You walk into your favorite home center needing a lamp (or bulb, as it’s more commonly referred to), a dimmer, or a new luminaire, but you have no idea where to start, or what the right choice is for you. You’re frozen in your tracks, overwhelmed by a sea of choices. Sound familiar?
The world of lighting can be very complex, but our founder, Avraham “Avi” Mor, is here to help distill down the range of lighting terms you’ll see up and down the aisles, so next time you step foot in the lighting section, you’ll know exactly what to look for.
Lamps
First things first, it’s important to note that “lamp” most likely isn’t referring to that beautiful, decorative piece you’re referring to. A lamp in the lighting industry actually means a bulb.
So, when choosing a lamp, I recommend starting by envisioning the luminaire the lamp is going into. If the lamp is going to be exposed, for instance in a clear glass shade or shade-less luminaire like a simple vanity light, then the look of the lamp itself will be very important. For example, I have a Murano chandelier with exposed lamps in my home. Because I don’t want ruin the look of the beautiful chandelier with any exposed plastic on an LED lamp, we chose to use low wattage incandescent lamps.
If your lamp will be hidden, then its appearance is not important. The key is now color temperature and CRI. For instance, if there weren’t shades on the lamps on my chandelier, I would have gone with a warm, high CRI LED lamp (I prefer 2700K, 90+ CRI for residential spaces).
And finally, just when you think you’re done with choosing the lamps, you can’t forget about its size. To achieve the best results, you must match the size of the lamp to the base in the luminaire.
LEDs
When it comes to LEDs, I have a few tricks of the trade that will help you fill your cart with all the right selections:
- Brand: You can’t go wrong with Philips LED replacement lamps – I have found them to consistently dim the best. This is key, as LED technology is changing fast and the lamp you buy today may not be on the shelf next year.
- Replacements: If you are changing LED lamps in a multi-lamp luminaire, I recommend getting all the replacement lamps at one time so you can ensure that they match and dim together.
- Color: Look for “warm-dim” lamps – they will get warmer (more amber in color) as you dim them, matching what incandescent lamps do.
Dimmer:
If you are looking to replace your old dimmer, the MOST IMPORTANT thing to ask yourself is “what am I controlling?” For instance, if it’s an LED lamp, those need a specific dimmer that’s meant for that source. Long story short, make sure your source and your dimmer match!
Luminaire:
The good news when it comes to selecting a new luminaire is that the options are endless! You can easily find one that matches your desired aesthetic in any lighting aisle.
When it comes to outdoor design, something people often forget is that bugs are attracted to light, so if you’re designing your dream backyard, you’ll want to find fixtures that are open and cleanable. You want it to last all seasons, after all!
The last key consideration I hope you’ll keep in mind when picking a luminaire is that you need to meet electrical and safety codes. I have been in home centers and online selling products that are not NRTL listed (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, i.e. UL, ETL, CSA, TUV), or even selling Romex and plastic boxes, two things that CANNOT be used in the Chicagoland area.