• The technical term for light bulb is lamp.
• The most common mistake made in kitchen lighting is expecting one light source to perform two functions such as task and ambient.
• Frequently the wrong lamp is selected for task lighting.
• Understanding lamps and their abilities helps put the light where it is needed.
• Electronic dimmers not only save electricity but also extend the life of the lamp.
• In fluorescent lamps, output (lumens) decreases over time to a point where, long before expiring altogether, their output can be as low as 10% to 20% of their initial rating.
• Until recently, quantity of light was the major focus. Now, quality is playing a larger role in lighting design.

There are a dozen measurements of lamps; here are a few:

• Wattage – The rate at which energy is taken from an electrical circuit. Lamps are rated in watts to indicate power consumption. Simply stated, this is what we pay the electric company.               
• Lumens – A unit of the overall light output; the quantity of light.               
• Foot Candle – The unit of measure of light arriving at a surface, equal to one lumen per square foot.

• A lamp should be chosen for its ability to convert power, the watts, into light output, the lumens.