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If you’ve been to a wedding, gala, new restaurant, or even a party in someone’s backyard, you’ve likely witnessed one of the latest trends in lighting: the Edison bulb. These bulbs are typically oversized, but don’t have to be. Their biggest distinguishing feature is that they are clear with large, decorative filaments. Some even have small intentionally created “imperfections” in the glass to give them a more handcrafted, older look. These bulbs aren’t the most powerful, but when used in series they give off warm, yellow, inviting light (many of the bulbs emit light at a color temperature of 2200–2400K).They’re perfect for accent lighting and bringing a vintage touch to any space.

Reproductions of the antique bulbs were started in the 1980s by Bob Rosenzweig. He began selling the vintage-style light bulbs after watching a salvage operation. The reproductions sold mostly to collectors and prop houses until the turn of the 21st century, when new regulations banned low-efficiency lighting in many countries. Domestic lighting shifted toward more efficient compact fluorescent lamps and LED lights, but demand for vintage bulbs also increased.

Modern "Edison light bulbs" are designed to replicate the same light color and bulb shape to offer a more energy-efficient version of the popular vintage reproduction bulbs. These bulbs also maintain the same "exposed" look to further preserve the vintage reproduction style, and often employ the "ST" long-pear bulb shape for the same reason. Like any incandescent bulb, however, they are tremendously inefficient, losing up to 95% of their energy consumption to heat. Thankfully there’s a solution.

When illuminated, vintage style LED Edison bulbs look nearly identical to their incandescent brethren. This effect is achieved by placing tiny LEDs in a pattern that mimics the Edison bulb’s decorative filament. LED filament bulbs have multiple light-emitting filaments within the glass envelope, reminiscent of, though not usually identical to, antique bulbs. LED bulbs, including LED filament types, are much more energy-efficient than any incandescent lighting.

SunLake has a variety of LED filament lights for all your decorative bulb needs.