Decorative Light Bulbs

Decorative incandescent light bulbs or LED filament?

A traditional incandescent bulb heats a fine wire until it glows, giving a soft, golden light but using more power for the same brightness and running hot. An LED filament bulb copies that look with slim strips of LEDs arranged like a filament, so the glow stays on show while the bulb uses far less energy. We stock both types, and every bulb in our range of decorative light bulbs is low wattage. Most have a filament on show, making the bulb part of the fitting's design rather than something to hide.

Which shape of decorative light bulb suits your fitting?

Shape sets the outline of an open fitting. Many of our bulbs are globes, and their rounded form softens a bare pendant or a cluster of drops. GLS bulbs keep the familiar pear outline of a classic household bulb, which suits table lamps and simple holders. We also stock a few speciality shapes, along with a squirrel cage bulb, a candle bulb and a spiral bulb for fittings that call for something different.

Most of our decorative bulbs are small, and we also stock a large bulb for fittings with room to show it off. Before you order, measure the space inside your shade or cage and compare it with the bulb's size, leaving room so it sits clear of the sides.

Will decorative light bulbs fit my lampholder?

Almost all of our decorative light bulbs use the E27 screw cap, the larger of the usual household screw sizes and a common choice for pendants and floor lamps. We also stock an E14 bulb, which suits smaller screw holders such as those on chandeliers and wall lights. If your fitting takes a bayonet cap instead, a screw bulb will not go into it, so check your holder or the old bulb before you buy.

Check the maximum wattage marked on your lampholder or shade too. As low-wattage bulbs, ours sit well within the limit of a typical household fitting.

How warm is the light from decorative light bulbs?

Colour temperature is measured in kelvin, and the lower the figure, the warmer and more golden the light. Most of our decorative bulbs give a very warm white, close to candlelight, which flatters living and dining rooms. Many give a warm white, a little whiter and nearer the light of a traditional household bulb, which suits a reading corner or a kitchen table.

The finish changes the mood too. A few of our bulbs have an amber finish that deepens the glow, and we stock a clear bulb for anyone who prefers an untinted look.

Are decorative light bulbs dimmable?

Many of our decorative bulbs are dimmable, while most are non-dimmable, so check the listing if your light runs through a dimmer. A dimmable LED bulb works best with a dimmer switch designed for LED loads; an older dimmer made for high-wattage bulbs may cause flicker or a faint hum, or fail to dim a low-wattage bulb smoothly.

On a plain on-off switch, a non-dimmable bulb does the job. Keep non-dimmable bulbs off dimmer circuits, even with the dimmer at full, as this can shorten their life.

Where to use decorative light bulbs, and how to fit them

Decorative bulbs come into their own wherever the bulb is on show, such as a bare pendant over a dining table or a lamp with an open cage. Some of our bulbs carry an IP20 rating, which means they belong in dry indoor fittings. In a bathroom the fitting itself must carry the IP rating its zone requires, so choose the fitting first and a bulb to suit it.

Changing a bulb is simple: switch off, let the old bulb cool, then turn the replacement gently until it is snug. Fitting or replacing a pendant or lampholder is a different job; in England and Wales that work may fall under Part P of the Building Regulations, so we recommend a qualified electrician.