Posted by Kromey at 12:31pm Apr 15 '13I don't think the future of LED lighting is in incandescent-shaped bulbs. That's trying to shoehorn one technology into a form factor originally designed for a radically different technology -- it would be like trying to wear a new style of shoe that's designed like a pair of pants!
I think lighting will be redesigned around what LEDs really are capable of. For example, LED strip lighting is an effective, relatively cost-effective means of lighting up a room -- you can use cheaper, somewhat dimmer LEDs than what bulbs use because you've got the freedom to use fewer. You also have a lot more flexibility in how much light you want -- adding a 60-watt bulb (or its equivalent) to brighten up a too-dark living room already lit by 2 is 50% more light, but you could instead add anything from 5% to 200% more light by expanding the LED strips! And it's a lot more flexible than bulb-style lighting -- for example, a kitchen lit by LED strip lighting can more easily include under-cupboard lighting to light up those counter-tops that traditional overhead lighting often leaves inadequately lit.
Not to mention fun things like using multi-colored LEDs to provide a disco-esque "party lighting" option if you're the type to frequently host parties. :-)
What does this mean for those of us with "older" houses (read: anything not designed in the future) designed around bulb-centric lighting? We'll be using CFLs for the foreseeable future I think, maybe a transition to LED bulbs in another couple of years. Unless we get into redesigning our own homes to use strip lighting, of course (I plan on experimenting with it myself, starting either with one of the bathrooms or with under-cupboard lighting in the kitchen).
My prediction: - Kromey