Recently, I have noticed a trend for light fixtures with exposed bulbs. Most of the fixtures are using an type of light bulb called the Edison Bulb or another unique bulb. The aesthetics of the fixture focus on the beauty of the vintage style light bulb, while giving it an industrial feel. I rounded up a few of my personal favorite fixtures with exposed bulbs.
From Left to Right:
- Glass Series No. 4: whyrHymer $1650
- Circa 1900 Train Station Swing-Arm Sconce: Restoration Hardware $169
- Menlo Lamp: Anthropologie $148
- NK L-Sconce: NK Shop $425 - $500
- Industrial Glass Pendant (Italy): Obsolete $900
Another great resource for this particular type of lighting and other period lighting is SchoolHouse Electric.
Images: Obsolete, whyrHymer, Restoration Hardware, NK Shop, Anthropologie
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Perfect timing! I was just thinking this morning about trying a look like this on a tripod lamp base we picked up a while ago at Goodwill that's missing the base for a shade. You have convinced me.
Like them but I've switched to all CFL or LEDs. Know where to get a good looking LED bulb?
I just adore this look, but filling my home with $18 bulbs from Anthropologie is a little out of my price range. Does anyone know of a compromise on a pretty bulb for less?
There's a place that sells all sorts of really cool Edison style bulbs (not cheap BTW!)
FerroWatt, in Summerville SC is one, as well as Kyp-Go Inc. out of DeLand Florida.
A friend whose fabulous handmade lights relies on these type of bulbs for the design, "sadly" live in Berlin- where the EU has ruled that these sort of bulbs are "illegal".
http://www.frankbuchwald.de/engl_v/serie_e.html
The CFL / LED engineers @ Osram,G.E., etc. sadly, haven't jumped on the "retro" bandwagon...;(
recently? uggg, i'm so sick of the edison bulbs and this nouveau victorian thing. if i see one more restaurant with them... btw most incandescent light bulbs are going to be phased out in a few years, so if you're going to do this make sure to stock pile them now. there's nothing like a trend of about-to-be superseded technology!
Pub & Kitchen- one of my favorite Philadelphia restaurants - has a row of exposed bulbs on the ceiling. It's subtle and I like it.
These may not be green but i do love the look of the exposed bulb - there's something warm and comforting about it. It'd be great if LED bulbs could look old fashioned! This NYC designer has a lot of great exposed-bulb work also: http://www.emlenlamps.com/
I wonder what's going to happen to all of these types of fixtures when the US bans tungsten light bulbs in 2014 (pretty sure that's when it is, unless it's changed)...oh, the joys our government forces, i mean bestows on us!
I don't like exposed light bulbs. It's too harsh for me. I like soft lighting.
they are not actually banning tungsten light bulbs, they are putting restrictions on how much energy bulbs can use, that current tungsten lights do not meet. There are people working on making a new tungsten that does comply (I hope they actually do it!).
CFLs may be "green" in energy use but the chemicals used to make them are just as bad and you can't just throw them away because of the mercury in them.