Bright Ideas: Choosing the perfect globe!

When it comes to lighting, the wattage numbers printed on a box can feel like a secret code. Once upon a time more watts meant more brightness, full stop. But with the rise of LEDs, wattage is now simply the “fuel” a globe burns, not a guarantee of light output. Two tiny numbers 2W and 4W can throw out more usable light than a traditional 25W or 40W incandescent, while using a fraction of the energy. Let’s decode how that works and help you choose the right bulb for every corner of your home.

Incandescent filaments glow by getting red-hot, wasting roughly 90% of the electricity you pay for as heat. LEDs, on the other hand, create light by passing current through a semiconductor. They stay cool, last up to 25 times longer, and convert as much as 85% of their energy into visible light. That means a 2W LED can rival the output of a 25W incandescent and a 4W LED can match a 40 W incandescent while cutting your power bill to pocket change.

When you’re shopping for bulbs, think of watts as the petrol in a car and lumens as the kilometres you actually travel. Watts measure how much electricity a globe consumes, but they say little about how bright the light will be, especially with modern LEDs that sip power. Lumens, on the other hand, tell you the true light output: the higher the lumens, the brighter the bulb, regardless of wattage. That’s why a 4-watt LED can rival a 40-watt incandescent in brightness while costing a fraction to run. Bottom line? Check lumens for brightness, watts for energy use, and you’ll never be left in the dark

Colour temperature measures how “warm” or “cool” light appears and is expressed in Kelvins (K):

• 2700 K – Warm White
  Candle-like, inviting, ideal for bedrooms and living rooms.
• 3000 K – Soft White
  Balanced and flattering—think relaxed dinner parties and general spaces.
• 4000 K – Cool White
  Clean and energising, perfect for laundries or craft corners.
• 5000 K+ – Daylight
  Crisp and bluish, best reserved for garages, workshops, or photography setups.

Stick to one colour family per room to keep the mood cohesive, and use dimmers to shift intensity without changing the tone.