie