Happy New Year! This seemingly out-of-season greeting will soon make perfect sense, so bear with us as we unveil a transformative bedroom update.

Transforming Our Bedroom: From Functional Fan to Statement Lighting with IKEA Maskros

The time had finally come for a significant change in our bedroom. We decided to bid farewell to the utilitarian ceiling fan and introduce a light fixture that offered a touch more personality and visual interest. For those who love their ceiling fans, please hear us out. Our decision wasn’t born out of an aversion to fans; in fact, my wife often jokes that we’re “fan fans.” We appreciate their practical benefits, especially during warmer months. We’ve even replaced a bedroom ceiling fan in our previous home with a powerful Hunter table fan, a solution we plan to implement here as well. Our philosophy is about thoughtful placement where form and function merge into a beautifully effective design. For instance, the robust ceiling fan in our sunroom (and its predecessor in our last house’s sunroom) is an indispensable fixture we’d never consider removing.

However, when it came to the bedroom, our large, somewhat dated ceiling fan simply wasn’t harmonizing with “Ed the Bed,” our beloved centerpiece. The space deserved a lighting solution that complemented its aesthetic rather than detracting from it.

Discovering Our New Bedroom Statement Piece: The IKEA Maskros

On a recent inspiring trip to Ikea, we stumbled upon the perfect replacement: the Maskros pendant lamp. This captivating fixture comes in two sizes, and while the larger one was practically “Sherry-sized” in its grand scale, we opted for the smaller, yet still substantial, 22-inch diameter version. It immediately struck us as the ideal “statement piece” for our bedroom, offering a playful yet sophisticated touch. And at a mere $50, it was an incredibly attractive investment. After months of admiring it from afar, we were thrilled to finally pull the trigger and make it ours. We understand that the Maskros can be a polarizing design choice, but its whimsical charm brings an undeniable smile to our faces, and for us, that’s what truly matters in home decor – choosing something fun and joyful.

While it made quite the bold statement hanging elegantly in the Ikea showroom, its arrival at our home presented a different message: “Assembly required.”

The DIY Installation Journey: From Dismantling to Designing

Dismantling the Old Fan: Safety First

Before any new installation could begin, the old fan needed to come down. As self-proclaimed “safety freaks,” our first step was to completely shut off the electricity to the entire house. This precaution ensures a safe working environment, especially when dealing with electrical fixtures. I’ve become quite adept at disassembling ceiling fans over the years, a skill born from necessity. A valuable lesson I’ve recently learned, which I wholeheartedly recommend, is to remove all the fan blades first. This simple step prevents inadvertently whacking yourself in the head while trying to disconnect the main housing from the electrical box – a painful experience I’m now keen to avoid.

Addressing the Ceiling Imperfections: An Unexpected Challenge

Unfortunately, the removal of the old fan revealed some less-than-perfect conditions on the ceiling beneath it. We discovered areas of unfinished paint and what appeared to be a square patch panel that wasn’t sitting flush with the surrounding ceiling. This kind of minor damage or unfinished work is a common occurrence in home renovation projects, often hidden by existing fixtures. While a minor setback, it called for an effective and aesthetically pleasing solution.

The Elegant Fix: A Ceiling Medallion

To remedy these imperfections, I decided to borrow a brilliant solution from Clara’s own damaged ceiling dilemma, a common issue beautifully resolved by Young House Love. A quick trip to Home Depot yielded another ceiling medallion for just $19. These decorative elements are incredibly versatile. Not only do they elegantly conceal any paint discrepancies or surface irregularities around a light fixture, but they also add a touch of architectural detail and polish, elevating the overall look of the installation. For those interested in the straightforward installation process, more details can be found in this helpful post. The ceiling medallion would provide a clean, finished base for our new pendant, integrating it seamlessly into the room’s design.

Assembling the Maskros: Precision and Practicality

Ikea’s instructions technically advise against attaching any of the decorative “spokes” to the fixture until after it’s securely mounted to the ceiling. However, given our specific placement needs – low enough to nestle above “Ed the Bed’s” top rail, yet high enough to maintain an elegant appearance – we found it beneficial to attach a few spokes beforehand. This allowed us to approximate the lamp’s finished size and determine the perfect hanging height with greater accuracy, ensuring it would complement the bed without visually overpowering it.

Another practical adjustment we made concerned the electrical cord. While Ikea suggests coiling any extra wire neatly inside the fixture’s ceiling cup, I opted for a cleaner approach. I measured and cut the wire closer to our desired length, then carefully stripped the ends of the now-shortened wires. This method eliminates excess clutter within the fixture box and contributes to a more streamlined installation.

With the electrical connections made and all the structural spokes attached, the fixture was fully hooked up. At this stage, we were particularly pleased with our decision to use the ceiling medallion. It truly made the Maskros look more substantial and balanced, providing a sophisticated transition rather than merely suspending a large spherical light from a small ceiling mount. Furthermore, should we decide to paint the ceiling in the future, the medallion will add an extra layer of detail and a polished finish, enhancing the room’s architectural appeal.

