Light up your life, without breaking the bank

No matter what your walk of life, you're most likely being affected by the steep rise in energy prices so, with prices set to soar again in October, can you afford not to re-evaluate your energy usage? One way to do this is through lighting. On average, lighting contributes to 11% of a household’s electricity consumption, so swapping to a more energy-efficient option could reap notable rewards, not only for your pocket, but also for our planet.

In fact, in the last few years the Government recognised the adverse effect that conventional bulbs are having on our finances and the environment, so banned the sale of incandescent bulbs in 2009 and halogen bulbs in September 2021, and the same fate awaits the fluorescent bulb from September 2023, as they'll be replaced with their more adaptable and efficient counterpart, the LED (Light Emitting Diode).

However, be aware that stores are allowed to sell out their existing stock of the old-fashioned bulbs, so when purchasing LED replacements, make sure to read the label carefully to ensure you're buying the LED option.

Although, LEDs are the buzz in lighting right now, they've actually been around for a while. The LED was originally launched in 1968 but its use really became mainstream in 2008.

Unfortunately, LEDs quickly gained themselves a reputation for casting a cold, harsh and poor-quality light, as well as for being priced higher than familiar halogen bulbs. Their climb to stardom has therefore been a slow one, but thanks to changes in the law, we will all soon have no choice but to welcome LEDs into our homes, and do you know what? That really isn’t a bad thing…

So, what actually are the benefits of swapping to LED?

They're kinder to your pocket
Let’s be honest, no matter what our individual financial situation, no-one's relishing the rapidly, accelerating cost of living. With everything going up at a rate of knots, even the smallest savings are worthwhile but swapping to LED could make a surprisingly welcome reduction to your bill. The Energy Saving Trust state that swapping a 50 watt halogen bulb to LED will save up to £5 per bulb and if you swap a 100 watt incandescent bulb you can expect savings of up to £13 per bulb per year! They are better for the environment LED bulbs last up to twenty times longer than incandescent and halogen bulbs. This means that as we change them less often, less bulbs need to be produced, so there is less waste and less carbon dioxide produced. The Energy Saving Trust advise that by changing all the light bulbs in your home to LED, you could reduce your carbon dioxide emissions by up to 40kgs a year, which is the equivalent to driving your car for 145 miles!

Shine a light on your home
Despite its slightly rough start, the LED is now standing strong as the go-to light source for our homes, mainly due to its extended lifespan and efficiency. But what about the poor-quality light issue? Simple. Buy good-quality LED light fittings and bulbs. LEDs range hugely in terms of performance and even in the colour of the light. This is certainly one area where investing in quality will positively impact the opulence of your home. Although you will pay significantly more for LEDs than for the conventional options, always buy from a reputable source who will not only offer you a superior product but also a three to five year warranty that you won’t enjoy from cheaper alternatives.

Let’s not forget that buying quality goes for the bulbs too. Cheaper bulbs can look too cold or dingy and may even flash, which can cause headaches. Spending more on your LED bulbs will ensure a longer lifespan, lower maintenance costs and far better quality of light.

Now in the mainstream, LEDs come in many different guises, but in the first instance you need to decide if you want them to be retro-fit (bulb) or an integrated LED light. The main difference is that with retro-fit you can just change the bulb as you would a conventional bulb, but with the integrated option the bulb is part of the thermal management fitting and therefore when the bulb goes pop, the whole fitting needs to be replaced.

Whilst swapping to retro-fit LED throughout may sound like the simplest option, it may not be the best one. As a rule, the more decorative light fixtures, such as wall and pendant lights are more suited to the retro-fit option. This is because the design outweighs the importance of the thermal management in this instance, so retro-fit is ideal.

However, in the case of down, up or accent lights, a good quality integrated LED should be first choice. Unfortunately, they do need to be fitted by a qualified electrician, which will add to the cost, but the difference in the superiority of the light and its extended lifespan will be worth the investment.

Whilst a good quality retro-fit LED bulb claims to offer a remarkable 15,000 – 30,000 hours of light, an integrated LED of the same quality comes in at an impressive 50,000 hours of light, so while changing the bulbs may be a little more complicated with an integrated LED, you won’t have to do it anywhere near as often.

That said, buying quality is the most important thing with LEDs, so if the costs of the integrated LED are too high, don’t be tempted to buy cheap. Instead, opt for a good quality retro-fit LED and you can still enjoy opulent light without breaking the bank.

With LEDs, we're no longer restricted to just a cool or a warm white glow. Make a feature of your lighting with coloured LEDs. These fun fittings come with colour chips that you can control from your SMART device, meaning that you can change your lighting to suit any occasion. This can be particularly effective with integrated lighting. Not to be confused with the integrated LED, integrated lighting is simply hiding it in recesses so only the light can be seen and not the source of it. For example, cleverly concealing strip LEDs around rooflight reveals, hidden in small channels in walls or sunken into concrete paths can all create a striking effect.

There is lot’s to learn regarding the correct usage of LED lights in the design of your home, but used correctly they can highlight key features and transform the ambience of any room.

If you'd like to discuss the use of LEDs in your home or are looking for some clever lighting inspiration, please give the Strive For Design team a call on 01223 622 688 or send us an email.

Leigh Hall from Strive for Design is an interior designer in Cambridge, so if you're planning to refresh your home, please contact us.