Everything You Need to Know about LED Lighting

A light fixture is only as good as the bulb you put in it. But a visit to the lighting aisle can get overwhelming fast with the number styles, shapes, and applications available today. We asked Lights Fantastic’s former president, Jon Sayah, to illuminate us on what we should know. Plus: Local design minds weigh in on the best bulbs and an innovative way to integrate your lighting. Thomas Edison wishes.

The Shape of Things

“It used to be a house had 100 recessed down lights, but now you can do so much more than that,” Sayah says. He points to innovations made possible by advances in LED, including beams embedded in walls, wayfinding strips embedded in floors, LED tape hidden behind fascia in closets, and illuminated bathroom mirrors. It’s important to note that what has changed is technology—not technique, Sayah says. A room still needs a mix of general lighting, accent lighting, and task lighting.

Light Bulbs 101

Incandescent: Traditional filament-style bulbs with which you grew up. Not energy efficient and burn out fast.

LED

Light-emitting diode bulbs that look and feel like incandescents but use up to 80 percent less energy. Cost less than other bulbs and have a very long life.

CFL

Compact fluorescent lamps are spiral or tube-shaped bulbs. Use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs but are more expensive and not as long-lived as LED bulbs.

NOTE: A 12-watt LED is equivalent to a 15-watt CFL is equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent.

Color by Numbers

LED lighting is softer and more adaptable, which are qualities that help make a house a home.

“The lower the color temperature, the warmer the light, and the more comfortable and cozy it feels. That’s why amber lights are good for night lights in a stairway, for example. As you get higher on the color spectrum, the light is brighter and bluer. That’s good for waking up and working,” Sayah says.

And it used to be that homeowners chose either a warm white or a cool white bulb, but smart LED lighting offers more options. “You can still dim for less or more light,” Sayah says, “but now you can change the coolness or warmness of a bulb as well.”

Smart Lighting Control

Switches, dimmers, and sensors simplify lighting—and life.

The Best

“Caséta by Lutron has been around for a very long time, and it’s a very good, flexible system,” Sayah says.

The Beautiful

Lights Fantastic now carries Adorne by Legrand. The new smart system emphasizes sleek, modern design.

The Bargain

“Even with Google Home and Alexa, you can turn smart lights on and off, dim the lights, and change colors,” Sayah says.

Bright Ideas

Designers’ picks for best bulbs—because a lamp is only as good as its light.

**Tala light bulbs:** “Tala light bulbs have that classic elegance and warmth, all with LED technology. The hand-blown glass on the Voronoi II is beautiful.” *—Harris Briggs, AIA, William S. Briggs Architect*

**Ryet Ikea:** “I love these LED light bulbs because they are a flattering and warm light temperature and the most realistic to an incandescent that I’ve tried from other big box stores. I can leave lamps on and put them on timers throughout the house and not feel guilty about energy consumption. (And they don’t break the bank at $3.99 per double pack!)” *—Janelle Burns, Maestri Studio*

Hide and Chic

Now you see ’em, now you don’t.

Make your lighting practically disappear: Plaster-in LED lighting allows for all the illumination without the distraction, as unsightly housings are recessed within drywall. Whether you opt for more traditional down lights or linear channel lights (which can run long spans across a ceiling, along an accent feature, or down walls), this innovative solution allows you to get creative with where and how you light a space.