Travis: The almighty light

Driven by the need to conserve energy, the lighting industry has undergone a massive change over the last decade.

How many people does it take to change a light bulb now? Well, that’s no longer a joke, but a perplexing question when faced with the choices at your local lighting store.

We all know the central role lighting plays in interior design, from practical task lights to decorative applications, the right bulb and fixture create the ambiance for work and relaxation that makes your home a pleasing and inviting place. Too much or too little light both cause stress and fatigue. We want to take advantage of the new technologies, but it’s a learning curve to get it just right.

I asked Mary Beth Gotti, manager of the GE Lighting Institute, to help us out with some basic choices that would conserve energy, but also give a similar lighting experience to the traditional incandescent light bulb.

My first question concerned dimmers. I had noticed on LED light bulb packages that they weren’t dimmable. What to do for the dining room chandelier, or the mood lighting pretty much everywhere in my home? Dimmers are a decorator’s best friend.

The answer is simple, stay with incandescent bulbs if there isn’t a suitable replacement, But in most cases there is.

The living room is filled with a variety of lighting needs. Gotti guided me through each light source and offered her expertise on which bulb to buy.

CFLs (compact fluorescents) deliver a soft, diffuse light that’s shadow free. Good for the table lamps. And there are also three-way bulbs available. For the sconces that flank the art over the mantel, choose CFLs, or, if you want more sparkle, use halogen or LEDs. You want a dimmable product for the ceiling spots, so go halogen, but soon LEDs will become available with a dimmable option. For the spots in the windows, CFLs deliver the right light.

When choosing the strength or brightness of the bulb, check the packaging for equivalents. A 20-watt CFL is equivalent to a 75-watt incandescent bulb and a 9-watt LED is about 40-watts of incandescent lighting.

From a design standpoint, lighting has a brilliant future. The size, shape and renewed capability of bulbs translates to innovative light fixtures and treatments. While traditional lamps and sconces will remain part of our historical furnishing, watch for smarter, more efficient applications that will change the way we light our homes.

Q: We are trying to decide if hanging curtains (side panels) at our basement windows is appropriate. The room’s height is 7 feet. It’s a rectangular room 28 feet by 12 feet with one window that runs the length of the 12-foot wall and the other window in the middle of the long wall. Both windows are two-feet high and located close to the ceiling. Any ideas for length and pattern for panels that would create the feeling of height?

A: Low ceilings and high windows are a common challenge in basements. I suggest full length curtains that can be pulled across the windows at night for privacy. This will produce the illusion of height. Choose a vertical stripe for the fabric to draw the eye up. And why not utilize lighting to augment the illusion? One or two CFL spot lights on the floor aimed up the walls is a great effect tucked behind a sofa or large plant. Augment the positive and you can’t go wrong.