LIGHT BULB GUIDE

What's important when choosing a suitable light bulb?

  • Type - Incandescent, LED, CFL, etc...
  • Size/Shape - Should be relative to the size of the light and lampshades (Shown below)
  • Wattage - Should be equal to or less than the maximum stated
  • Cap/Base - Should match the stated type (Shown below)
  • Function - Does it need to dim?

The type of light bulb is mostly end user choice however LED and CFL offer energy savings, for example: a 5W LED Bulb is equal to approximately a 40/45W Incandescent Bulb. LED is particularly useful where a light fitting requires a very low maximum wattage bulb. We recommend LED Light Bulbs for all applications and any light fixture with a removable light bulb is suitable for an LED Type Light Bulb.

Have a look at the most popular light bulb shapes, some shapes are purely for cosmetic purpose whilst others are shaped to fit within a lampshade: 

Each Light Fixture will state a 'cap' or 'base' which will resemble one of the below (among other types):

 

The most common light bulb base types in the US are E26 and E11 although there are many more available with just a few shown in the diagram above. 

At ideas4lighting we import light fittings from around the world including European designs which are suitable for use in the US but use a different range of cap types specific to Europe, for this reason we don't stock light bulbs but we recommend you purchase your light bulbs from Amazon.

Below we have outlined the EU Base Caps and the recommended solution for use in the US:

  • E27 Type (European) - Use with United States E26 Type
  • E14 Type (European) - Use with an E14 to E12 Adapter (Amazon.com)
  • B22 Type (European) - Use with a B22d to E27 Adapter (Amazon.com)
  • B15d Type (European) - Use with United States B15d or BA15d Type
  • All others types will fit perfectly!

When purchasing a light bulb please ensure you purchase for the American Voltage (110V-120V). 

If your having trouble selecting a light bulb you can always send us a message with your requirements and we will get back to you ASAP.