Want to upgrade interior lighting, but want to get away from white fixtures...

[SyrenSkywolf]

So, we have done a LOT of remodeling to our TT. One of the biggest things I have left is the lighting. We want to get away from white fixtures, but have had very little luck finding anything decent. I am thinking about possibly replacing the fixtures under cabinets (over the bed/couch/sink, etc) with track lighting, which would solve those areas. It is the ceiling that is primarily putting me at a loss.

With the color scheme we have going, I am looking for something preferably in matte black, but that isn't set in stone. We have already tested the matte black idea on a few pieces (thermostat, etc) with decent spray paint, and it looks great. I am hesitant on doing the same thing to the light fixtures, however, because I worry that turning them on and off will wear down the paint.

What few non-black or white fixtures I have found (rubbed bronze, etc) tend to have no indication of having a switch on them, and two of our five ceiling lights don't have wall switches.

Does anyone know of any resources out there, or have any ideas on this matter?

 

[blw2]

paint them?

They have some pretty good rattle can paint now made for plastics.  You could take the existing fixtures down, or buy new ones that you like the shape of.... remove or mask the lenses, and spray them....

 

[Lou Schneider]

Leave the reflectors behind the bulbs white, or you'll lose about half of the light output and the fixture may overheat.

Ignore this if you replace the bulbs with LEDs that only shine in one direction.

 

[SyrenSkywolf]

The problem with the ones I have already, is they are the original ones, so the reflectors are very discolored from over 20 years of heat.

As said, of course, we have good spray paint, but I still worry about wear from use (paint scraping off around the switches), even if I get new ones. And I want to stay away from cheaper looking units, which 98% of them are. We live FT in our trailer, so we see them every day. With all the upgrading we have done to make this place our own, I don't want to have cheap-looking lighting. One of my biggest peeves in the RV world is how lighting gets completely ignored unless you have a class A that costs the same as a house.

 

[ladymac2015]

try the hammered metal looking paint, did our cabinet door handles in it

 

[Bobthegod]

If you want some real nice fixtures.  Check out  www.WestMarine.com They have boat lights and they are way better the plastic white stuff we get.
They cost more but they sure are nice.  Most are LED with added dimmers.  Lots sizes from intense quarter sized to larger ones like you see in a high end boat.  Most are metal or aluminum.

Good Luck

Edit: Fixed link.

 

[rewesling2011]

Try the Krylon "FUSSION" spray paint made for plasics! Make sure to SAND them so that there is absolutely no shine to them wipe them down with alchohol, brake cleaner,mild paint thinner and paint only the outside of the fictures woked great for me! Mr. Rod.

 

[Ernie n Tara]

You might convert the existing fixtures to LED and then paint, including the reflectors. You'll probably want to replace the lenses as well.

Ernie

 

[bucks2]

Krylon is your friend. Paint them. A good triple coat will last a good long time. When you see wear........ paint them again.

Ken

 

[Kevin Means]

We couldn't find the lighting fixtures my wife was looking for at any RV parts store so we ended up going to Lamps Plus, a chain lighting store. I don't know if they're in your neck of the woods. The fixtures my wife picked out were household fixtures designed for 120 volt bulbs, so I had to modify some of them with bases for LEDs but they look great. Just a thought.

Kev

 

[cvrvr]

SyrenSkywolf

I have a 6 or 7 Thin Lite 15w 2 lite fluorescent fixtures that you can have for the cost of shipping. This can easily be repainted.

George

 

[Mayhemmom]

I googled 12v pendant lights and came up with a company that has really nice fixtures that they have put 12 V lights into. You might Google RV  light fixtures?

 

[sundancer268]

SyrenSkywolf

I have a 6 or 7 Thin Lite 15w 2 lite fluorescent fixtures that you can have for the cost of shipping. This can easily be repainted.

George

George, do you still have the ThinLites?  I am looking to replace my ceiling lights and want to go fluorescent.  Thanks, Ed

 

[Mayhemmom]

I found ITC RV on Pinterest. Ordered a pendant light from them and it is rather wonderful. I did have a time with hooking in a dimmer switch to the system for it.  The light I replaced had a built in switch, and the one from ITC did not which was a little glitch that I did not foresee. There are also some wonderful wall sconces on Amazon,mahatma work on batteries and they are great looking and the batteries last a while, if you remember to turn them off. My camper that I remodeled, has a kind of cowboy, Wild West theme working for it, so I got some wonderful adjustable light lanterns from the Dollar Store of all places. As long as you are not reading a novel, they are great and add a lot of ambience to the camper. Good luck!

 

[rebel1155]

you can buy just about any lamp or light fixture you want for home or rv you just have to wire to your 12v system and use 12v bulbs or you can remove the bulb fittings from your existing light and wire them into your new lighting