Choosing Your Globe

Choosing the Right Light Globe

The globe you choose will shape the mood, warmth and feel of your space just as much as the light itself. Here’s a simple guide to help you choose the right one.

1. Lumens = Brightness

Lumens tell you how bright the light will be.

200–400 lumens — Soft ambient glow
400–800 lumens — Standard room lighting
800+ lumens — Task lighting (kitchen benches, workspaces)

If you’re using our lighting for atmosphere and warmth, we generally recommend 400–600 lumens.

2. Watts = Energy Use

Watts measure how much electricity the globe uses — not how bright it is.

We recommend LED globes because they:

Use less power
Produce less heat
Last much longer

3. Kelvin (K) = Colour Temperature

Kelvin determines whether the light feels warm or cool.

2200–2700K — Warm, soft, intimate
2700–3000K — Relaxed home lighting
3000–4000K — Neutral, functional light

For most living spaces, we recommend 2400–2700K to create warmth and depth.

Our Recommendation

For most of our ceramic lighting designs:

LED filament globe
2400–2700K warm light
400–600 lumens

This combination creates a soft, natural warmth that enhances the texture and character of the ceramic.

The globe can add to the beauty of the shade, particularly vintage globes.

Globes range from $10 to $40 dollars with LEDs now lasting 10-20 years. We recommend trying a couple of different globes to get the best effect. vintageled.com.au have a great range at competitive prices. We have provided links to some of our recommendations but definitely have a browse of their website.

For medium and small pendants, a G45 globe will sit inside the shade so the globe is less exposed.

The Marilyn and Bouquet designs show part of the light bulb exposed. If you choose a brighter globe for these designs, a frosted globe reduces the glare.

Bouquets are best suited to frosted, candle globes. You can change the angle of all designs by lifting and turning the shade. This is particularly useful for the Bouquet to change the direction of the light or the Marilyn to hide part of the globe. A small, round vintage globe also looks beautiful in the Bouquets. If you are placing your Bouquet over a breakfast bar and need a brighter light without the glare, a frosted candle globe works best. If you want your Bouquet to light a room with a brighter globe, it is best to hang these above eye level.

If you have a dimmer switch already installed, be sure to use a dimmable globe.

Here are some recommendations. Tap on the image to link to the online store.