Consider LEDs For More Efficient And Brighter Display Lighting

If you're trying to set up display cases for jewelry, or you're trying to spotlight artworks for sale, you know that good lighting is essential if you want the items to look their best. Not only does the amount of light have an effect, but the warmth of the light, in terms of color spectrum, can influence what people see. LED technology has advanced to the point where it is now a serious contender for displays. Here's a look at what LED lighting can do for you.

Preserve Paint

Earlier talk about LEDs damaging paintings has turned out to not be quite true; in fact, in an interview with ZDNet, Naomi Miller, a senior lighting engineer at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, noted that LEDs may be doing less damage to paintings than other bulbs. If you're trying to light up paintings and don't want to worry about causing reactions between the light and the paint, LEDs could work. However, you may want to look for warmer bulbs, or those with lower numbers of lumens; those give off more orange-ish tones. Miller noted that many LEDs tend to have more blue light in them, and she told ZDNet that this might lead to galleries filtering out some of that blue light. Play around with different numbers of lumens to see which looks best to you.

Allow Jewelry to Sparkle

Jewelry cases can be particularly difficult to get right because there are so many factors that go into lighting them. You want the jewelry to have that extra sparkle, and you don't want anything obscured or placed in a dark corner where it might not be seen. Many jewelry cases have interior lighting to prevent people from blocking light when they lean over. Fluorescent and halogen bulbs have been the main jewelry illuminators for years, but LEDs are quickly gaining in effectiveness and popularity. The lights are smaller and easier to place in unobtrusive areas of the case.

Reduce Electric Bills

Lower energy costs are a typical advantage of switching to LED bulbs, but the lower costs are much more apparent for galleries and stores that need lights on all the time. Because LEDs use a highly reduced amount of energy compared to halogen and even fluorescent bulbs, LEDs are great for use in store window displays. However, start slowly. Like other types of bulbs, LEDs have different styles, and you need to find the one that works best for your particular situation. For example, strip lighting might provide more consistent brightness across the whole display, whereas spotlights obviously work to call attention to particular items.

If you'd like more information about how LED bulbs can affect how you display your crafts and art, visit a hardware store like Koontz Hardware or the customer service department of an LED manufacturer. They can explain color temperature and its effects, as well as how light direction and amount, can affect what people see.


Share