The late Diane Keaton's interior design choices never failed to surprise us, and we're still finding the most inventive and creative ideas to borrow from her beautifully styled homes, such as this clever lighting trick.
Something as simple as turning a light shade upside down in Diane's kitchen (a genius move by her designer, Stephen Shadley) has such a dramatic impact on the proportions of the room, yet is so easy to achieve. We might even say it's become one of our new favorite ways to use lighting in our home in 2026.
The retro whipstitch shades (Target stocks some similar ones) with contrast stitching are a nod to Diane Keaton's penchant for monochrome, while the style lends itself so beautifully to the elevated ranch aesthetic of her former home.
Head of Interiors, Hebe Hatton, explains why it works: 'By hanging the lampshades upside down, the designer is effectively drawing the eye up and making the room feel bigger and the ceiling higher. It's a really clever design hack to adjust the visual proportions of the room. With shades of this scale, hanging them the usual way could make them look bottom-heavy, and the room feel smaller and more closed in.'
We've found some similar style shades and light fittings below (like this vintage pendant light from Walmart) – but you could try this look with any style, as well as some Diane Keaton-inspired kitchen accessories, to help you emulate her timeless look.
Shop These Buys Inspired by Diane Keaton's Kitchen
We love Diane Keaton's monochrome style and though it's not oversized like the lights in her kitchen, this pendant light is a similar style. You could also try hanging the shade upside down to replicate her trick.
Another similar piece, featuring the classic whipstitch detail as shown in Diane Keaton's kitchen, this shade is the perfect size to experiment with around your home and matches her look perfectly.
Whether you go for the real thing like Diane Keaton or a realistic faux, cacti are so low maintenance and their sculptural shape brings interest and texture, especially in unexpected places like a kitchen island.
Diane Keaton's statement planter is likely an heirloom piece, but this Pottery Barn vase has a similarly retro look thanks to the brown glaze and intricate pattern. You could even pot your cacti in it.
Diane Keaton's dining chairs are so beautiful with their shaped seat backs and these ones mirror the silhouette and dark wood shade, but are really affordable at just $80 per piece.
You can't go wrong with Le Creuset and this retro-style stovetop kettle, which has a similar look to the one in Diane Keaton's kitchen, will inject your tea time with some heritage charm.
Every detail has been considered in the proportions of Diane Keaton's kitchen, including the way the two light shades frame the triangular stove hood to create a pleasing chevron shape, which emphasizes the trick of the eye effect making the room feel even taller. And this idea is in no way limited to the kitchen – it could also be a way to make your living room ceiling look higher.
Another happy accident of this hack is that it will create a completely different atmosphere, thanks to the way the upside-down shades channel the light down to the table (or kitchen island) through the smaller opening. Unlike when you use shades the correct way up, which distributes light around the room, switching them on their head will create a more intimate effect.
If you have a space in your home that feels as though it could benefit from a little extra height, give this lighting hack a try. It really is such a simple, yet effective DIY lighting idea, and if it had Diane's seal of approval, who are we to argue?
