Glow your own way Get the look

A globe can be the star of the lighting show. This eye-catching table lamp combines a concrete lamp base with vintage-style bulb. For similar try Luce Bella, 4W, 470lm G95 LED ES globe, in Warm White, $11.90, I/N: 0019564

Home lighting

With all the dazzling options on the shelves, how do you know which globe to choose? Our guide has the answers.

True to type Start by familiarising yourself with the basic types. LED lighting is extremely versatile, energy-efficient and tough. LED stands for ‘light-emitting diode’, a solid-state electronic component that is small, durable and can emit extremely bright light for relatively low power consumption. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are long-lasting and energy-efficient. They use the same principle as fluorescent strip lights, but the lighting tube is ‘coiled’ or ‘folded’ into a size similar to that of incandescent globes. Halogen lights are often used for downlights. Technically a type of incandescent globe, they use halogen to produce more light at a lower wattage than other incandescent lights. Incandescent light globes – the old-style glass models – are now largely phased out due to their low efficiency and short service life. 

Glow your own way

Cut through the jargon and get the look you love from your light globes with our easy guide to all things bright and beautiful

New for old The latest globes are designed to fit the same sockets as their predecessors, for bayonet or Edison-screw fixtures. There are LED equivalents for almost any old-style lighting solution, from fancy candle globes to fluorescent tubes. In some situations, however, a CFL may be a better option; for example, a warm white LED could be a bit glaring in a desk lamp, while a CFL may provide softer illumination.

Where the globe is on display and you want to channel the charm of yesteryear, try LED vintagestyle filament globes. “They have innovative filament technology, giving them a retro appearance that makes them great for decorative installations,” says Osram’s Anne Desmond. These designer globes come in different shapes and colours, from amber and gold to primary colours and even flame effects!

Watt, when, who The power consumption of a light globe is defined by its wattage, or how much electrical energy (measured in joules) is used by the light fitting per second. A 15W fitting, for example, will consume 15 joules of electrical energy every second to produce light. Different classes of lighting (such as LEDs

Get smart With onboard connectivity to bluetooth or wi-fi, you can pop smart globes into any normal light socket and use a smartphone or home hub to control them. Depending on your hardware, you can switch them on and dim them using voice commands, as well as set them to ‘random mode’ as a burglar deterrent. Replacing halogen downlights with smart lights, such as Philips ‘Garnea’ or ‘Aphelion’, enables this control in every room of the house. “Once installed by a qualified electrician, the Garnea or Aphelion can be controlled by a Hue switch, via bluetooth on any mobile device or be configured to work with the Philips Hue Bridge,” says Phil Treanor of Signify NZ (Philips).

Philips ‘Hue Bridge’

wireless lighting

system controller, $95.50, I/N: 0311642 (excludes mobile device) Safety tip If replacing light fixtures or downlights, always consult a qualified electrician

DESIGN TIP

For a complete change from natural-looking daylight, LED bulbs that have RGB (red/ green/blue) functionality offer countless colour variations

Pendants bring light down in interiors with high ceilings. Higher-hung pendants have a wider, less intense spread of light than those hung lower

versus CFLs) vary in how well they convert electricity into light, so check the lumen rating; lumens are units of brightness. Unlike incandescents, different LEDs of the same wattage may vary in their lumen output.

For an easier comparison of modern lights to old incandescent globes, an ‘equivalent wattage’ estimate is often included. A 6W LED globe may have a 600 lumen output, also described as ‘equivalent to a 50W traditional globe’. This means it looks about as bright as an old-fashioned 50W globe, a familiar benchmark for many people.

Living colour “Colour temperature is the way we describe the light appearance produced by a light bulb, measured in Kelvin (K),” says Phil Treanor. “Temperatures for residential lighting fall somewhere from 2700K (soft/warm white) to 6500K (cool daylight).” ‘Daylight’ shades of white, which have a more bluish tinge, help us concentrate and feel alert, while warmer, creamy whites create a cosy, relaxing vibe.

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Vintage charm

3D effect

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Lights fantastic

Today’s globes provide stylish illumination, change colour for ambience and may even deter insects!

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Smart tube

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The Philips ‘Hue’ downlight offers over 50,000 shades of white!

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Voice-control capability

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Anti-insect globe

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1 Luce Bella ‘Bumpy’ 5W glass filament LED smoke globe in Warm White, $39, I/N: 0205655. 2 Brilliant 8.5W A60 B22 CCT smart globe, $21.95, I/N: 0137910. 3 Arlec 9W 806lm RGB+CCT BC smart globe with Grid Connect, $24.98, I/N: 0111500. 4 Verve Design ‘Flame Effect’ 4W ES LED globe with gravity sensor, $22.90, I/N: 0019573. 5 Deta ‘T8 Daylight’ 18W 1900lm smart tube with Grid Connect, $34.99, I/N: 0111511. 6 WiZ ‘Filament’ ST64 B22 720lm wi-fi smart globe in Tunable White, $28, I/N: 0130844. 7 Osram ‘Vintage 1906’ 6.5W 650lm dimmable ES globe in Clear Gold, $19.98, I/N: 0018994. 8 Philips ‘Hue’ 90mm smart bluetooth downlight in White Ambiance, $89.95, I/N: 0208834. 9 Philips ‘Hue’ 9.5W A60 B22 globe in White Ambiance, $49.50, I/N: 0029156. 10 Brilliant ‘Anti-insect’ 9W A60 B22 LED globe, $9.90, I/N: 0065041. 11 Osram 9W 900lm ES LED stick globe in Warm White, $5.98, I/N: 0028919. 12 Verve Design ‘3D Effect’ 4W G125 ES LED globe, $29.98, I/N: 0019566. 13 WiZ A60 E27 800lm colour adjustable wi-fi smart globe, $43, I/N: 0182433. 14 WiZ ‘Filament’ G95 E27 720lm wi-fi smart globe in Tunable White, $33.90, I/N: 0130845. 15 Arlec CCT BC 9.5W 806lm smart globe with Grid Connect, $21.98, I/N: 0111502. 16 Luce Bella 4W 470l T32 ES LED globe in Warm White Amber, $9.98, I/N: 0117575. 17 Luce Bella ‘Amber’ 4W 470lm G80 ES LED globe in Warm White, $11.98, I/N: 0019563. Some products are not available at all Bunnings stores, but may be ordered. ◆