subject: Enhance Displays With Colored Fluorescent Lights [print this page] I have a cabinet that I keep my collection of crystal figurines in. It has a fluorescent tube accent light in it, which makes them show up even better. Recently, I swapped out all of my incandescent bulbs for fluorescent ones. I saw a welcome change in my power bill and felt good about helping the environment at the same time. I have always used colored bulbs in certain areas of my house. So when I switched, I had to start looking into colored fluorescent bulbs.
They make colored fluorescent bulbs in many colors and styles. You can get the twist shape, globe style, floodlights and tube varieties. When it comes to the tubes, the easiest way to change the color is to buy colored sleeves, or guards as they are sometimes called. These slide over the tube and you instantly and easily have a new color! They also make rolls of the material used that you can wrap the tube in. I have seen some fun, creative ideas using this method, such as wrapping two different colors on one tube. You can really get creative with this.
Back to my crystal cabinet. I decided to use a pale blue sleeve on the fluorescent tube that was in it. I was shocked at the difference it made. My crystal figurines had an added sparkle to them. It's a very pale shade of blue, but makes a huge difference. It's also softer to the eye and just more interesting. I have since added colored bulbs to corner lamps in different rooms and it adds a unique look to the house. I have a yellow one in a hanging globe lamp in my kitchen that I turn on at night. It adds a warm glow to the room that makes it cozy and inviting. Once you start trying these, you'll find many ways to use them.
When my brother, who has many collections, saw my crystal cabinet, he decided to try the colored fluorescent sleeves. All of the cabinets that house his collections have fluorescent tubes in them. When he started trying out different colors, he discovered that they enhanced his collectables too. For displays the lighter colors are best and still give plenty of light. It not only gives an interesting look to the items in the cabinet, but makes the room look better. Instead of stark white, you have these nice colored glows here and there.
If you want to make your collections really stand out, try the colored fluorescent bulbs. You will save money, help the environment and they last a lot longer than other bulbs. It will not only add to your displays, but add to the rooms decor. They are a lot of fun to experiment with and you'll be amazed at the results.
