No matter where you go these days, you’re bound to see vintage light bulbs illuminating a space. They’re hard to miss—the exposed filament, the classic look, the amber glow—and people are taking notice. These modern reproductions of Thomas Edison’s original design are found in many settings, from restaurants and bars to boutiques and cafes. They’re also a hit in the home décor world.
A Growing Trend
The resurgence of vintage bulbs comes as no surprise with the growing popularity of industrial, urban and farmhouse décor styles. Thanks to the exposed filaments, the warm glow of these trendy bulbs isn’t too far off from candlelight. If you’re looking to create a charming space with a vintage twist, try pairing Edison bulbs with an exposed bulb fixture like Canarm’s York pendant.
Defining Characteristics
If you’re in the market for Edison bulbs, you probably already love their antique look. But what exactly gives these bulbs their charm?
We’ve already mentioned what the exposed filaments do for the illumination of these bulbs, but they also add a subtle detail: the shape. The filament (typically made of tungsten) heats up to create a glowing light. The added visual interest from the glowing filaments is a unique selling point for some. A few popular filament shapes include squirrel cage, spiral, hairpin and victor (or quad) loop.
Edison bulbs themselves also come in a variety of shapes. There are A-series-shaped bulbs (think of the typical light bulb shape), globes, tubes and candelabras to name a few.
Energy Efficiency
Despite their stylish looks, vintage light bulbs aren’t recommended for everyday use. They aren’t the most energy efficient option on the market: 90% of the power they consume is generated as heat, with the other 10% being light.
When it comes to Lumens (aka the measure of brightness), the higher the number, the brighter the bulb. Regular Edison bulbs rank in the low- to mid-hundreds. For reference, most LEDs are over 1,000 Lumens.
Needless to say, don’t plan on lighting up an entire room with these bulbs unless you use LED vintage bulbs. Use them to add an inviting warmth to your space instead. They also work well for accent lighting.
No matter what you call them—vintage, Edison, antique—the style factor of these bulbs is hard to ignore. With the rising popularity of rustic farmhouse and industrial home décor styles, this lighting trend has some serious staying power.
What do you think of the vintage light bulb trend? On point or overplayed? Let us know in the comments!
