Choosing the Right Light Bulb

At Window Treats serving Monmouth Beach, we know that the shift in recent years to LED bulbs has made for some confusion in the lighting aisle for some of our customers. It’s no longer “choose the wattage and move along.” Instead, there are numerous options—including sizes, shapes, and colors. But once you understand what each room needs for lighting, you can choose your lightbulbs much more successfully. Read on to learn more!

Different Bulbs for Different Rooms

Wattage is a measure of energy expenditure—and today’s LED bulbs use fewer watts than the old incandescent ones, so this piece of data doesn’t really help you choose. Instead, look at how many lumens it projects (a measure of brightness, usually a range from 300 to 1,600 per bulb) and its temperature (typically a range from 2700 to 6500 Kelvin). The lower the Kelvin rating, the warmer the light (for a cozier feel); higher temperatures produce cool whites (blues) that imitate daylight (better for completing tasks), and medium temperatures produce neutral white light. Each room has different brightness and temperature needs. For example, in the bedroom, where you want to unwind after a long day, you’ll want a lower Kelvin rating (2,700 to 3,000) and fewer lumens (a total of 2,500 to 4,000 for all the lights in the room). For a living room, you’ll want a total of 2,000 to 3,500 lumens and a cooler temperature around 2,700 Kelvin. You’ll want a bright workspace in the kitchen, so shoot for 5,000 to 9,000 lumens and a temperature around 4,000 Kelvin. And if you have a home office, where you’ll want to stay energized, look for 3,000 to 5,000 lumens with a Kelvin rating of 3,500 to 4,500.

Incorporate Natural Light

Natural light from the sun makes daytime hours a bit different—it’s best to choose window treatments that complement your electric lighting selections. Whether you prefer to tilt vanes to filter light (like with Heritance® Hardwood Shutters) or if you want to raise and lower the shade to control light (like with Vignette® Modern Roman Shades), your options for window treatments from Hunter Douglas are vast and include choices that will work great with your décor. Contact one of our representatives to determine the right window treatment for your room and lighting needs.

Understanding Home Lighting Monmouth Beach

Window Treats, Inc. is service-oriented business specializing in custom shades, blinds and draperies. We serve residential & commercial customers throughout New Jersey & New York, including Allenhurst, Brooklyn, Cherry Hill, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Elberon, Englewood, Fair Haven, Freehold, Holmdel, Little Silver, Locust, Long Branch, Manalapan, Manhattan, Marlboro, Middletown, Monmouth Beach, Monroe, New Brunswick, Oakhurst, Ocean Township, Rumson, Spring Lake, Teaneck. Contact us for a consultation!