Vintage style enthusiasts don’t have to give up energy-efficient lighting

Just as various interior design styles draw inspiration from the trends of bygone eras, so too does the nostalgia for older lighting forms emerge. With pendant lights, chandeliers, and other traditional-looking lamps, the variations seem endless. However, the question arises: what light sources should we use to ensure these lights appear authentic while also being energy-efficient? The so-called Edison bulbs from around the 1920s evoke the most emotion among those interested in older styles. These bulbs had relatively weak light, glowing dimly with a nearly golden hue. The plentifully used filaments, arranged in various winding methods, created uniquely beautiful shapes. Because they didn’t glow too brightly, we could admire the play of the filaments. The glass bulbs protecting the filaments also came in much more varied shapes compared to today’s mass-produced world.

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Note: While we mention vintage style in the title, the fixtures in the images are not. Focus on the light sources, not the chandelier!

This is why the old bulbs had a strongly yellowish light; we could look into them because energy efficiency was not a concern – longevity was more important. Energy efficiency? They were happy to have electric lighting at all. They glowed weakly, with a color temperature between 1800-2600 Kelvin. For the sake of authenticity, similar bulbs are still made today with similarly energy-wasting consumption. If someone chooses these light sources for their entire home and relies on them to meet modern lighting needs, they might be surprised by the significant increase in their electricity bill.

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Edison Bulb – Art Filament SMD LED – COG LED Filament in One Image

The image above shows the consumption and luminous flux of three different lighting technologies. Compared to the (front-left) original filament bulb, the two LEDs provide two to three times more luminous flux with one-tenth the consumption. In other words, their efficiency is 3.125 lumens per watt compared to 55-90 lumens per watt, making their efficiency 17.6 to 28.8 times better. This drastically reduces the lighting portion of our electricity bill by about one-twentieth to one-thirtieth. By choosing an LED that suits our taste, we can achieve nearly the same lighting experience. Therefore, it can be said that LED manufacturers follow fashion trends, offering energy-efficient lighting technologies not only in novel, high-tech forms but also by revamping older styles.

Art Filament Style LED Light Sources

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These are variously shaped bulbs with amber-tinted (some say golden smoke) glass, resembling the appearance and tone of vintage Edison bulbs. Their luminous flux is moderate, allowing us to admire them for a short while.

Compared to the usual warm white LEDs, they are even more yellowish, almost reddish-yellow in color. The amber-tinted bulbs generally modify the 2700 Kelvin LED filament light to an even warmer light, usually below 2500 Kelvin, down to around 2200 Kelvin. But these are 1800 Kelvin because the amber glass lowers the color temperature of the guessed 2200 Kelvin SMD LEDs hidden in the socket to an even lower level, bringing them close to the reddish-yellow tone of real candlelight and the glow of the weak, inefficient, but durable filaments of the past.

Many think these are LED filaments built on glass or sapphire strands, but they are not.

Art Filament is a creative name. They only artistically appear as glowing filaments. These do not contain LED filaments but rather simpler SMD packaged LEDs hidden in the socket above the operating electronics. The plexiglass tube in the center acts as an optical fiber, guiding the light, which exits at the breakpoints. The plexiglass tube is engraved with a coiled filament motif. The engraving is a surface break, causing light to exit the plexiglass along the engraving, creating the illusion of glowing there. Since this engraving is delicate, most of the light continues through the plexiglass and exits at the end of the tube. This means that although our light source is bulb-shaped, the main light beam is not circular but shines like a spot towards the top, with less light spreading to the sides. So, viewed from the side, it is as dim as an Edison bulb, allowing us to “admire” it, while the end is brighter. Thus, if we hang it above a table, it illuminates the table much better than an Edison bulb, while still being less intrusive to the eyes of those sitting around the table, or even delightful.

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The bulbs of LED filament light sources are filled with inert gas (typically nitrogen), which is a good conductor of heat and does not react with the LED filaments, preventing oxidation. Since there are no LED filaments in Art Filaments, the light and heat are generated in the socket, making the use of inert gas unnecessary. Therefore, only air is under the bulb. In most cases, the bulb can simply be unscrewed from the neck of the socket. This is not only interesting but also advantageous: if the glass bulb is accidentally broken, the light source remains usable. Additionally, if we miscalculated the size and it doesn’t fit into a smaller lampshade, removing the LED bulb’s cover can still allow us to screw it in.

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Their style mimics the earliest Edison bulbs.

As a result, they can be authentic elements not only of retro and currently fashionable vintage styles but also of most styles from the early 20th century to 2000. They look great in various folk styles, whether Mediterranean, rustic, ethnic, or even as a complement to luxury and art deco styles. They also suit gold-black luxury styles well, from baroque to modern, when we mix black lamp fixtures with gold, antique gold, or even lemon yellow inserts, as this strong yellow light enhances these color accents. They are also excellent in industrial style. The essence of industrial-style lamp fixtures is a functionalist approach where the light source is not covered, and at most, another clear glass bulb protects it. Thus, the engraved filament pattern can distinctly dominate the entire lamp.

Where Are They Not Suitable?

  • Black and white style, high-tech, minimalist style, or those styles – more precisely, color schemes – where the interior is enriched with white metallic or white shiny elements.
  • They create a yellowed effect on shiny surfaces like chrome, aluminum, and nickel.
  • They don’t look good with shiny white furniture, as they make the shiny white furniture appear aged and worn.
  • Avoid using them in rooms dominated by cool colors or if you want to see white walls as truly white.
  • However, if our main lighting is otherwise cool or daylight white because it suits our home, we can use weaker warm local lighting. Its only role is to create an evening romantic atmosphere without turning on the main lighting.
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These art filament LEDs officially have a beam angle of 300 degrees. However, the main beam is only about 90 degrees because the light beam exiting at the end of the light guide is the strongest. The light exiting from the side engraving is significantly less. This can actually be considered a definite advantage. Since those who buy such LED lamps want to look into them because they are delightful. Therefore, if you look into it from the side, it doesn’t dazzle, but if you look from the end, it does. It follows that they should be installed socket-upwards, hung over a table to illuminate it, and still not disturb the people around the table if we don’t cover it with a separate lampshade.

If we consider the illumination measured towards the peak as 100%, then the illumination measured in one direction is only 13% of this. If this solution bothers you, you should buy real LED filaments, as it can be seen that they are stronger in the lateral direction, i.e., they emit light more evenly in a circular pattern.

The following image shows the proportions of peak and lateral illumination for 5 different LED constructions.

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Art filament LEDs with unwound bulb covers:

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For more information about the presented art filament LED lamps:

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