Choosing the Right Light Bulb for Each Room

If you’ve walked down the lighting aisle at your local hardware or home-improvement store in the past few years, you might have noticed that the light bulb selection is enormous—in many cases, taking up the whole aisle! That alone can be overwhelming. At Altra Home Décor serving the greater Phoenix area, we’re happy to help you understand the ins and outs of lighting so you can choose the right bulbs for each room in your home. Be sure to speak with one of our specialists if you have questions about your specific situation!

About LED Light Bulbs

Bulbs come in different sizes, shapes, strengths, and, interestingly, colors. When you look at the bulb’s box, you’ll note that it gives you information such as how many watts the bulb uses (a measure of the energy expenditure—LED bulbs use fewer watts than the old incandescent ones), 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. You’ll want to consider the last two numbers the most as you decide your lighting for each room.

In the Living Room

The living room/family room tends to be a gathering space in the home, the area to watch TV or movies, play games, or just hang out. You’ll want a variety of sources of light—it’s best to have some from above as well as from below—so you can adapt to whatever the situation calls for. You’ll likely want to avoid the blue-type lighting that energizes. Consider a total of 2,000 to 3,500 lumens for the room, with color temperature around 2,700 Kelvin.

In the Bathroom

The ideal positioning for bathroom lighting is near the mirror versus from above, with brighter lights being better for shaving, makeup application, and more. Larger globe bulbs are a good idea for the mirror area, with a total of 5,000 to 7,500 lumens and a color temperature around 4,000 Kelvin.

In the Bedroom

As you settle in for a good night’s rest, you’ll want to start winding down, so a lower Kelvin rating will be a better choice than the higher, more energizing rating. If you read before bed, you might want a bedside lamp with neutral tones, avoiding the cool white lighting that creates contrast with the pages. Shoot for between 2,500 and 4,000 lumens, with a temperature of 2,700 to 3,000 Kelvin.

In the Kitchen

Cooking and cleanup require lots of workspace light, and if you have an eating area in your kitchen, you’ll probably want a good overhead, dimmable light with a warmer temperature for ambiance. Overall suggested kitchen brightness is 5,000 to 9,000 lumens, with a temperature of around 4,000 Kelvin.

In a Home Office

When you’re hard at work, you want to be energized by the light around you, so finding bluer tones (cool whites) that mimic daylight will be best. Be sure that your light source won’t create glare on your computer screen—consider LED desk lamps for task lighting that’s easily switchable for color temperature. Suggested overall brightness for the home office is 3,000 to 5,000 lumens, with a temperature of 3,500 to 4,500 Kelvin.

Don’t Neglect Natural Light

Your windows are a source of light as well, so it’s important to use the window fashions that complement your electric lighting selections. From tiltable options like Heritance® Hardwood Shutters to raiseable Vignette® Modern Roman Shades, your options for window treatments from Hunter Douglas are vast and include choices that will work great with your décor. Be sure to speak with one of our specialists to determine the right window fashion for your room and lighting needs.

Understanding Home Lighting in the Greater Phoenix Area

Altra Home Decor is your source for window treatments, custom drapery, flooring, and more! We serve the greater Phoenix area, including Peoria, Sun City West, Glendale, and Scottsdale, with a showroom in Surprise. Stop by our locally owned store to view our full-size window treatment displays and sample books. Contact us today to schedule an in-home design consultation!