Vintage light bulbs

First check the socket and the available height: the vintage light bulbs in this collection all have an E27 socket, are made of glass and give off a warm white light between 2700 and 3500 K. The filament stays visible behind the glass, which turns a bare socket into a decorative feature for a pendant, a wall light or a bedside lamp.

What is a vintage light bulb and what light does it give?

A vintage light bulb is an LED bulb whose filament stays visible through clear or amber glass. It gives off a warm white light, between 2700 and 3500 K, that leans towards orange without being yellow. In this collection, all of them have an E27 socket and an IP20 protection rating.

Vintage bulbs or retrofit bulbs: what is the difference?

A vintage bulb refers to a style: visible filament, clear or tinted glass, the look of an incandescent bulb. A retrofit bulb refers to a function: replacing an existing bulb without changing the light fitting, keeping the same socket. An LED filament bulb can therefore be vintage in its look and retrofit in its use. If you are only looking for the technology, browse filament bulbs and screw-in LED filament bulbs.

Vintage E27 bulb: what the screw socket changes

E27 is the large screw socket, around 27 mm in diameter: it screws in by hand, without tools, and fits most pendants, wall lights and table lamps. A narrower E14 socket will never accept it. So check your socket before ordering, then check the model in check your E27 socket.

Where to install a vintage light bulb at home?

It is mostly seen where the socket stays bare: a pendant above the table, a living room wall light or a bedside lamp. In a bathroom, place it away from water splashes, as the protection rating of these models is IP20. It is a choice of display as much as of lighting.

A vintage light bulb in a living room or dining room

Above a table, a bulb with an elongated shape, amber glass and a well-drawn filament creates a warm point of light that does not swallow the conversation. In a living room, it gives a low, enveloping light on a reading lamp or a floor lamp. To go further room by room, see equipping the living room and a soft light for the bedroom.

Bathroom: how far can you go with an IP20?

IP20 means the bulb is protected against solid objects, not against water. So install it on a wall light away from the shower or the bath, or above the washbasin. The compact globe shape suits these wall lights well. For other damp rooms, a different protection rating is better.

How to choose between a globe shape and an elongated format?

The globe shape, at 4 x 6 cm, goes unnoticed in a wall light or a small globe. The elongated format, at 5 x 12.5 cm, stands out and becomes a decorative feature when the filament is visible. The available height in the light fitting often decides. The table below lists the two formats actually offered.

Gold, amber or white colour: what effect on the light?

Amber glass filters the light and warms it: the halo drops towards orange, ideal above a table. Clear glass lets a more direct light through, without colouring. Gold, beige, white and black colours play on the look when switched off, when the bulb is part of the decor. See amber finishes and white models.

Glass, brass, metal or fabric: the finishes in the collection

Glass dominates, sometimes combined with brass for the socket or the ring, with metal, or with fabric on the cable. These details change the light very little, and the look a great deal. A brass light fitting will call for a matching socket; a more raw decor will accept black metal. Browse glass models and modern-style bulbs.

Vintage E27 bulb: how to check compatibility with your light fitting?

Three checks are enough: the socket, the height and the wattage indicated on the socket. The whole selection is E27, which an E14 socket will not accept. Measure the space available under the shade and compare it with the 4 x 6 cm or 5 x 12.5 cm on the product pages. The table below sums up these criteria.

E27 or E14 socket: how not to get it wrong?

Look at the socket, not the old bulb: a wide screw socket is E27; a narrow socket is E14. The two are not interchangeable, even with an adapter. If in doubt, compare with the small E14 socket and with E27 LED bulbs.

Measure the available height before ordering

Place a tape measure between the socket and the bottom of the shade or globe. An elongated 12.5 cm format often sticks out of a small holder, while a 6 cm globe fits anywhere. Also think about airflow: a bulb that is too tight heats up more. For small spaces, look at compact LED bulbs.

How to wire 3 bulbs in parallel?

In a parallel circuit, each socket receives the same voltage: the three bulbs light up together and, if one is removed, the other two stay lit. In series, they dim and all go out as soon as one is missing. Cut the power before any work and entrust the mains connection to an electrician.

Why wire three sockets in parallel rather than in series?

Parallel is the standard for domestic lighting: each point keeps its brightness, and a blown bulb does not deprive the others of light. Series is only of interest in very specific cases. It is also this wiring that makes a shared control from a single switch possible.

What wattage should you not exceed on a fitting with several sockets?

Add up the wattages of the bulbs and stay within what the socket and the light fitting accept. This limit is indicated on the light fitting, sometimes on the socket itself: read it before choosing. To vary the brightness, a dimmer-compatible model is preferable, see E27 dimmable LED models.

Vintage bulb and dimmer: what to know before buying

A vintage light bulb is not necessarily controlled by a dimmer. In this selection, some models are stated as compatible; on the others, dimming may cause flickering. Check the mention on the product page and the type of dimmer already installed, before ordering.

How to recognise a dimmer-compatible vintage light bulb?

Compatibility is written clearly in the product specifications. If not, consider that the bulb is not compatible. Models stated as dimmable can be found in dimmable E27 bulbs and controlling the light with a dimmer.

My dimmer makes the bulb flicker: what should I do?

Flickering most often comes from the bulb-dimmer pairing, rarely from the bulb alone. Test the bulb on a fixed socket to isolate the cause, then replace either the bulb with a model stated as compatible, or the dimmer. A non-compatible model may work perfectly well without dimming.

Mistakes to avoid before ordering a vintage light bulb

The most common mistakes relate to the socket, the height and the use. An E27 does not fit into an E14 socket, an elongated format may touch the shade, and an IP20 has no place near a shower. Dimmer compatibility is the fourth trap.

Diameter and height above all

Note the two measurements on the product page, 4 x 6 cm or 5 x 12.5 cm, and compare them with your free space. A narrow globe, a low shade or a closed box rule out the large format. If in doubt, the short format is the safest, including in a small light fitting with a different socket.

Stay consistent from one socket to the next

On a light fitting with three or five sockets, mixing two colour temperatures is immediately visible: one bulb leans towards orange, the other towards white. Keep the same model everywhere, or at least the same temperature. The choice is between a very warm light at 2700K and a more neutral warm white at 3000K.

Ordering your vintage light bulbs from Designix

Payment is secure, delivery is tracked and returns are possible. The models in the selection are guaranteed for two years. If in doubt about the socket, the size or compatibility with a dimmer, the Designix customer service answers before purchase as well as after the order.

Secure payment, tracked delivery, returns

The order is placed online, with parcel tracking until delivery. If the format does not suit once unpacked, the return is provided for. This is useful when hesitating between two dimensions, which often happens with a bare socket whose height you have not measured.

In doubt about the socket or the size? customer service answers

The simplest thing is to give your two measurements: the free height under the shade and the type of socket. The team then guides you towards one model rather than another, such as round vintage LED bulbs for a short space, or the set of amber filament 16W bulbs for a visible pendant. Find everything else in all our Designix light fittings and all available bulbs.

Frequently asked questions about vintage light bulbs