Have you ever wondered what all those words on a light bulb mean? Watts, Lumens, Kelvins… and then there are 100’s of bulbs to choose from! We’re going to lay it out for you here today because it can make all the difference in how your space looks. It’s not just the light fixture that matters, it’s the bulb too.
So let’s cover the basics. Watts are the amount of power that the light bulb uses to produce illumination. A lumen is the measure of the brightness of the light bulb. Kelvins refer to the light sources coolness or warmth. The Kelvin rating on a light bulb or light fixture indicates the shade of white that is given off by the light source. The lower the number the cooler the color.
Keep these three things in mind when choosing a light bulb.
Now what type of light bulb to choose? Edison to silver dipped, there are tons out there to pick from.
Edison bulbs have a trendy aesthetic to them that look great when left exposed and offer a soft glow. All incandescent Edison bulbs produce a warm amber color. Unlike the LED Edison where you can get them with white or even cool white color, the incandescent vintage bulbs have a smaller range of warm color temperature. The brightness is usually about half or even less than half of what you would expect from a standard incandescent bulb with the same watts. They are not supposed to be used as the main light source for a room, bathroom, kitchen, or a dining room. They should be used as an accent, ambiance light.
Globe light bulbs diffuse the light producing a good amount of light with softness. They are great for exposed light fixtures.
There are a few vintage styles of bulbs that provide a warm, ambient glow, adding a fun style and that candlelight like effect. The Mini-T, Radio Style, Tubular and Antique are a few and they really come down to the look you are trying to achieve.
Silver dipped bulbs have a metallic coating. This type of light bulb is used to diffuse light by redirecting the emitted light back into the fixture and is often used in pendant light fixtures hanging above tables.
Then there is the regular old light bulb which is great to use when covered by a fixture.
The most eco friendly light bulbs are LED light bulbs which are an energy efficient design. Not only do LED lights consume less energy than other bulb types, they last longer (about ten times more than regular incandescent lights), which means less materials used in manufacturing long-term.
The biggest thing to consider is the over all look you are going for and then narrow down the choices from there. If you need help we are always here to lend a hand. Reach out to our design team at Staged For Upsell for a consultation. And if you’re looking for some new light fixtures we have an excellent selection in our retail store Lane & Co.
Wondering about the proper height to hang a dining table light. Read a previous blog here sharing all those details.
