What kind of lights do you use in your house?

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dust'n the callipygous

Well-known member
I don't know how to do a poll, but just curious what everyone's using for lighting in their own home. Personally, I hate walking through a house with all different types of lights at 12 different color temperatures. I do deal estate photography, so I notice it a lot.

Aside from that, I'm also not a huge fan of the super-orange tungsten glow. I prefer a whiter light, but daylight bulbs are hard to find. I've been looking at CFLs mostly, and they have better power consumption too.

Lowe's carries CFLs in 3 different color temperatures: 2700k, 3500k, and 6500k. i tried the 6500k, but they're just too blue (especially at night, when after 25 years, I guess I've become accustomed to warmer lighting indoors). 3500k was still fairly orange. Wal-mart's daylight bulbs I believe are 3500k as well. I just picked some up at ikea for super cheap, hoping that they'd be cooler than the regular tungsten bulbs I have now (no listed color temp), but I put them in and they're actually even warmer (slightly). I'd say they're around 2200k or so.

I guess what I need is a cheap 5600k bulb, or at least something in the 5000-6000k range. I've seen large bulbs for video lighting, but I don't need the equivalent of 400 watts pouring in through my desk lamp. Does such a thing exist at an economical level? Are there better lights out there I should be looking into, like the new HI-LEDs, or whatever they're called? I'm sure I can't be the only one out there bothered by home lighting. What are you using?
 
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60-watt soft tungsten bulbs, generic brand, in lamps and ceiling fixtures. Halogen lamps on our desks. Concealed warm white fluorescent tubes in the kitchen.

The quality of light works well with the fairly strong color palette in our decoration and walls, and off wooden floors.

Either that, or we're both effectively color-blind.
 
CFL's. I feel like I'm always in an office but on the bright side (pun intended) it brightens up the room 'way' more than the old bulbs did. So it's one for the other. Technically, it's better.
But don't expect any romantic moments under these babies.
 
Mostly CFLs... but a mix of tech... with fairly consistent color.

I don't think you'll like a true 5600k bulb in your house (based on what you've already said)... probably 4100k will make you happiest with the balance.

I have TONS of 5600k bulbs... and every time I think I want 'em around the house it just looks too clinical everywhere. I've used 5600k off and on in closets... and bathrooms, because I don't mind the "real" color temps in those places... but as you've also noticed, when there's any other light for comparison the difference gets dramatic (in a bad way).

I was hot for the new Sylvania instant-on bulbs... but I swear these damn CFL manufacturers need to figure out how to keep bulbs working the same as they age... I'm seeing noticeable decline in performance over just 1-2 months... although they're still the best "normal" CFLs I've bought... They mix well with standard lighting, and the color is a pretty good compromise.

The best daylight CFLs I've had are Sunalux, and the FIRST generation BlueMax... but BlueMax dropped the ball by changing the design and color temp... They restored the color temp, but last time I checked the bulbs were still of cheaper construction then they were originally... and we're talking $10+ PER BULB.
 
MattinSTL said:
Mostly CFLs... but a mix of tech... with fairly consistent color.

I don't think you'll like a true 5600k bulb in your house (based on what you've already said)... probably 4100k will make you happiest with the balance.

I have TONS of 5600k bulbs... and every time I think I want 'em around the house it just looks too clinical everywhere. I've used 5600k off and on in closets... and bathrooms, because I don't mind the "real" color temps in those places... but as you've also noticed, when there's any other light for comparison the difference gets dramatic (in a bad way).

I was hot for the new Sylvania instant-on bulbs... but I swear these damn CFL manufacturers need to figure out how to keep bulbs working the same as they age... I'm seeing noticeable decline in performance over just 1-2 months... although they're still the best "normal" CFLs I've bought... They mix well with standard lighting, and the color is a pretty good compromise.

The best daylight CFLs I've had are Sunalux, and the FIRST generation BlueMax... but BlueMax dropped the ball by changing the design and color temp... They restored the color temp, but last time I checked the bulbs were still of cheaper construction then they were originally... and we're talking $10+ PER BULB.
Click to expand...