The Grand Finale: Attaching the 82 Paper “Flowers”

Of course, the most iconic and intricate part of the Maskros assembly was still ahead: attaching the 82 (yes, eighty-two!) delicate paper “flowers.” These aren’t complex origami creations; rather, they are cleverly designed paper asterisk-shaped elements, pre-cut and pre-hole-punched to easily snap into place on the fixture’s spokes. This ingenious design offers a degree of customization; theoretically, one could color them or replace them entirely with custom-shaped pieces, assuming one possessed the patience to craft 82 identical items. We briefly considered “going rogue” by spray-painting the backs of the petals a vibrant color, but ultimately decided to maintain the clean, classic white. We often find that a combination of a wild shape and size with a timeless color creates a stunning visual balance that we adore. A clever detail in the packaging, visible in the image below, shows how Ikea uses small boxes to gently curl the edges of the paper elements outwards, contributing to the lamp’s organic, blooming appearance.

Here’s a glimpse of the light fixture with the first few rows of paper flowers attached, already beginning to resemble the impressive piece we admired in the showroom. The transformation from a bare structure to its intended form was already exciting.

After about ten minutes of focused effort, all 82 paper elements were securely attached. Ta-dah! We were more than a little relieved that the assembly didn’t take an eternity, a fear that lingered after opening the box and seeing the multitude of pieces. The rapid completion added to our satisfaction.

The Maskros in Its Full Glory: A Playful “Wow” Factor

We’ll admit, initially, the Maskros felt a bit grander than we had anticipated. It certainly appeared smaller within the vastness of the Ikea warehouse. However, we have plans to enhance the room’s scale and balance further, such as replacing our current assortment of smaller rugs with a single, larger 8×10 rug under “Ed the Bed,” and adding more art to the walls. Even without these future additions, it took only a few hours for the fixture to completely win us over. Now, every time we walk into the room, we can’t help but grin. And about half the time, it even warrants a celebratory high-five. It’s just so much fun! And if you can’t inject a little fun into the privacy of your own bedroom, where can you? (Please disregard that last sentence; it came out all wrong.)

The Maskros truly embodies the playful “wow” kind of statement piece we were seeking. While from some angles it might appear to be snuggled right up against “Ed’s” personal space, the previous picture clearly shows they aren’t touching at all. And despite hanging quite low in the room – the bulb sits just above my eye level – we love that we can get away with this unconventional placement. This is precisely because the area beneath it is never walked through, thanks to the strategic positioning of Ed and the bench at his footboard. Take that, standard eight-foot ceilings! We defy you with our bold design choices.

Daylight Charm and Nighttime Magic: Our Own New Year’s Eve Ball

As much as we adore the crisp, soft appearance of the Maskros during the daylight hours, its true magic unfolds at night. Illuminated, it transforms into our very own Times Square New Year’s Eve ball. Sherry has made it a delightful ritual to walk into the room after dusk, playfully count down “3… 2… 1,” and then flick on the light, often accompanied by a joyful squeal of “Happy New Year!” It’s a small, personal moment of celebration that truly brightens our evenings.

It’s important to note that the Maskros only accepts a 40-watt bulb, so it’s not designed to flood the entire room with intense light. For us, however, this low wattage is a perfect complement to the soft, moody lighting scheme we’ve cultivated in the bedroom. It integrates seamlessly with our recently added side table lamps and the task lighting above the vanity in our bedroom’s sink nook, creating layers of inviting ambiance. The Maskros acts as a captivating visual anchor, providing a gentle glow that enhances the room’s serene atmosphere rather than overpowering it.

Unexpected Delights and Unique Perspectives

One delightful surprise we hadn’t even considered when choosing the Maskros was its incredible view from the bed. When our heads hit the pillow, the lamp is perfectly reflected in our bathroom mirror, creating an enchanting, almost artistic double vision. What a truly wonderful, unexpected bonus! Oh, and apologies to the ladies, but these sexy socked feet and I are happily taken – Sherry is indeed a very lucky lady.

For clarity, it’s worth mentioning that the light fixture is perfectly centered in the room, aligning precisely with both the doorway and the bed. Any slight leftward shift you might perceive in the image above is purely an optical illusion caused by the angle at which the photograph was taken.

Final Reflections: A Light That Ignites Joy

So there you have it: the significant and captivating addition that has transformed our bedroom. The IKEA Maskros pendant lamp has undoubtedly become our playful “hey now” moment. We certainly don’t miss the old ceiling fan, which we’re happily donating to the ReStore for a new life. This new fixture never fails to make us feel giddy and brings an undeniable spark to the room. What can I say? It truly “lights our fire.” Oh, and we must mention that our daughter, Clara, is utterly fascinated by the paper flowers. We’d love to let her explore them up close, but we can’t quite trust her not to grasp one of the delicate paper petals in a death grip and pull it off towards her mouth. So for now, it remains a beautiful object for admiring from a safe distance.

Do any of you own the IKEA Maskros yourselves, and what are your thoughts? Or perhaps you’ve recently discovered other dramatic and large-scaled light fixtures that have captured your imagination? We’d love to hear your experiences and recommendations!

Psst- There have been a few requests for more photos from other angles, so here they are:

Clara likey.

Update: Things definitely take some time to shake out around here. So if you wanna see how Ed the Bed and our new light evolved, click here and here. Ah tweaks. Gotta love ’em!