What is the most important aspect of design? Paint color? Flooring? Furniture layout? There are a lot of little things that go into making a design both functional and beautiful, but there is one element that is 100% necessary for any other part to work properly, and that is lighting.

Lighting is an extremely important aspect of design simply because without lighting, you wouldn’t be able to see anything. Even with natural sunlight in a room, supplementary lighting is needed to create the proper feel for any space. Having considered just how important lighting is, it’s time to discover all of the options available so that you can get the most out of your space. Around the HDD studio, we call this the great light bulb debate. There are two main light bulb types to choose from: fluorescent and incandescent. Each has its pros and cons, and each can affect your electric bill.

The first issue in the great bulb debate is wattage, or the amount of energy that the blub uses when it’s turned on. Incandescent bulbs use 60 watts, while fluorescent bulbs only use 10 watts, making fluorescent more energy efficient. Second on the list is the lifetime of the bulb. Incandescent bulbs last for about 1000 hours, and fluorescent bulbs last for about 15,000. Another important thing to consider is cost, and there is a big difference. Incandescent bulbs can cost about $0.85 while fluorescent bulbs cost about $7.85. There is an obvious reason that fluorescents cost a lot more than incandescent bulbs: they last longer and are more energy efficient. In addition to the cost, there are also health issues you should consider. Some fluorescent bulbs contain mercury, a dangerous and toxic material to be exposed to, which means that if the bulb is broken at any point, you would need to contact a professional about how to clean it up. Incandescent bulbs do not pose a health risk. The final factor to consider is the quality of the light that each bulb gives off, and that has to do with the CRI (Color Rendering Index) rating, which measures how natural the light looks. Fluorescent bulbs have a poor CRI rating, while incandescent bulbs have high CR I ratings.

So, to summarize, choosing fluorescent means more initial cost but longer overall lifespan, not so great quality (depending on the space) but much more energy efficient which means you save money overtime, and a potentially hazardous cleanup. Incandescent bulbs have a lower initial cost but a much shorter overall lifespan,  better quality but not as energy efficient as the fluorescent bulbs which will cost you more money over time, and the cleanup is not hazardous.

There’s a lot to consider when thinking about reduced design, so be sure get all the facts straight before jumping into anything. And remember that Leslie offers a “Stump the Designer” session regularly, where you’ll have a chance to ask further questions about reduced design ideas. Be sure to check the HDD blog for the next installment of our Green Blog Series: Reused Design,  Rethinking How You Shop.