“We've settled on Philips as our go-to brand for light bulbs,” says Monte. This is another reason to go with LEDs, as they typically have lower wattage than equivalent incandescent options. Bi-pin a pin-in base with two points of contact, often denoted by a G4 or GU24. Candelabra a smaller screw-in base, denoted most often with an E12. While they're more of an investment upfront, their life expectancy and energy savings are worth it in the long haul.”įinally, just make sure the bulb’s wattage doesn’t exceed the maximum recommendation for the lighting source. The most common light bulb base types are: Standard-medium a regular sized screw-in base, usually denoted with an E26 or E27.

“They not only last longer, but they can offer that gorgeous warm glow to a room. “LEDs are the present and in the future in our book,” she explains. You’ll probably have a choice between LED and incandescent bulbs, and while incandescents are typically less expensive, Monte says to go for the LEDs, which last 25 times longer and use 75 percent less energy, according to the U.S. When choosing light bulbs for her clients, Monte recommends the following warmths in each room:Īs you can see, she uses warmer bulbs in bedrooms and living rooms, where you want a more laid back, relaxing vibe: “ A warm light will make a clean and modern home feel cozier by softening the overall look and feel of the space,” she explains.Īrmed with the ideal lumen and Kelvin rating, you head to the light bulb aisle-only to be greeted by a dozen products that suit your needs. Luckily, there are “daylight” light bulbs for this exact purpose. The warmth of a light bulb is also important for tasks such as putting on make-up, where you want the light to closely mimic daylight. Here, you’ll want to think about the overall aesthetic of the room, as warm light tends to be cozier, and cool light bulbs are usually better at task lighting. To give you some context, a candle gives off approximately 1,900K light, while a blue sky is 10,000K. Color warmth ranges from around 1,000 to 10,000, and the lower the Kelvin rating, the warmer the light. Light bulb manufacturers include this information and the equivalent. Once you’ve figured out how many lumens you need, it’s time to think about the warmth of the bulbs, which is measured in Kelvin (K). Brightness is a description of light output, which is measured in lumens (not watts).

Light bulb brightness