So...
As I've mentioned in the Cribs thread, I'm working on a total remodel of an older home. Part of the remodel is including all new lighting throughout the house. Obviously this is a huge investment in new fixtures, switches, dimmers, etc.
Well, the big incandescent ban is coming up, and it's going to be 2012 before we know it, at which point, if my understanding is correct, the phase-out of incandescent light bulbs (starting with 100 watt bulbs) will begin.
This sounds to me like a disaster, as I am going to be spending on fixtures and dimmers that may not fit or work with whatever new technologies are coming. For example, the dimmable CFL bulbs currently available are HUGE and will not fit in ordinary ceiling mounts. I don't know if controls are different either. And since a lot of my lighting is going to be track lighting for the purposes of displaying artwork (paintings and photography), getting the proper hue is also important, which I understand can be an issue with some of the LED technologies, even as it's gotten better with CFLs.
All this is making me very nervous about spending a lot of money on fixtures and controls without some evaluation of the future. But I can't seem to find very much reliable info out there. My architect is something of a lighting pro, as he's done the lighting in several museums, but he's also old-school and just plain old, so he's not really been helpful here. He's spec'ing his old reliables and doesn't seem to know much about the future, except in recommending some fiber optic system which sounded incredible but is also unobtainable, price-wise, for me.
I know there are those among you who geek out on this stuff. I would appreciate any info anyone has to share.
As I've mentioned in the Cribs thread, I'm working on a total remodel of an older home. Part of the remodel is including all new lighting throughout the house. Obviously this is a huge investment in new fixtures, switches, dimmers, etc.
Well, the big incandescent ban is coming up, and it's going to be 2012 before we know it, at which point, if my understanding is correct, the phase-out of incandescent light bulbs (starting with 100 watt bulbs) will begin.
This sounds to me like a disaster, as I am going to be spending on fixtures and dimmers that may not fit or work with whatever new technologies are coming. For example, the dimmable CFL bulbs currently available are HUGE and will not fit in ordinary ceiling mounts. I don't know if controls are different either. And since a lot of my lighting is going to be track lighting for the purposes of displaying artwork (paintings and photography), getting the proper hue is also important, which I understand can be an issue with some of the LED technologies, even as it's gotten better with CFLs.
All this is making me very nervous about spending a lot of money on fixtures and controls without some evaluation of the future. But I can't seem to find very much reliable info out there. My architect is something of a lighting pro, as he's done the lighting in several museums, but he's also old-school and just plain old, so he's not really been helpful here. He's spec'ing his old reliables and doesn't seem to know much about the future, except in recommending some fiber optic system which sounded incredible but is also unobtainable, price-wise, for me.
I know there are those among you who geek out on this stuff. I would appreciate any info anyone has to share.
