Filament bulbs have seen their popularity increase astronomically over the past two years, prized for their gentle glows and vintage appearance. Widely available in homes and offices before they were replaced by more recent lighting technology, the bulbs have seen an impressive resurgence—now resuscitated with power-saving possibilities thanks to advancements in LED technology.
With their naked filaments and warm amber glow, filament bulbs are often chosen more for how they look than how they perform. They’re most commonly used in industrial-chic spaces, retro cafes, boutique shops, and increasingly in modern UK homes where character and ambiance are the largest influences on lighting design.
While older incandescent filament bulbs employed tungsten filaments and consumed an enormous quantity of electricity, their contemporary versions apply the technology of LED to achieve the same appearance with much more efficiency. The LED filament bulbs replicate the retro classic appearance of older incandescent lighting—up to spiral or straight-line filaments—without consuming a fraction of electricity.
New LED filament bulbs are constructed transparent or pale in color so that their thin filament within is visible. Their soft, warm light is usually 2200K to 2700K on the Kelvin scale, providing a warm, inviting environment. They are ideal for areas like living rooms, bedrooms, dining rooms, and any other room where a warm ambience will be needed.
They are also made in a range of shapes—standard GLS, globe, squirrel cage, candle, etc.—and are thus versatile enough to be utilized for anything from table lamps and pendant lighting through to wall sconces and chandeliers.
Styling with Filament Bulbs
One of the reasons filament bulbs are so popular with the UK interior design community is that they can be both form and function. Left in their naked state with open fixtures such as cage-style pendant lights or simple bulb fixtures, they create a distinctive point of visual interest. They add warmth to cold lines in contemporary rooms or cohesion to the harsh starkness of wood, brick, and metal finish.
Filament bulbs are particularly fantastic in spaces where ambiance is more desirable than harsh light. In a dining room, for example, a row of exposed filament bulbs along a ceiling above a table can be a cozy ambiance. In bedrooms, they are a retro glamour if utilized in bed lamps or hanging pendants.
While dimmer switches in themselves are appropriate for most filament-type LED bulbs, make sure to check if the bulb itself is actually rated as being dimmable. A non-dimmable bulb, when combined with a dimmer switch, will result in flickering or shortened lifespan.
Perhaps one of the most significant advantages of new filament bulbs is that they are energy-efficient. While older filament incandescent bulbs used a lot of energy and didn’t last long, LED filament varieties use up to 90% less energy and last 15,000 to 20,000 hours or more. They not only save money on electricity bills, but replacement isn’t as often required—offering long-term convenience and cost savings.
With the UK trend of power saving, LED filament bulbs are maximally compliant with efficiency levels these days and therefore are a stylish yet sensible option for lamps. They’re cool to touch, with the added safety for pets or children.
Employed in old homes, contemporary styles, or store and hotel areas, filament bulbs provide the best of both worlds: traditional appearance with contemporary efficiency. With customer demand for atmospheric, multi-tiered lighting only ever going to keep on going, the bulbs are going to be a designers’ and homeowners’ bestseller for a while longer.