THE SECRETS TO THE PERFECT LIGHT BULBS

You guys, let’s talk about light bulbs. Yes, for real, light bulbs. We all have them. We all use them. Yet very few of us really know how to correctly purchase light bulbs. I have a small obsession with having the correct lighting in every space and truly believe lighting can change the way your paint reads, the way your floor looks and the overall aesthetic of your space. Go ahead and ask any client I have ever worked with. They will tell you about my true passion to ensure their space is lit correctly…I just can’t believe I haven’t written about this before, but there’s no better time than now. Let’s get your home feeling all the right feels with the correct color and brightness in each bulb in your home. I’m here to share the secrets to the perfect light bulbs!

Now to introduce you to your two new best friends when shopping for light bulbs. Lumens and Kelvins. Go ahead, say hello and let me do you the favor and formally introduce you to each of them.

Lumens – LM

Lumens measure the amount of light you get from each bulb. Gone are the days we are looking for the watts we need on a bulb. We want to look for how many lumens each bulb creates. Watts tell us how much energy the light bulb gives off, and with all light bulbs being energy efficient now the wattage does not affect the outcome. We want to know how much light the light bulb will give off and that is determined by the amount of lumens.

Pro Tips for Lumens

Recessed lighting and lamps with shades: 750-800 lumens is a good place to start.
Globe lighting or exposed bulbs: 250-180 lumens, this way the amount of light is not overwhelming your eyes.
Work Space needing more light: 1100-1600 lumens which will help spread the light out over the room, keeping it bright enough for the work space.

We broke down your old thinking into your new thinking to help wrap your head around this new concept. But once you understand that the higher the lumen number is the more light the light bulb will put out you really don’t have any need for this graphic. It can just become a frame of reference until you wrap your head around it! Trust me, I know it’s going to take some getting used to!

Kelvins – K

Kelvins measure the color of the light you get from each bulb. Every light bulb produces a different color. This is why some light bulbs make your space feel warmer while other light bulbs make the space feel color. Or why you might notice in a light fixture if one bulb looks different from the next in color. Chances are the kelvins are different.

Pro Tip

Recessed lighting and ceiling lights: 3000k is our starting point. We don’t like to go higher than 4100k.
Lamps and wall sconces: 2700k as anything under that starts to feel too yellow.