As the campaign goes on to get the general public to install florescent lighting in their residences, I for one am not an advocate of such changes. My wish as an interior designer is that we skip over the ‘squiggle bulbs’ that change our paint colors, cause eyestrain on older clients, and need special disposal methods at the end of their life or due to breakage.
LED (Light Emitting Diode) is the step above florescent and there are many benefits to these little lights of mine. They have a 50,000 hour life. There is little heat output for installations where that is of concern. LED light bulbs that fit into a traditional lamp or fixture are becoming available and the light bulb will outlive the fixture itself. The light is a bright clean white light so colors stay true from the time the color sample to the installation. The cost is coming down dramatically and should keep dropping as the technology advances.
As our population ages, so does the need for proper interior illumination for our daily function. The layering of lighting in a room, from ambient to task to decorative makes a space beautiful, but also adds to the well being of the occupant.
An interior designer or electrician are a good source to give you information on the specific places you can install LED retrofit fixtures and how to get products when looking into new construction.
Don’t settle for that one dim light in the middle of the room or the lamp in the corner – illuminate!
