Ditching the old incandescent lighting options in favor of LED lighting is popular among homeowners. Rather than following the trend blindly, let us explain the science and common sense behind the move to LEDs.
The most prominent feature of LEDs is that they are more energy efficient. They require less energy to provide even brighter light than their counterparts, all the while lasting longer than typical bulbs. LED are highly customizable lights regarding their delicate appearance and brightness, making them the best lighting options to help you create the perfect ambiance.
What You Can Expect From LEDs
LED lighting solutions are available in multiple designs and styles, allowing for almost limitless flexibility around your home. We didn’t have that luxury with incandescent light bulbs because we could only use a bulb based on its shape and wattage.
As time passed, fluorescent lighting tried giving homeowners more options with soft, bright, and daylight whites. But they are inferior when compared to LEDs regarding brightness, light appearance, and color rendering. All three components combine when you’re looking for the best LED lighting options to help you create the perfect ambiance.
Brightness
We must abandon the idea that more wattage automatically produces brighter light. It isn’t easy to compare the brightness of an incandescent and an LED bulb based on wattage because of the vast difference in power consumption between the two bulbs. For this reason, the lumen rating is the sole metric that matters when shopping for an LED light. A light fixture’s lumen rating indicates how much light it produces.
Light
Kelvin is the unit of measurement for the correlated color temperature (CCT) of light (K). The kelvin rating of a light bulb or fixture may tell us whether it emits a soft, warm light or a sharp, cool one. The greater the number, the cooler and bluer the light will look, whereas a lower number will provide warmer light.
As a reference, the color temperature of a standard incandescent bulb is about 3000K. Midday sun on a cloudless day emits light with a color temperature of about 5500K. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) give off a cold, clinical glow compared to incandescent lights. There’s a problem since they opted for a cold, high-kelvin color temperature rather than a warmer one.
Color
Object colors seen under different lighting circumstances might vary. Color rendering index (CRI) measures how well we see colors. As a starting point, there is a 100-point range available, with the color rendering index (CRI) of a 2700K incandescent bulb being 100. With today’s LED lighting, a CRI of 80 or more is excellent and is more than enough for most uses. Yet, there are situations where a color fidelity of 90 or more is preferable.
Home Lighting Functions
After learning what lighting involves and the difference in terminology, you can begin to coordinate the perfect lighting arrangement. It’s more convoluted than sticking some LED lights on the walls and in your old fixtures. There are multiple variables and types of lighting that must coincide with each other to have a cohesive ambiance.
Ambient
Your first focus should be the ambient lighting. Restaurants use ambient lighting to let their customers relax and, hopefully, spend more money at their establishment. The same notion holds for your home, sans the making money portion. You can rely on your primary light fixture at home to provide enough ambient lighting, casting a crisp, white light that is easy on the eyes.
Cove lighting, pendant-hung fixtures, and recessed downlights work wonderfully for ambient lighting.
Accent
Accent lighting is a special kind used to highlight specific objects, such as paintings, sculptures, potted plants, mementos, and other decorative pieces. Accent lighting brings life to certain areas in a subtle manner. Focus on what you want people to see rather than the light itself.
LED tape lights are an ideal option since they are thin and decorative. Other options include picture lights or under-cabinet lights.
Decorative
The use of decorative lighting both inside and out may significantly improve the aesthetic appeal of a house or other living area. A well-thought-out lighting scheme is crucial for achieving a state of elegance in any given environment.
Homeowners typically employed decorative lighting for rare and exceptional occasions only. However, many folks see the value in seeking ways to make their homes unique expressions of their personalities.
Chandeliers and table lamps are only two examples of ornamental lighting used inside. While choosing decorative lighting, it is important to consider budget, available space, ease of installation, and energy use efficiency.
Task
In any dwelling, task lighting is one of the most useful types of illumination. To facilitate daily activities, task lighting is essential in various settings, including kitchens, workbenches, and workplaces. It shines light onto the work surface, making it easier to see.
Task lighting is essential for the well-being of your eyes and facilitates your visibility. Poor illumination can lead to eye strain and other vision issues. Thus, brighter task lighting is essential for working securely and comfortably and is not only an issue of aesthetics.
Dimming Capabilities
Ambient and task lights benefit greatly from dimming. With dimming capabilities, you can arrange the lighting to suit the needs of the space and the person using it, whether for a particular mood or a specific job. Dimming also helps save energy since it lowers a light’s electrical demand.
Not all LED fixtures are dimmable; thus, it is vital to check the product label to ensure the fixture you settle on can dim to your liking.
Prepare to replace your dimmer switches when converting to LED lighting. Most dimmers only work for certain incandescent lights. But since LEDs use different technology, the two aren’t always compatible.
Trying any or a combination of the LED lighting options to help you create a perfect ambiance can make your home’s bland rooms pop better than ever before. Stylighting aims to be your primary source for all your lighting needs. We have many LED bulbs, including the trusted LED Edison bulb, to spruce up your home.