...and are you saving any money?:undecided (i remember your thread about that)
 
anybody know about full-spectrum CFLs? I don't know if that's a gimmicky advertising thing, or if the color gamut is actually better. i think the GE Reveal lights are supposed to be like that. these Earthmate's have gotten some good reviews: http://www.amazon.com/Earthmate-EP2...-Spectrum/dp/B001WAL1O6/ref=pd_bxgy_hi_text_b

can't seem to find the color temp on those though. based on the reviews, i'm guessing around 5100k, although the GE Reveals are closer to 3000k (I believe).

Maybe I should just try out these super cheap ones: http://www.amazon.com/Compact-Fluor...ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1274649775&sr=8-1

Those are 4100k, which might be the best bet
 
Tungsten Baby, all the way!.
It's simple, it's cheap, it's environmentally friendly, it's a product of Thomas Edison and it's just plain beautiful.
 
If a person wants to lower electricity consumption via the lighting of their house... CFL will do it. For anybody in a colder climate... it's likely to experience little to no overall energy savings over a year because the CFLs create less heat (good in the summer, bad in the winter).

4100k is a good compromise of what appears to be "flattering yet real, light"...

Full spectrum bulbs means approx. 5600k... those look GREAT for photography, but appear very clinical, and sterile... for any normal room... and if you mix them with other bulbs they look flat out SICKLY.

The earthmate bulbs? I bought a couple 6-packs of them... and I'm not impressed... they're alright... nothing special. Many earthmate bulbs DO dim, however... but in my experience it's of no benefit because they've been under-powered in comparison to others anyway.

If somebody stumbles across this thread and wants to try out CFL with pretty good results... the best compromise of cost to performance I've found, is the Sylvania "living spaces" bulbs that say "instant on"... on the package. You'll still pay around $4/bulb for those. You may also try the other Sylvania instant-on bulbs...

Most CFL looks really yellow... or pinkish-yellow. The Sylvania's have a "normal" look... like tungsten. So far I've only had one of them crap out.

If it's quality of light that you want... then you either want regular tungsten... or the higher end daylight CFL... the Sylvanias are as close as you'll get to a tungsten with the benefits of CFL... and IMO... a decent compromise. My house is FILLED with these.

I still have some regular bulbs mixed in the house as well... in places where I wanted very directional lighting... or instant FULL brightness, etc. This means my place is 80% CFL... and to answer the question about $$$ savings? Nah... with all the various bulbs I've tried, given away, and replaced... I highly doubt I've ever saved a dime overall... for me... all the "green" stuff is a constant experiment for answers.
 
MattinSTL said:
the best compromise of cost to performance I've found, is the Sylvania "living spaces" bulbs
Click to expand...

Matt, based largely on your recommendation, I ordered a few of these bulbs for my office - sorry to put so much pressure on you! :)

I put them in last night and the difference in the feel of the room was very noticeable. Much warmer and very pleasant. Now, just to wait and see how long they last. My office , actually our entire house, is notorious for being hard on light bulbs. If they outlast the other bulbs I have been buying then I will order some for the rest of the house.

By the way, I'm an old guy but it seems like when I was a kid, a light bulb burning out was quite uncommon. Now, it seems like there is always at least one bulb out somewhere in the house.
 
I have a mix of tugnsten, halogen, CFL and fluos. CFL in the bathrooms, where the white light isn't a problem (and if I recall correctly in my parents room). Then in the dinning room and the kitchen we use a pair of fluos that give a nice 5600-4000º of color Temp, in the staircase and bedrooms we have halogen and finally in the rest of the house tungsten. The reason...... there is no real reason, but to use the fluos in the two places that stay on more time, halogens that give more light per watt but at the same time a nice color in the places that stay on medium time. And finally tungsten in the places that see less than medium use.
 
i'm trying out various 3500k bulbs. I've pretty much settled on that for my favorite color temperature that's easy to come by. i like the 4100k bulbs as well, but most stores around here don't carry them. that said, i still prefer the 3500k bulbs in the bathrooms, closets, and rooms without natural light.

i found the sylvania instant-on, but only in a 23 watt bulb at 3500k. it looks slightly warmer, but overall more natural than the others i bought from lowe's and home depot. the sylvania's seem the least harsh when i put them in the bathrooms. it's hard to tell a difference between brands in rooms with natural light. I tried the GE Reveals as well and didn't really care for them over the bulbs i got from ikea for 1/3 the price. they were both about 2700k.

i'll be buying more Sylvania 3500k instant-on bulbs if I can find them. and for any wattages other than 23, I guess I'll just go with the lowe's or home depot brand.
 
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