Lighting

Bedroom ceiling light fixtures that can accommodate 3" of exposed gas line

We’ve lived in our 100yo Ditmas Park house for 3 months now and still only wires hang from the ceiling of every bedroom. We have been unable to find bedroom ceiling light fixtures with enough canopy to hold the 3″ of gas line that sits out past the ceiling. I’ve found some that would fit…

by
05/07/2007

We’ve lived in our 100yo Ditmas Park house for 3 months now and still only wires hang from the ceiling of every bedroom. We have been unable to find bedroom ceiling light fixtures with enough canopy to hold the 3″ of gas line that sits out past the ceiling. I’ve found some that would fit in the $500 – $1000+++ range but we really need to spend more like $100 – 400 per fixture. Can anyone please tell me where I can buy such fixtures, in person at a store, anywhere within a 2 hr drive of Flatbush Brooklyn?

Lighting

Comments

  1. OP,
    I also have a couple of “pan” type fixtures, like the one in the URL below, that also cover the gas pipes in my house. However, I’m not sure that these repros are deep enough to work.

    The beauty of the old (or old style) canopies is that they can be used with most any hanging fixture–even cheap Home Depot types. Light fixtures also use standardized fittings, so re-configuring them isn’t exactly rocket science (with the caveat that this applies to American loght fixtures–old European ones are another atory story).

    http://www.rejuvenation.com/fixbshowC931/templates/displayer.phtml

  2. Bob: Okay I get it. Thank you. After reading your 1st reply I thought maybe it meant that I would have to use pendant fixtures which is totally fine. I really appreciate your help.

  4. Good idea IMO to cut off the gas, but the pipe makesa really strong connection to hang a heavy fixture. No need to spend $$ on removing the pipe and changing the box UNLESS you want a light fixture flush with the ceiling

  5. Anon 10:23, yes — the gas lines are live and I am working on finding a plumber who can locate the pipes in the basement that need to be cut. It’s not as easy as one pipe and doing this is going to be very expensive.

  6. is the gas line active?

    i had the same thing in my ceiling and i just took the pipe out and attached a regular box in it’s place, since the line was dead.

    i would talk to a plumber first and if you can take out the gas line, your life is going to be 1000 x’s easier.

  7. Bob, I am having trouble visualizing the thing you describe “an old (c.1900–1920) canopy made to cover (literally)such a situation. They typically slide up and down on a brass pipe, so that you can physically hang the fixture first, connect the wires next, and slide the canopy into place, fastening it by tightening a retaining screw” I do know the lighting store you mention, near Hoyt & will pay them a visit. Thank you!

  8. I don’t think the OP’s problem is finding a hickey to hang the fixture, but rather finding a canopy deep enough to cover the gas pipe and wires. My suggestion would be to look for an old (c.1900–1920) canopy made to cover (literally)such a situation. They typically slide upand down on a brass pipe, so that you can physically hang the fixture first, connect the wires next, and slide the canopy into place, fastening it by tightening a retaining screw. MUCH better than modern canopies IMO. I was lucky enough to find almost enough of these in my house to meet my needs and pick up the rest in antique shops. There’s a shop on the south side of Atlantic Ave., just east of Hoyt, that might have some of these canopies.Salvage shops should also have them, as should places that sell antique lighting.

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