There's one thing I most definitely don't miss about working in an office: the bathroom lighting. I'd do a quick check in the mirror before leaving (of course) and the awful fluorescent lighting always made me want to call my dermatologist stat or find some emergency blush. I'm all for saving energy with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) at home, but I also want good (read: flattering) lighting. Thankfully someone's figured out how to pack both into a light bulb. Sylvania's new Living Spaces light bulbs are the energy-saving CFLs we should be using, but the light looks like the soft light from incandescent bulbs. Check out the photo above. The lamp on the right has a typical compact fluorescent light bulb — notice the harsh white light. The lamp on the left has a Sylvania Living Spaces light bulb — note the warm, soft lighting that doesn't scream hospital room.
Find the right bulb for your light!
I'd like to help solve your light bulb issues. Do you have a lamp for which you can't figure out a light bulb match? Are you at a loss about which light bulb to buy for your dining room pendant? I think light bulbs are still one of the most confusing products to buy — and it stinks when you buy the wrong one. Leave a comment here and feel free to email me a picture of your light fixture (no more than 600 pixels wide) to thehaystackneedle [at] gmail [dot] com. Don't forget to leave an email address or blog site with your comment so I can respond to you. The experts at Sylvania will be solving all of your light bulb mysteries. So just leave a comment and I'll get back to you with answers next week! Because it takes more than one person to figure out which light bulb to screw into a light.
To kick off the questions, here's mine for Sylvania: Which bulb should I be using for my living room table lamp that's on a dimmer?
GIVEAWAY!
And besides the free advice, I have a fun giveaway! I'll draw one random person from the comments to receive a free lighting makeover kit from Sylvania: two packs of Sylvania's Living Spaces light bulbs plus three Dot-It portable lights in silver. I have a couple Dot-Its — they're perfect for adding a little light in a closet. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, so get your comments in by Monday (March 9th) at 7pm! Good luck :)
